We set up a video conference for a 6th grade student this morning. It was the first time that I have set this up and the first time that we have used the classroom for a student conference.
Reflections on how it went:
- Admittedly, I was nervous since I’ve only connected with Jabber a few times and I don’t know all the ins and outs of the client, but I was nonetheless able to help them fix a few problems.
- Having phone numbers to connect and help troubleshoot was really important.
- I think the clarity of the sound and video made the interactions more seamless. There was a slight time delay, but pretty fluid.
- I think next time I would sit teachers closer to the camera and potentially even zoom in on them when they were talking. I think it was hard to see their faces and thus their expressions.
- Teachers were fantastic – ran it just like a normal conference. Didn’t sound stilted or nervous. They still asked questions of the student, which, to me, felt more natural.
- I was impressed with how comfortable the kids seemed with it.
I am reminded again of the professionalism of my colleagues. They are compassionate, clear, prepared, thoughtful, and, perhaps most importantly, know the kids. I’m glad the technology was seamless enough to support that.
Julie Kallio, PhD 