VoIP in Online Learning

One way of increasing interconnection in online learning is synchronous instruction or group work. One technique for synchronous conversations is Internet telephony, or VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) – also called p2p (peer-to-peer) or IP (Internet Protocol) telephony. It is free, can be used with dial-up as well as broadband, and can connect Internet learners worldwide. While it does require connected users to have the same software (Descy, 2005), there is a no-cost application available called Skype. Skype can easily be downloaded and installed on Windows, Mac OSX, or Linux.

Pan and Sullivan (2005) focused on the use of Skype at length in their article, “Promoting Synchronous Interaction in an eLearning Environment.” They surveyed graduate students in two online courses that had used Skype. The students seemed to prefer it to Blackboard chat. Two reasons given for the preference were that Skype helped increase awareness of the topic and that abstract topics seemed to make more sense. Other ways Skype seemed to change synchronous meetings were by increasing group interaction and keeping it consistent. Students seemed better able to “communicate thoughts, raise questions, and seek clarification by listening, thinking, and speaking” than if they had to type their comments as is required by chat software.

There are disadvantages to VoIP communications. As with any synchronous technique, learners must find a time when all members can meet. Distant time zones may make that even more difficult. Connections sometimes don’t work or are lost (Pan and Sullivan suggest reserving a Blackboard chat room as a backup). Some learners may feel inept at downloading and installing software. VoIP applications require that the computer have both speaker and microphone – either built in or added – of reasonable quality. Some participants may find they need to purchase a VoIP headset for fidelity.

While VoIP does not have all the capabilities of a Web conferencing application such as Breeze, it does add the spontaneity of a conversation to distance communications. And though most VoIP software still lacks the ability to transmit real-time images, some subtleties that would be lost in text communications are restored in voice inflections.

Judging by the meager research articles on VoIP, it may be an underused technique in online learning – one that should be given serious consideration in the effort to increase interconnections.

References & Further Reading

Abernathy, D., Allerton, H., Barron, T., & Salopek, J. (1999). The synchronous embrace. Training & Development, 53(11), 34.

Pan, C. & Sullivan, M. (2005). Promoting Synchronous Interaction in an eLearning Environment. T.H.E. Journal, 33(2), 27-30.

Descy, D. E. (2005). All Aboard the Internet: Calling the world for free. TechTrends: Linking Research & Practice to Improve Learning, 49(2), 6-8.