Bringing Authentic K-12 Classrooms and Teachers to a University Classroom through Videoconferencing

Abstract

This article describes a videoconferencing project that examined the viability of communication technology as a tool to bring authentic K-12 classrooms to a university classroom. Relatively inexpensive videoconferencing technology brought a first-grade and a fifth-grade classroom to two large undergraduate teacher education educational psychology classes (70 students each). During these videoconferences, university students, elementary students, and teachers interacted in real time, posing questions to each other about teaching and learning issues. During other videoconferences, teachers demonstrated specific ways technology is used in their classrooms, and several professional development school site council meetings of university and school-based faculty were held. The benefits and difficulties associated with videoconferencing are delineated, and recommendations for successful videoconferences are suggested.