Description

Exploring teachers’ perceptions of videoconferencing practice through space, movement and the material and virtual environments

Susan M McNaughton, Nicola C Westberry, Jennie M Billot* and Helen Gaeta

School of Interprofessional Health Studies, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand;

*University Postgraduate Centre, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand

Abstract

Space and the bodily use of the material environment are intimately connected to work practices. Using data from an ethnographic study of higher education teachers in a videoconferencing context, this study explored the effects of space, movement and environment on teachers’ perceptions of practice by creating maps of the physical environment and movements from video recordings. Space and movement dialogue was extracted from focus group data using modified text mining and analysed thematically in relation to the maps. Bodily use of space, and the material and virtual environments had significant effects on teachers’ perceptions of practice, especially screen-mediated connection with students. Perceived similarities between videoconferencing and television created identity confusion for teachers as presenters and academic professionals. The findings suggest that spatial data are a valuable lens through which other types of work practice data can be analysed and interpreted.

Keywords: space, movement, material environment, videoconferencing, higher education, embodiment