Aspects Related to the Application of Videoconferences in Distance Education: Case Study of the Universidade Virtual do Estado de São Paulo

Abstract

In Distance Education, there are technologies that allow communication between the student and the teacher and/or learning facilitator. Among them, videoconference is included, a synchronous tool that allows real-time contact between participants. Since the implementation of videoconferences at Universidade Virtual do Estado de São Paulo, there have been no studies showing their impact on the learning process. Therefore, this work aimed to identify and analyze aspects related to the application of videoconferences, such as their offer and dissemination and the participation and interaction of students. For this purpose, responses provided by the facilitators after their video conferences were used, covering questions such as: academic week, day of the week and time of the video conference, disclosure of the date, number of students present and type of interaction established. 41 subjects were offered between October and December 2019, during which 2,368 videoconferences were held. The distribution of videoconferences between disciplines was not homogeneous and there was a low number of participants (6,112) in relation to the number of students enrolled (41,221). The preference for conducting videoconferences was on Mondays and on the night shift, being the use of chat and the microphone the most used forms of interaction. The initial and final academic weeks had the lowest offers of videoconferences, but there was a tendency to increase participation as the weekly content was being fulfilled. Therefore, there is a need for change in this scenario of synchronous communication, such as the implementation of strategies that encourage student participation and interaction in videoconferences.

Keywords: On-line education. Educational technology. Active methodologies. Virtual interaction. Synchronous communication