Here are 3 ways to use video chat as a teaching tool in the preschool classroom.
Today I’m hosting Chapter 5 of Teaching in the Digital Age for the Summer Book Study.
Teaching in the Digital Age, by Brian Puerling
Chapter 5: Expanding the Classroom with Videoconferencing and Webcams
The classroom is a concept rather than a space within walls.
– Brian Puerling
This chapter reminded me that we have so much technology available that doesn’t always get used in the classroom. I have never done videoconferencing in the classroom, but this chapter showed me many ways it can benefit children.
Connect with experts. In most situations, an expert, such as a firefighter, dentist, or police officer could come to the classroom to talk to the children in person. A videoconference would work well for an expert who is not able to come because of distance or scheduling, or because they need to be within their work environment to explain something to the children. An example of this might be a beekeeper talking to the children about how a bee makes honey, or a farmer talking to city children about where milk comes from, or an interview with a pilot for children who do not live near an airport.
Connect with children or classrooms around the world. If you had a current student or former student in a military family who moved to another country, that child could teach the other children about their life there. You might have a student who moves during the middle of the year, and the children could keep in touch with their classmate this way. If you teach in a Christian program, it might be possible to connect with a missionary your church sponsors in another country and visit with the children who live there through videoconference.
Connect with family members who live far away. I have a friend who Skypes with her grandchildren across several states, and I’m sure she would love to read a book to her grandchild’s class through a videoconference. In some instances, a child might have a parent who lives in another state. You could also connect with a parent who is traveling or lives away for a parent-teacher conference.
It’s fun to imagine the possibilities. Have you ever tried videoconferencing in the classroom? Or do you have a great idea for videoconferencing? Please share in the comments below.
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Lovely post! I think the idea of connecting with experts via tech is an awesome one for the classroom. I do it all of the time as a mental health consultant with teachers, staff, administrators…but didn’t consider connecting experts with kids in the classroom. Like a virtual field trip! Cool!
Wendy @Kidlutions
Thanks for stopping by and sharing a comment, Wendy!
I video chat with several classes. We use a service called CICL that allows us to interact with other Pre K classes . So far we have talked to classes from Tennessee, Texas, and Pennsylvania. We students love to see what their friends in other states are learning about.
Thanks for commenting, Janet! It sounds like fun.
Janet, thanks for using and mentioning CILC’s website.
Not only can you find other classrooms with which to connect, you can also find what we call content providers, who share their expertise. They may be individuals, museums, science centers, zoos and the like.
I’ve taught kindergarten in the past. What a way to improve vocabulary. So much easier to teach about a kangaroo when they can see one live and ask the zoo educator questions about it!
Love your ideas. You got me thinking… kids are always so sad if a grandparent cannot come visit on Grandparents Day. Maybe they could visit with our class through a video conference. Also, I am hoping to get more parents to come in to read stories to the class this year. I could offer video conferencing as a way for working parents to participate.
Grandparents day– that’s a great idea, Eilis! Thanks for sharing. I, too, feel sad for those kids who don’t have anyone.
I also love the idea of video conferencing with experts. With the budget constraints in education at this time, field trips are a thing of the past in many schools. This is a great and more affordable way to bring the field trips to the classroom.
Great idea, Sharon! Thanks for sharing. I hope our field trips don’t get cut — it is so important for children to have real experiences, but if field trips aren’t possible this would be a good alternative. Field trips at my school are funded by fundraisers.
Love your site! I nominated you for a blog award.
We did a VC with Mrs. Clause. She read us a story and talked to us. We conneted to the region XII education service center. It was really neat and the kids loved it!
That sounds like fun! Thanks for sharing, Kandy!
We have done vc with Santa Claus and also classes in other parts of the country. They have worked very well.
Santa Claus (One of the district techs) read us a story and talked with each of the kids. It was really sweet.
We have talked with classes in Lubbock, Texas, Minneapolis, MN, Atlanta GA, and Lewes DE. We read the same story and acted it out for each other, The others we did a playground hunt that was so much fun. We had a list of 10 things that should be pretty common in every playground and then showed pictures and compared things.
The kids loved seeing and hearing the kids from other places. I am hoping that we can do a vc with some friends in England and Japan and Canada this coming year.
Thanks for sharing, Bobbi! What great ideas! Sounds like fun.
I have very happy and pleasant to see all the work done for preschool
and it helps me to love my work more.
Thank you
Thanks so much!
Connecting with experts via video conferencing is such a good idea! It will also make things easier for schools, especially schools on a budget, because they will be saving money on travel. It really is a virtual field trip, just like Wendy said.
hi karen ! its a great pleasure always to recieve your emaols.i am also applying them in my proffesional life .is a great help indead.if it is possible
i would like u to guide me about teacher attitude towards kids when he s entering in school for the 1st time.and some stuff about library training.
thank u