Tokbox.com Evaluation

Purpose/Brief Description
Interactive videoconferencing site. This site allows users to connect with each other using webcams and microphones on their PCs. After users establish connections with toxbox servers, they can see and hear each other in real-time video chats.

Learner Fit
This site is an excellent fit for all levels of ELLs: students can video chat with each other or they can have their teacher join in the conference and conduct a class – in real time, online. The video chat also maintains the non-verbal cues that accompany spoken communication.

The site meets several of the Conditions for Optimal Language Learning Environments, as listed in Figure 1-2. The design of the site, even in the free version, allows up to 20 simultaneous users to join a conference. Each student’s video feed is displayed in a window for all other participants to view. At a glance, a user can see an entire class’s reaction to what is being discussed or taught. The video chat atmosphere definitely encourages the students to produce varied and creative language, another condition for optimal language learning.

Nevertheless, the synchronous nature of the communication – to participate fully the user must respond quickly and comprehensibly – may create a fairly high level of stress and anxiety. Learner autonomy in this application can be limited by the pace of discourse and the degree of control imposed by an instructor.

Teacher Fit
This site is an excellent fit for teachers. The video chat can function as a virtual classroom, freeing the participants from the physical confines of the bricks-and-mortar classroom. The teacher can intentionally schedule and design classes for toxbox chats or can turn to the service when a class session has to be canceled due to bad weather, etc.

How Can It Be Used?
By its nature, the site lends itself to the teaching of the listening and speaking modalities. As such, pronunciation exercises, chain drills, and other spoken content would be easy to accomplish. Due to the design of the site, exercises would have to be designed for the whole group…there is no way for a pair or smaller group of students to break away, independently converse, and then return to the whole group. A student could also give a “mini-broadcast” of an assignment, with the other members of the group serving as the audience.

Likes/Dislikes
Likes:
The simplicity and versatility of the interface make the site very easy to use. Also, users do not have to download client software on their individual PCs. The program runs on the toxbox servers. Each user is essentially setting up and using an audio/video connection with those servers. The 20-person limit on the free version can accommodate most ESL classes.

Dislikes:
Depending on system traffic, there may be a slight lag in video and audio performance. This can be a little disconcerting. During extremely high traffic periods, the lag may render the system unusable. This, however, happens rarely.