video‐collaboration technologies in blended courses—student and faculty reflections tanya...
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Video Collaboration Technologies ‐in Blended Courses—Student and
Faculty Reflections
Tanya Zlateva, Leo Burstein, Lou Chitkushev, Anatoly Temkin, Michael Hylkema
Outline1. Motivation for Using Video Collaboration in Blended
Courses (eLive)
2. The Multiple Faces of Video Collaboration Explored with Three Different Technologies
IOCOM: Multi-Point Video Collaboration for working groups of 5-15 students
ConfXP: Video Bridge Between Two Remote Classroom Audiences
DimDim through Met-Meet: Video Webinars, Live Video-Talk Show, Whiteboard Tutoring
3. Conclusions and Future Work3/27/2009 CET 1st Annual Instructional Innovation
Conference 2
Motivation for Using Video Collaboration
• Educational promise of online learning environments lies not primarily in their "any time any place" convenience but in the unprecedented richness of the medium—spoken and written word, voice, video, music, collaboration tools, among others
• Asynchronous components well established in distance delivery—chats, videos, simulations, animations, threaded discussions, webinars
• Missing: immediacy and dynamics of live video communication and the information from gesture, facial expression, body language
• Blended delivery—reduced face-to-face time supplemented with extensive online materials
• eLive format at MET: one on-campus class a month, i.e. 4 face-to-face meetings in a typical 14-week semester
• First blended program, Graduate Certificate in Digital Forensic, was launched in Fall 2007
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Motivation for Using Video Collaboration (continued)
• Challenge: maintaining learning momentum and the connection with the students during the three consecutive off-campus weeks
• Weekly synchronous video conferencing sessions especially attractive solution as it is closest to face-to-face communication
• Theoretical work shows the importance of distance for communication in general and learning in particular and of gives indirect support for the value of VC– Classic work by Tom Allen on communication patterns in the 1970s
showed that • frequency of communication diminishes with increased distance and that this
holds true for all types of communication (phone and e-mail) • important decisions tend to be made in face-to-face meetings
– Theory of transactional distance (Michael Moore, 1970s) in education focuses on teaching and learning strategies that shorten the distance between learners and teachers.
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Criteria for Technology Choices• Functionality in addition to audio/video:
presentation tools, whiteboard, chat• Minimal installation/training requirement for
students and faculty• Ability to access from any location, e.g. from
home, work, etc.• Low cost (open source, SaaS)• Availability of support, especially important for
piloting emerging technologies
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Comparison of Technologies and Recommended Use
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Technology Features Client side reqs
Capabilities Cost Best Suited For:
IOCOM Multipoint
• Multiple participants
• Multidirectional
• 100 Kbs (DSL+)
• client software required
• Voice & video• Slide pres. • Desktop
sharing, • Chat, etc.
• Proprietary• ca. $100
per student per semester
• service
Interactive group discussions og 5-15 participants
ConfXP Video Bridging with or w/o Classroom Presenter
• Several (2-5) rooms, possible
• multiple cameras,
• high quality audio/video
• 1-2 Mbs/room
• Corporate sites
• high-speed broadband client software
• Very high quality voice+video
• Annotated slide pres.
• Desktop sharing
• Chat, etc.
• Open source,
• Free• Internally
hosted
• Remote Classroom Audiences
• Joint Seminars/ Meetings
DimDim through Met-MeetVideo Webinar
• Few (2 optimal) presenters,
• Large number of listeners
• >= 56 Kbs; • no client
software, browser based
• Audio/video• Slide pres • Chat, etc.
• Open source,
• Free• Internally
hosted
• Video Webinars• Whiteboard 1-
to-1 Tutoring • Live Video-Talk
Show
Technology Characteristics
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IOCom• Usage: Brainstorming sessions or situations where all attendees should be viewed and heard
simultaneously.• Large number of simultaneous audio / video streams including support for multiple feeds from
single host (two camera's for example).• More involved client installation required.• Whiteboard, desktop sharing, shared presentations, and multimedia (recorded videos, audio files,
etc.) sharing.• Rooms can be created for recurrent use.
