Asynchronous online learning has gained widespread acceptance because of the flexibility and convenience it provides to students and increased reach it facilitates for institutions. To date, the majority of interactions and assessments in these courses has been text based, incorporating discussion boards, written tests and reports or essays, and occasional chats. Advancements in synchronous web interactions and conferencing have been significant, but don't always fit the mission of the asynchronous model.
Student video recordings used for discussions and presentations show promise for increasing rich communication and interaction in asynchronous courses. Because of issues related to file size, student privacy, and workflow efficiencies, video interaction has been limited. Recent advancements in academic tool sets are facilitating increased usage of student video recordings. This presentation will focus on the key activities of student presentations in online courses, asynchronous video discussions, and oral exams conducted at a distance. After wrestling with the use of video in asynchronous online courses for over 12 years, Dr. Jeff Lewis designed and developed an academic system to solve the problems faced in his online courses. The system has proven effectiveness and has matured into a full-featured academic platform in use at leading institutions.
