The provided text offers a comprehensive understanding of webinars, their definition, and their place in the broader context of digital learning environments. Let's break down the key points:
1. Definition of Webinar:
- A webinar is a neologism and portmanteau of "web" and "seminar."
- It refers to an online seminar conducted over the Internet, distinguishing it from traditional offline classroom seminars.
- Communication among participants (students and teachers) is facilitated through technological tools like web cameras and voice over IP.
- Webinars allow interaction without the need for physical presence in a seminar room.
2. Advantages of Webinars:
- Ubiquity and geographical flexibility are highlighted as significant advantages over traditional face-to-face lectures.
- Participants can engage in webinars from any location worldwide, eliminating the need for travel.
3. Educational Nature of Webinars:
- Webinars are categorized as a special case of web conferencing with an intrinsic focus on education.
- They serve the purposes of learning and teaching, distinguishing them from webcasts used for leisure, entertainment, or business.
- Interaction in webinars is designed for many-to-many, emphasizing collaborative participation.
4. Contrast with Webcasts:
- Webinars differ from webcasts, which include activities like streaming online TV, radio, or company presentations.
- Webinars focus on live, synchronous, and real-time interaction, while webcasts typically involve single-to-many interactions.
- Interaction in webinars is contrasted with learning management systems, where interactions are usually asynchronous.
5. Digital Learning Environments:
- Webinars, webcasts, and learning management systems are considered artifacts that mediate learning and teaching processes.
- Technologies are viewed not just as representations but as constitutive elements influencing thinking and reasoning in social practices.
The text provides a comprehensive overview, addressing the terminology, nature, advantages, and distinctions of webinars within the broader context of digital education.
https://www.zugtimes.com/meta-analysis-and-systematic-review-the-impact-of-webinars-in-higher-education-and-professional-training-through-randomized-controlled-trials/
