Description
This project aims to study the application of state-of-the-art synchronous communication tools to enhance teaching and learning in different stages in education ranging from undergraduate to postgraduate students. Previous projectes carried by our research group have already found some benefits of using synchronous communication tools in specific application domains such as online tutoring of first-year students or professor-researcher's mobility and internationalization. Our goal now is to extrapolate these findings to other contexts and ICT tools. To this end, we pursue the following sub-objectives:
Analyzing the characteristics and needs of undergraduate and postgraduate students of different disciplines so as to identify how they can get profit from using synchronous communication tools.
Designing a set of teaching techniques, suited to each academic level, that are devoted to enrich the learning process and, at the same time, to increase the motivation of students and the development of generic skills.
Comparing the use of a selection of representative synchronous communication tools that support the implementation of the educational techniques designed. In particular, we propose the use of BigBlueButton, Adobe Connect, Blackboard Collaborate, and Google Hangout. The three of them have been tested with success, although separately, in previous innovative activities at the University of Valencia.
Evaluating the performance of the proposed techniques and tools, in comparision to the results obtained with control groups, in order to finally write a set of general recommendations of use.
Activities
Upgrade of the BigBlueButton (BBB) server at the University of Valencia.
(Finished: September, 2014)
Analysis of courses, disciplines and student profiles.
(Finished: September, 2014)
Design of online teaching techniques using the following synchronous communication tools: BigBlueButton, Adobe Connect, Blackboard Collaborate, and Google Hangout .
(Finished: October, 2014)
Application of synchronous communication tools during the 1st semester
(Finished: January, 2015)
Application of synchronous communication tools during the 2nd semester
(Finished: July, 2015)
3rd network meeting at ETSE-UV
(Finished: September, 2015)
