St.

Bridget College
Batangas City
COLLEGE DEPARTMENT
PAASCU Accredited
Contact No. (043) 723-3616

Learning Episode 15
Utilizing Web-Conferencing Apps for Synchronous E-Learning

At the end of this Learning Episode, I must be able to:

 Identify features and functions of web conferencing applications that are useful to
instruction.
 Demonstrate skills in using a web conferencing app for synchronous teaching and
learning (PPST 4.5.1)
 Demonstrate positive attitude towards use of technology tools. (ICT CST 7.1.2)
 Use professional reflection and learning to improve practice. (PPST 7.4.1)

Clarify Your Task

The call of the times has made it more necessary for future teachers like you to develop
skills in planning, implementing and managing remote learning. One form of remote learning
is done online. Online remote learning can be done synchronous, where the teacher and
students meet and interact in a real time and asynchronous, when learning is supported by
prepared materials and there is no real time interaction between the teacher and the learners.

This episode will focus on synchronous sessions. In order to hold synchronous classes,
you will need to use web-conferencing apps. Some LMS already have these embedded; some
do not. You will need to know how to access, evaluate and utilize the features and functions of
apps like Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, Skype, Blackboard, Webct and even
Messenger.

Again as in the previous episode, the TPACK Model can guide you in how best to utilize
web-conferencing apps when conductiong a synchronous learning experience. Another
helpful model that can guide you is the Community of Inquiry Model (COI). This model
identified the “essential elements in an educational experience.” These elements are (1) the
teaching presence, which is about basic teaching tasks; (2) the social presence, which focuses
on establishing a sense of belonging to a community; and (3) the cognitive presence, which
fosters critical thinking and engagement.

While the educational experience referred to in the COI model may also refer to face-
to-face modality, in this episode, you will use the COI model and its three elements in the
context of online learning, specifically the synchronous class. Review the COI and the three
presences through the infographics in this episode. We also included an infographic on the
most common web-conferencing apps.

M. H. Del Pilar St., Batangas City

www.sbcbatangas.edu.ph
 St. Bridget College
Batangas City
COLLEGE DEPARTMENT
PAASCU Accredited
Contact No. (043) 723-3616

As you work on this episode, continue to take the role of a keen observer and an
explorer who seeks to learn more and discover better ways of teaching and learning.

When you notice keenly, analyze critically and reflect deeply, you will strengthen
teacher agency, which is the teacher’s capacity to create impact and exert power.

(Note: Kindly see the photos that I sent in MS Teams Files)

Participate and Assist

Your guide to participate and assist:

1. Request your FS resource teacher to allow you to join his/her synchronous classes.
Have at least two or three times to observe the classes, and at least two or more times
to participate and assist.
2. Learn how to use the features of the web-conferencing app that your resource
teacher is utilizing. It can be part of a learning management system or a separate one,
like Zoom, Skype, etc. If possible, request the teacher to demonstrate the features of the
web conferencing app.
3. Ask the teacher how you can participate or assist in tasks related to conducting the
synchronous classes.
4. Be sure to read all the questions in this episode before you start your observation and
participation. This will help you focus your attention on the essential aspects of your
experience. Have in mind the Community of Inquiry Model. The descriptors under
teaching presence, social presence, and cognitive presence found in the infographic
will help you notice, analyze and reflect very well.

Level/Grade of the Class:

Subject: No. of hours/minutes:

Dates when you observed:

Dates when you participated and assisted:

M. H. Del Pilar St., Batangas City

www.sbcbatangas.edu.ph
 St. Bridget College
Batangas City
COLLEGE DEPARTMENT
PAASCU Accredited
Contact No. (043) 723-3616

Notice

After you participated or assisted in synchronous classes using a web-conferencing

app, described what you observed and experienced by answering the items below.

 Which web-conferencing app did the teacher use for synchronous classes? Describe its
features and how you or the teacher used these features.

Web-conferencing App Feature Was it utilized, If Yes, describe how it was utilized in
class.
Virtual Background

Microphone icon on/off

Camera icon on/off

Screen share

Reaction buttons

Spotlight

View (using different views)

Polling

Recording

Others

 How was the content taught and delivered? How were the learning activities
facilitated? What strategies did the teacher or you used to keep the students engaged?
How did the students respond to the teacher? To the activities?

____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________

 What was your experience in participating and assisting in synchronous classes? What
were your thoughts and feelings while you participated and assisted?

M. H. Del Pilar St., Batangas City

www.sbcbatangas.edu.ph
 St. Bridget College
Batangas City
COLLEGE DEPARTMENT
PAASCU Accredited
Contact No. (043) 723-3616

____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Analyze

 What do you think are the best features of a web-conferencing app that you or the
teacher used? How did these features help the teachers and the students?

____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________

 Referring to the Community of Inquiry Infographic, how well did the teacher / or you
use the web-conferencing app to establish: (Describe in detail.)

Teaching Presence?

Social Presence?

Cognitive Presence?

 What problem or challenges did the teacher/you or the students encounter during the
synchronous classes? How did it/they affect the teacher/learners? What part/s of
synchronous classes do you think can still be improved? How can this/these be
improved?

____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________

M. H. Del Pilar St., Batangas City

www.sbcbatangas.edu.ph
 St. Bridget College
Batangas City
COLLEGE DEPARTMENT
PAASCU Accredited
Contact No. (043) 723-3616

Reflect

1. How ready are you in teaching online synchronous class?

____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. Using a web-conferencing app, how else would you better establish:

Teaching Presence?

Social Presence?

Cognitive Presence?

3. What do you still need to learn in order to conduct an online synchronous class using a
web-conferencing app effectively?

____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Write Action Research Prompts

This part allows you to synthesize or put together what you noticed, analyzed, and
reflected on to come up with a possible topic for action research.

1. OBSERVE

What problematic situation/challenges/area of improvement did you see while you

participated and assisted using a web-conferencing app for synchronous learning?

M. H. Del Pilar St., Batangas City

www.sbcbatangas.edu.ph
 St. Bridget College
Batangas City
COLLEGE DEPARTMENT
PAASCU Accredited
Contact No. (043) 723-3616

____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________

List at least three sources that you have read about this problem/challenge.

Resource or Reference about the Topic Key points/findings in what I read

On what theories/principles can this problem be anchored?

____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. REFLECT

What do I hope to address the problem/challenge/are of improvement in web-

conferencing app use? What change do you want to achieve?

____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. PLAN

If you will conduct an action research, what will be the title (Base this on your answers
in nos. 1-3)

____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________

M. H. Del Pilar St., Batangas City

www.sbcbatangas.edu.ph
 St. Bridget College
Batangas City
COLLEGE DEPARTMENT
PAASCU Accredited
Contact No. (043) 723-3616

4. ACT

What strategies/solutions/means can you employ to improve the situation/solve the

problem?

____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Work on my Artifacts

Attach pieces of evidence of what you accomplished in this episode.

M. H. Del Pilar St., Batangas City

www.sbcbatangas.edu.ph