Multipoint desktop videoconferencing as a collaborative learning tool for teacher preparation

Abstract

Rapid technological development in the past decade has made it easier than ever to use technologies as collaborative learning tools. Computer video conferencing as a computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) technology brings learners closer to real-world environments and provides increasing opportunities for learners to share experiences across time and space. This article describes how multipoint desktop video conferencing (MDVC) is used in preservice teacher education programs in Singapore to enhance the professional development of student teachers by allowing them to share ideas, experiences, and teaching resources in real time with an audience wider than the schools in with they teach.