Teaching strategies for conducting synchronous virtual classes by webconference systems

Abstract

Communication is an essential part of educational processes, and distance learning courses have pursued to implement tools for synchronous and asynchronous communication in order to intensify the interaction between teachers and students. Considering the importance and difficulty of communication in distance education, the goal of this research is to develop teaching strategies for conducting synchronous virtual classes using a Web conferencing system. Investigations will be conducted to evaluate the potential and limits of educational dialogic learning, from a sociocultural theoretical approach, on learning and human development, on the dialogical conception of education and on verbal interaction studies. Therefore, virtual classes simulations will be performed through an iterative process, allowing teaching strategies experimentation, and assessment and reflection about the technical and educational obstacles of these simulated classes. The results should lead to strategies reformulation, iteratively, until it can be validated. The research will be carried out with UAB/ UFABC team for training teachers, which has been conducting virtual classes in order to answer the demand from teachers of postgraduate distance courses. As a result, we intend to contribute to the theoretical and methodological framework for teaching using synchronous virtual classes environment - describing, characterizing, and conceptualizing a webconference with its categories. Furthermore, we also intend evaluate the technical and educational participants roles, the guidelines for planning a lesson and the guidelines for a process of teacher training. (AU)