Adobe Connect (Virtual Classroom)

What is Adobe Connect?

I am sure you have heard about Adobe System before and have one of the software in your computer, right?  Adobe System has a long list of software and one of them is Adobe Connect. Adobe Connect is a web conferencing software that is used to share information and presentation through online meetings or online seminars (webinars). This software is usually used by government and corporations as a solution to have a secured online events and collaborations. The best part is, it can also be used for learning purpose as you can carry out online classes with your students at anytime from everywhere! Adobe Connect enable the teaching and learning process to take place like the real life classroom because students can response through screen sharing. Other than that, audio and video conferencing can also be carried out via Adobe Connect and it can be recorded. 

Adobe Connect in ELT:

Advantages:

1) Adobe Connect enable teaching and learning process to take place from any distance, at anytime. This would be a great tool if the you want to have extra or replacement classes with you students while you are away. 

2) Adobe Connect includes notes, chat, and whiteboard that allows students to respond to the lesson that you are teaching. Screen sharing feature also helps you to display the lesson clearly. 

3) Sharing information could also be done through Adobe Connect because it enables you to share files and documents such as worksheets and etc with your students. 

4) Apart from all of the above, you could also have audio or video conferencing in your online classroom. This is a useful feature that offered by Adobe Connect that is perfect for the learners with multiple intelligence. For example, idea sharing through audio or video presentation could be used for students who unable to express themselves via writing (chat or whiteboard).  

Disadvantages:

1) This useful learning tool is that, it is not free and you have to buy it.  However, in my opinion it is totally worth it to buy because online learning experience would be more interesting and exiting with Adobe Connect. 

2) Idea sharing through whiteboard as well as audio response could only be done by one student at a time. 

Intervue

What is Intervue?

Intervue is another tool that shared by Russell recently. Basically, Intervue is a tool where you can use to make a quick video response to anyone or to gather short video interview from anyone online. A webcam is an essential equipment that you need to have in order to operate this tool. Intervue enable you to make the process of gathering opinions from students easier as you no longer need paper or worksheets. All you have to do is set the questions you wish to ask and post it online on you Intervue account and obtain the responses via webcam. Interview for a lesson purpose can also be done through this tool and the most important thing is, it is free! 

How it works?

So how to use Intervue? It is easy and quick and free too! All you need to do is click Intervue and sign up for your own account. You need to provide your email and create a password. The same procedure applies to your students. 

Now you have your own Intevue account and you can start making your own short interview video or set up you own  questions to be answered by your students. You can also view and commet on your students' video responses and interview. 

Intervue in ELT:

Advantages:

1) The main advantage for using Intervue in your language classroom is that it allows your students to practice speaking privately because the recording can only be listened by you and your students. This will encourage your students to practice speaking with confidence especially those who are lack of self confidence to speak in front of their classmates. This in turn will motivate them to practice speaking more.

2) Intervue also allows you to keep record of the video responses that you gathered from you students. You can monitor the progress of your students in any lesson especially speaking lesson by using this tool.

Disadvantages:

1) Intervue has limited recording time which is only 60 seconds. It is a disdvantage for low level students where more time is needed for them to speak promptly.

In conlusion, Intervue provides you a useful way to encourage your students to speak. Guidlines and practice should be prepared by teachers to allows students to speak in Intervue especially for the low level students to speak within the time limit.