Video Conferencing Integration: Challenges and Opportunities at Universities

Abstract

As teachers who experience challenges with delivering classes online and finding relevant ways to teach students, we suggest our practical recommendations on video conferencing tools integration at universities. This synchronous online tool is an efficient method of class delivery that provides practicing four key language skills, maintaining communication and facilitating digital competence development. The study involved 34 teachers from two universities to share the experience, expectations, and perception of the technology. Having analyzed the results of questionnaires, we worked out a strategy on the successful implementation of the technology in the teaching process. Among the main challenges, teachers indicated class management, educational materials transformation for the online mode, working with mixability groups of students, and assessment. We found out that supplementation of asynchronous online tool might add interactivity to lessons or find a way to assess students, knowledge of the technology tools helps with class management, and possibilities to personalize tasks through the chat, breakout rooms, and partial screen sharing help manage with mixability groups.