INTERACTIVE VIDEOCONFERENCING IN K-12 SETTINGS
A National Symposium for Practitioners

Summary

This symposium, sponsored by three Regional Technology in Education Consortia, was conducted in October 2002 in Dallas, TX. It was attended by approximately 85 IVC professionals of various capacities, representing school districts, regional agencies and SEAs from 26 different states, and content producers from private and public agencies. They are all experienced users of interactive videoconferencing for a variety of purposes in the K-12 environment, including instruction and administration. They came together to identify innovative and effective practices, and examine and consolidate their experiences in order to identify the critical issues in IVC and recommend policy options and solutions to common problems.

Five invited speakers addressed major issue areas including partnerships for content development, effective use of the IVC medium, implications of Internet 2 development for K-12 interests, federal roles, and research needs.

Speakers were followed by three panels composed of selected attendees representing a wide range of applications of IVC, who presented information and highlighted issues in three areas: Promising Instructional Applications of K-12 IVC; Promising District Level Applications of IVC; and IVC policy perspectives from state administrators.

Small discussion groups followed the panels, and their discussions were recorded for later analysis and the formation of issue themes. In addition to the discussion groups, birds-of-a-feather groups added to the elaboration of issues and themes.

Outcomes

The discussion themes have been used as the basis for a policy analysis, and for the formation of working groups in the areas of Research, Clearinghouse Development, Staff Development, and Policy. Group members and current activities are identified elsewhere in this web site. Any interested users of videoconferencing in K-12 settings are welcome to join a working group. To do so, send an e-mail message to Don Holznagel, holznagd@nwrel.org, requesting to participate in the group and identifying your experience in videoconferencing.

In addition, a listserv has been formed to facilitate the ongoing discussion and sharing of information not only by symposium attendees but also any professional who is interested in the issues of IVC implementation. To join the discussion, send an e-mail request to be added to the K12IVC listserv to Dr. Marilyn Heath, mheath@sedl.org.

For complete information on the symposium program, speakers (including video clips and presentation overviews), panel members, and follow-up activities, please go the appropriate sections of this web site. Presentations of the symposium results are planned for national, regional, and state conferences.