This topic comes to us from Keith Hirokawa, Professor at Albany Law School. In a post on the Environmental Law Prof Blog, he discusses his experience of teaching a class via webstream for Professor Jonathon Rosenbloom at Drake Law School.
The post discusses the importance of comfort with technology both for students and faculty, and the classroom dynamics at play where the professor is not physically present. Here is a short bit:
I recognize that I may be a newcomer to this type of distanced participation, but I think I can still say that I found the technology surprisingly effective. Innovative teachers have already developed uses and opportunities for video chatting in the classroom, including: experimenting with collaborative project-based learning between students at other schools; enabling access to guest speakers; conducting interviews with authors, activists, or other subjects of study; engaging students in lessons on cultural difference; allowing students to share experiences or performances; and a host of others. Students are, or need to be, comfortable with today’s communication technologies and the accompanying opportunities, and we should be willing to bring technology into the classroom.
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