The Application of Videoconferencing to the Advancement of Independent Group Learning for Professional Development

Summary

A compressed landline videoconferencing system was installed at the multi‐campus University of Ulster in 1990. Its use for teaching and learning has involved up to three groups of students based on different campuses enrolled for the same module. In the 1991/2 session the experience of one group highlighted the importance of group work among students. This was normally carried out independently of the tutors’ physical presence. This paper is largely based on data acquired from questionnaire and semi‐structured interview methods and reveals that, in spite of the difficulties, both tutors and students benefited from the professional development presented by the medium.