Uses of videoconferencing

Education

• one teacher can be used teach pupils in lots of different schools or in schools in remote locations

• for example: Prince Andrew School in St Helena in the South Atlantic is the only secondary school on the island with only 300 pupils. So that pupils can be offered a wide range of courses they use video conferencing equipment and some courses are taught from schools in the UK

Medicine

• busy doctors can use teleconferencing to hold meetings about patients rather than spend time travelling to meet each other. X rays, ultrasound images, laboratory analyses can be viewed by all the participants

• doctors can communicate with patients in remote locations, e.g. on oil rigs

• expert consultations with specialists who may live a long way from the patient and their local doctors

• training medical staff• learn from experts without spending time

travelling to and attending courses• watch operations from a lecture theatre. The

surgeon can explain what he/ she is doing and the students can ask the surgeon questions as the operation is taking place

Other uses

• organisations use video conferencing to conduct meetings

Can you think of any other examples of the use of video conferencing?

Other uses include

TASK• You will be split into four groups• Each group will research one of the following:

– Group 1 - the benefits of using video conferencing to employees

– Group 2 - the benefits of using video conferencing to organisations

– Group 3 - the benefits of using video conferencing to society– Group 4 - the disadvantages/ limitations of video conferencing

• Your group will then produce and deliver a presentation for the rest of the class on your topic.

• The rest of the class will develop their own notes/ mind map from your presentation.