Video-conferencing

What is video-conferencing?

Video-conferencing enables multiple parties in different locations to join a virtual room, facilitating collaboration through sharing audio, video, text and presentations in real time over the internet. Camera and microphones can be turned on and off.

Video-conferencing through Hwb

Through Hwb, staff have access to Microsoft 365 (M365) and Google Workspace for Education.

Microsoft Teams can be used to carry out video-conferencing. 

Google Meet can be used to carry out video conferencing.

Using video-conferencing to deliver lessons

Video-conferencing can be effective for practitioners delivering blended learning when used appropriately. It offers practitioners the ability to replicate classroom practice in a virtual environment through engagement and interaction. Video-conferencing can be used to:

• deliver lessons to your class and learners
• deliver small group pastoral or teaching sessions
• conduct a well-being catch-up session or hold a SEN/ALN appointment

Benefits of video-conferencing lessons

Video-conferencing offers many benefits to blended learning. The benefits of using video-conferencing to deliver lessons include:

• offering participants an opportunity for face-to-face contact in real time
• facilitates interactive and collaborative learning
• positive impacts on learner engagement and well-being
• useful for keeping in contact with learners
• feedback to learners is instant
• enables individualised support
• it can be used to enable children and young people to keep in contact with their peer learners and engage in group learning, for example, discussions

Points to remember

• Everything on your screen or that you share will be seen by all.
• Video-conferencing is real-time - carefully consider what can been seen and heard in your environment.
• By scheduling a video-conference lesson you are committing to delivering a lesson on a specific date and time.
• If learners are using video and audio, then all learners should choose a neutral location that is appropriate and safe. 
• Where possible, practitioners and learners should use background blur settings in Microsoft Teams and Google Meet.
• If practitioners choose, learners can present their screen and share content.