Theoretical and Critical Essays THE

A N TO N I N U S
RESEARCH AND SCHOLARSHIP DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC JOURNAL

Staying virtually present: Videofication as Post-COVID expanded learning space

Allan B. de Guzman1,2,3 and John Christopher B. Mesana1,4

1The
Graduate School, University of Santo Tomas
2 Research Center for Social Sciences and Education, University of Santo Tomas
3 College of Tourism and Hospitality Management, University of Santo Tomas
4Senior High School Department, Colegio de San Juan de Letran

abdeguzman@ust.edu.ph; johnmesana@gmail.com

In 1986, James Gibson, a renowned psychologist, introduced the theory of affordances that has since then become
a robust framework in understanding human perception of his surrounding environment. As described by Caws
and Hamel (2016), affordances refer to the intrinsic potentials of objects manifested through the usage of those
objects in activities. These potentials only make themselves apparent to the actor who is engaged with the
environment trying to navigate it effectively (Glăveanu, 2012). Interestingly, this context of affordances is
recently employed in studies on creativity (Glăveanu, 2012), learning and teaching multiple languages (Kordt,
2018) and medicine (Clapper et al., 2018), among others. Notably, affordances have yet to give us more exciting
yet challenging frontiers in the future.

Today’s understanding of affordances may have its historical counterpart as the early Greeks put premium on the
value of arête or fulfilling one’s potential toward excellence. One of the most recent developments in today’s
high-speed broadband and fibre optic networks is the popularity of video conferencing (VC) tools. Developed in
the 1980s, these technological tools allowed cost-effective ways to hold company meetings, reducing the need
for travel expenses such as hotels and airfares (Business Matters, 2018). However, it should be noted that in the
previous years, video conferencing were not as popular as it is today and were used sporadically mostly in the
field of business.

Web Video Conferencing (WVC) is a type of video conferencing that grants the users to participate in web-based
interactions without being fixed in specific hardware and software requirements (Al-Samarraie, 2019). This kind
of VC allows communication even through mobile devices given the availability of internet connection in an area.
Surprisingly, most of the WVC features were usually provided for free or can be accessed freely as the developer’s
response to COVID-19 outbreak. Remarkably, a scoping review of Al- Sammaraie (2019) on video conferencing
on higher education have shown WVC’s effectiveness in establishing communication and social presence in
collaborative learning sessions. Further, Paderanga’s (2014) quasi-experimental investigation on classroom video
conferencing indicates a positive effect on teaching peace education as well. Recognizably, the diversified forms
of video conferencing granted by its affordance and intrinsic worth exhibit great potential as mitigating measures
to address the challenges of COVID-19 to human activities.

As the threats of COVID-19 continue to escalate and as the global lockdown creates more paralysis in various
human activities and engagements, mitigating attempts to control the spread of the disease compelled today’s
society to find creative and dynamic ways in ensuring that their previous and used to be normal preoccupations

Published by The Graduate School, UST Manila

de Guzman, A.B. & Mesana, J.C.B. The Antoninus Journal 2021

remain in the business-as-usual mode. Remarkably, the worldwide pandemic has led to the maximization of the
affordance and arete of VC tools driving its diversification into Web Video Conferencing (WVC) tools that could
respond to various socialization, educational and economic demands of the now covidified (de Guzman, 2020)
society (Table 1).

Table1. List of sample free Web Video Conferencing (WVC) tools commonly used during COVID-19
Pandemic.
Free Web Video
Year
Conferencing Developer Salient Features Limitations
Released
Tools
Zoom Eric Yuan 2011 Hosts up to 100 participants Heavy use of CPU
Unlimited meetings resources that may
HD video and audio slowdown the computer
Video meeting recordings Privacy issues
Screen sharing Meeting time out for free
Scheduled meetings users
Heavily relies on Wi-fi

Google Hangouts Google 2013 Up to 100 video participants Poor call quality
Video, audio, and messenger Lack of other features
conversations compared to other WVC
Video meeting recordings tools
Calendar
Screen sharing

Skype Skype 2003 Up to 50 people on video calls Freezes up during use

Technologies HD video calling Large bandwidth
Screen sharing requirements
Video call recording Connectivity issues
Interactive video chats
Location sharing

Facebook Facebook Inc. 2011 Up to 8 people on video calls Potential security issues
Messenger No time limit meeting Limited number of
Screensharing participants
Can be used without Wi-fi Takes up a lot of storage
space in the device

Alvin Toffler, the celebrated author of Future Shock may provide interesting elucidation to the kind of space that
innovation occupies in man’s journey to life. His theory of change (1981 as cited by Zakaria & Alvati,
2012) posits that the tripartite interaction of novelty, transiency and diversity is a requisite to any change process.
2
de Guzman, A.B. & Mesana, J.C.B. The Antoninus Journal 2021

Contextually, novelty is mirrored in the form of new WVC salient features that address the modern needs of the
consumers. Transiency is driven by the fast-changing landscape of technology, making those who could not adapt
obsolete. Lastly, diversity is reflected in the availability of a multitude of brands and models of WVC platforms
offered in the market.

