Synchronous Video

For this assignment I used google video chat to speak with my wife while she was working on some school projects. We both have laptops with built in cameras, so it's really easy for us to stay in touch when we're away for various reasons.


I also Skype to keep in touch with people from my mission; it's way cheaper than buying phone cards or paying for long distance (they're in Italy) and it's nice to be able to see each other while talking.


For those above cases, I really appreciate the visual aspect of communication because they're such close relationships where seeing each other can make a big difference in remembering and understanding one another. But I don't know if I think visual communication is always necessary, nor always desirable.


For example, I wouldn't really want to see my boss (and have my boss see me) every time we speak about some deadline or project. I also wouldn't want to have to sit down and stare into a camera every time I got a call from someone. Sometimes it's much nicer to be able to keep doing whatever it is you were doing while someone chats your ear off over the phone (they'll never know that you're cooking or doodling on the other end).


But as teachers, it seems that the very nature of synchronous video works to our advantage. Students can't half-heartedly watch our asynchronous videos or read our posts while playing games or hanging with friends. It'll be too obvious to us. It also allows us the opportunity to give immediate feedback from a distance, and to incorporate visual resources into our teaching. All of which is a great plus for whenever distance learning is necessary.