Using Videoconferencing Systems and Interactive Tools: Empirical French Investigation

This paper reports the existing methods, didactics, and problems experienced during video conferencing systems (VCS)-mediated live teaching sessions at a French higher educational institution. Data collected through surveys, interviews, observations, and other methods are analyzed by applying PACT (people, activities, context, and technology) framework. The study is conducted as part of defining the needs and criteria for designing portable video-conferencing toolkits containing a set of hardware and software, guidelines as good practices, and training. The paper contributes with empirical evidence from French higher education context and two main take-aways reconfirming findings in existing literature. First, individual teachers’ and students’ preferences and expectations play central role in the learning and integration of VCS. Second, the students’ perceived central problems are associated with either (1) technological and organizational (i.e. systems blame) or (2) communication and pedagogy - motivation, concentration, and academic engagement (individual blame). For desired-quality interactive live online teaching, training of students and teachers regarding the factors affecting the experience should facilitate reflection on action in VCS use, compared to the emphasis on VCS functionalities and teachers/student competence and behavior.