The seemingly intensified roles and affordances video conferencing in a highly COVIDified society cannot be
underestimated. Preparing for the post-COVID scenario entails a collective rethinking, intelligent visioning and
proactive game planning. With the anticipated massive migration of schools, colleges and universities to the
new normal and virtual learning space as a response to post-COVID distancing measures and other health
measures vis-à-vis the emergence of panicgogy as an educational reality, the proposed Seesaw model of
videoconferencing affordance (Figure 1) invites a more comprehensive effort and critical examination among key
players to identify the dangers of videoconferencing use and maximize its educational affordances in a continuum
of capacity-building programs and supported by a well-defined framework. With the massive utilization of WVC,
issues on security and privacy vis-à-vis seamless diffusion cannot be overlooked. A more functional and
educative framework regarding its use, deployment, and risk assessment measures must be in place if we are to
outweigh the possible dangers and perils that go with it and put more premium on the benefits that may accrue
from its judicious and ethical use. There is no doubt that massive change that COVID-19 has brought is indeed
an educational reality. Äs Koerrenz (2017) succinctly described “While educators should seek to protect
students from unnecessary crises and discontinuities, Bollnow sees these moments of “breakage” in educational
experience as phenomena that in their inevitability can have significant pedagogical value”. (p51)

References

Al-Samarraie, H. (2019). A Scoping Review of Videoconferencing Systems in Higher Education: Learning

Paradigms, Opportunities, and Challenges. The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed
Learning, 20(3).doi:.19173/irrodl.v20i4.4037
Business Matters. (2015, January 8). The history of Video Conferencing. Retrieved May 5, 2020, from
https://www.bmmagazine.co.uk/tech/history-video-conferencing/
Caws, C., & Hamel, M. J. (2016). Cutting-edge theories and techniques for LCI in the context of
CALL. Language-
3
de Guzman, A.B. & Mesana, J.C.B. The Antoninus Journal 2021

Learner Computer Interactions: Theory, Methodology and CALL Applications; Caws, C., Hamel, MJ,
Eds, 1-16. Retrieved, May 06, 2020, from:
https://www.oapen.org/download?type=document&docid=1004100#page=18
Clapper, T. C., Lee, J., Phillips, J., Rajwani, K., Naik, N., & Ching, K. (2018). Gibson's theory of affordances and
situational awareness occurring in urban departments of pediatrics, medicine, and emergency medicine.
Education for Health, 31(2), 87. Retrieved, May 04, 2020, from:
http://www.educationforhealth.net/temp/EducHealth31287-7372001_202840.pdf
de Guzman, A.B. (2020). From globalization to COVIDification of higher education: Panicgogy as a clarion to
empowering today’s learners. The Antoninus Journal, 6.
Glăveanu, V. P. (2012). What Can be Done with an Egg? Creativity, Material Objects, and the Theory of
Affordances.
The Journal of Creative Behavior, 46(3), 192–208. doi:10.1002/jocb.13
Koerrenz R. (2017) Educational Reality. In: Friesen N. (eds) Existentialism and Education. Palgrave
Macmillan, Cham.
Kordt, B. (2016). Affordance theory and multiple language learning and teaching. International Journal of
Multilingualism, 15(2), 135–148. doi:10.1080/14790718.2016.1223081
Paderanga, L. D. (2014). Classroom video conferencing: Its contribution to peace education. Procedia-Social and
Behavioral Sciences, 123, 113-121. Retrieved, May 05, 2020, from:
https://cyberleninka.org/article/n/887992.pdf
Zakaria, W., & Alyati, W. F. (2012). Alvin Toffler: Knowledge Technology and Change in Future
Society. International Journal of Islamic Thought, 1, 54-61. Retrieved, May 06, 2020, from:
http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.301.1144&rep=rep1&type=pdf