The Use of Video‐conferencing for Continuing Personal and Professional Development in Higher Education: a small‐group case study

abstract

This article reports on a Scottish University's experience of delivering tutorial video‐conferencing seminars to dispersed student groups for the purpose of continuing professional development. The research was undertaken during 1995‐96 with three groups of students in the North of Scotland (n = 30). The findings indicate a series of positive outcomes in student learning, no loss in teaching ‘effectiveness’ compared with traditional educational settings and an enhanced level of ‘interactive’ learning between student groups with and without tutorial support. The results, however, should be treated with caution given the small numbers involved in the pilot programmes. Further areas of research in video‐conferencing are identified.