Models of webcasts and webinars: towards interactive new-media webcasts

In this paper we provide a context for models of webcasts and webinars from the perspective of a UK higher education Institution and the corporate training setting. Our synthesis of technical and pedagogic elements arises from these e-learning and marketing considerations and forms a proposal for the Interactive New-media Webcast design (INWeb). Three webcast models are compared with respect to moderated text discussion, the presenterʼs capacity and the type of content engagement for the online event as a key component of the new design model. These e-learning webcast models are triangulated with Garrisonʼs (2004) distance learning historical timeline and Pincasʼ (2007) collection of pedagogic designs known as the 3Ps (Presentation, Practice and Performance). A critique of our mini-case studies is our way to ground the e-learning theory in real-world examples of use. These webcast illustrations are presented from both a business and academic perspective. Mooreʼs (1993, 1996) Transactional Distance Theory (TDT) is critically reviewed for its application to the pedagogic design of the INWeb model. Dialogue and structure are analysed to see the impact on the autonomous learner as a webcast participant. The transactional distance between the webcast presenter and the online viewer/ callers is explored in the context of the webcast content as a learner-generated Web 2.0 dynamic resource for learning and marketing. Our summary reflections then discuss how the current webcast models may be extended if we provide a framework informed by the Evolutionary Graph Theory and Metcalfeʼs Law (Hendler, 2008) as possible theoretical positions to tie together the professional social network and Web 2.0 elements to future interactive New-media Webcast Designs.