Assessment of the Use of Synchronous Virtual Classrooms in Higher Education

• Authors: Juan Arias-Masa , Laura Alonso-Díaz , Sixto Cubo-Delgado , Prudencia Gutiérrez-Esteban , Rocío Yuste-Tosina

Abstracts

EN

The presented paper describes the characteristics of a study conducted on Synchronous Virtual Classrooms (SVCs), virtual spaces which harbour such resources as videoconferences, shared desk-tops, etc. The main objective of the research was to assess teaching and methodological, communication and technological aspects of SVCs in e-learning processes. Empirical methodology of quantitative and descriptive nature was used; a questionnaire was designed to assess these issues with a sample of 116 university students from six different fields of study at the University of Extremadura. As a conclusion, we report that SVCs with a constructive methodology enhance students’ creativity, favour virtual collaborative work, promote critical and independent thought, and create alternative channels to stimulate students’ active participation by means of flexible and attractive interfaces.

Keywords

EN

e-learning; information and communication technology; management system platforms; synchronous virtual classrooms; higher education; videoconference

• Publisher: Wydawnictwo Adam Marszałek
• Journal: The New Educational Review
• Year: 2014
• Volume: 38
• Pages: 221-235

Dates

published

2014

Contributors

author

Juan Arias-Masa

• University of Extremadura

author

Laura Alonso-Díaz

• University of Extremadura

author

Sixto Cubo-Delgado

• University of Extremadura

author

Prudencia Gutiérrez-Esteban

• University of Extremadura

author

Rocío Yuste-Tosina

• University of Extremadura

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Identifiers

DOI

10.15804/tner.14.38.4.17

Biblioteka Nauki

2032573