Conference XP• Usage: Bridging / Linking 2 or 3 rooms for large room based collaborative meetings.• High quality audio / video.• Support for multiple feeds from single host (two camera's for example).• Group Chat functionality.• Presentations in two modes.
– Basic: Present slides, anyone can annotate.– Advanced: Present slides, annotations submitted, polls, save slides w/ changes, whiteboard.
• Simple client installation process (Windows only); other platforms can be supported with Access Grid.
DimDim through Met-meet • Usage: Highly attended webinar with one way audio / video.• Limited support for additional “presenters” with audio / video.• Integrated public and private chat features.• Whiteboard, Desktop sharing and powerpoint / pdf sharing.• Shared Internet browsing.• Runs in web browser (no install required) and therefore multiplatform.• No persistent rooms. Rooms are created on the fly.
Demo Setup
• Tablet #1: – internal + external webcams, – wireless headset, – connected to projector and room speakers; – internal mic.
• Tablet #2 (outside of the room): – presenter webcam, – wireless USB headset, one network cable.
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Demo 1: IOCOM—Multi-Point Video Collaboration
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Scenario
•T2 (Mike): waits in the Test room.•T1 (Leo): Start IOCOM client, check audio, go to Vista, go to IOCOM, enter test room•T2: Mike introduces himself•T1: Bring in piano lesson
– Sessions can be recorded– Recorded sessions can be brought into live
sessions– Show video of 20-point conference.
Student and faculty reflections:
• Rich functionality • Light client accessible from home• Complex technology requires
–more support –training of staff, faculty, and students–worthwhile for group project discussions
Demo 2: Video Bridging With Conf. XPScenario:
• T1: Start ConfXP, check a/v, enter BU venue.• T2: joins• T1: Present infrastructure slides
– Annotations on slide1.• Whiteboard: instructor pose problem• Student Submissions• Quick Poll
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Student and faculty reflections.
•High bandwidth requirements Access from corporate sides•Stable application sharing •Integrated with Classroom Presenter--a tablet-based interaction system
slide sharing student submissions, instructor feedback, corrected student
submission promotes active learningCarla Romney used extensively in MET SEP classroom classesWith ConfXP it can be taken globally, e.g. international programs
Video Bridging with Conf. XP (cont.)
• Low cost solution• Internally hosted virtual infrastructure • Open Source software, • no licensing costs
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Internet 2
met-reflector.bu.edu
Demo 3: Met-Meet — Video WebinarScenario:• Startup (met-meet.bu.edu)
– Tablet1 – (disconnect webcam2), start browser, go to met-meet, start meeting “CET”.
– Tablet2 – start browser, go to met-meet, join meeting “CET”.
• T1: Annotated Presentation: Load infrastructure slides, draw on a slide2. Show three types of Q/A
– Public Q/A– Private Q/A– Mediated Q/A
• Whiteboard demo: 1-t-1 tutoring– T1: give T2 control– Fda demo
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Student and faculty reflections.
•Extremely easy access, browser based /no client software•Robust application•Limited Functionality•Other Uses: Live Video Talk Shaw
Met-Meet (Cont.)
• Low cost solution:• Open Source (DimDim-based) software, no
licensing costs • Internally hosted virtual infrastructure
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MET Virtual Data Center
Webcasting Infrastructure
Internet
Browser
Video
Control Panel
Presenter using
Tablet PC
Assistant
Questions & Feedback Chat
Slides
Video Recording
Station
Slides
Mic
Audio
Ongoing Bi-Directional Chat
(Text)
Presentation and
Responses (Video, Voice, Slides)
Video
RoomRemote Participants
Summarized Questions and
Comments from Listeners
(Voice)
Closed-Loop “Video Chat”
Future Work
• “Package” IOCOM and MET-meet to position them as tools that can be used in blended and online MS programs
• Systematic evaluation of technologies by students and faculty, followed by continuous improvements in capabilities, training, documentation, support.
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