We got a question via Twitter last month – is there a list of BC post-secondary institutions that have videoconferencing capability? Unfortunately, none of us here know of such a directory. We would think most do, especially PSIs that offer distance learning. However we also know of at least one that doesn’t have videoconferencing capability.

Having the equipment is one thing: how it gets used it is another, as is the technical level of equipment an institution has, the level of expertise of those who may use it, and what the school uses it for. Luckily – we have resources to help post-secondary educators use videoconferenceing for teaching.

BCcampus’ OPDF program funded a project in 2008 entitled Learning Modules: Effective Videocasting Practices with Aboriginal Learners. It was a joint project of Vancouver Island University and the InterTribal Health Authority that developed a set of videos as part of best practice guidelines and resources that support effective videoconferencing instruction focused on serving Aboriginal learners.

The resource is for instructors, learners, community members and technicians who want to learn about using videoconferencing. Sections include:

• First Nations and Videoconferencing – a learning module that helps videoconferencing users identify strategies that help recognize and celebrate Aboriginal culture and communities.
• Instructor Resources – a module that helps educators prepare for a session, teach effectively with the technology and engage learners.
• Learner Resources – a module that helps learners prepare for and participate in sessions and succeed at distributed learning.
• Community Facilitator Resources – a module which helps community members who play a role in videoconferencing manage sites and equipment and support learners.
• Technician Resources – a module which helps technicians prepare sites, manage equipment and support users.

Full set of resources are found at: http://www.intertribalhealth.ca/vcmodules/

These resources provide some great advice on effectively using video conferencing not only with aboriginal learners but with all learners.

So, while we don’t at this time have a directory of all institutions’ videoconferencing capabilities, we can certainly provide some resources on how to use it effectively once the equipment is in place.