What is Videoconferencing

Derek Baker

ETEC 527

April 16, 2001

What is Videoconferencing?

What is videoconferencing? This question is asked a lot these days in the area of education. My goal is to inform the basics of video conferencing by discussing the benefits of video conferencing, limitations, equipment, and videoconference etiquette when instructing via this method.

Videoconference is when two or more people at different locations can see and hear each other at the same time, sometimes even sharing computer applications for collaboration by high-speed telephone lines. Videoconference can be point-to-point between two sites, or multi-point, joining up to 20 sites on a voice-activated bridge. Schools can use this technology for formal instruction (courses, lessons, and tutoring), connection with guest speakers and experts, multi-school project collaboration, professional activities, and community events. Once you connect to the Internet you are able to see the other people in color video and be able to transfer files or collaborate by options such as document sharing or whiteboarding.

Some of the benefits of videoconference are that you can meet with distant colleagues, instructors, classmates or other people worldwide quickly and easily. The visual connection and interaction among participants enhances understanding and helps participants feel connected to each other. Here we thought the only way to communicate for a class was by using e-mail, telephone, or an online chat system however with technology brings us videoconference. With videoconferencing the class communication has taken another jump. Some classes have problems with retention. With videoconference you can include a variety of learning styles by diverse media such as video or audio clips, graphics, blackboards, handwritten documents, animations or computer applications. Real time is allowed by visual contact between students and the instructor or among students at different sites. High schools can use this technology to connect with experts in other parts of the world.

Just while you start to think that video conferencing is the best thing on Earth, you have to read the kind of limitations that this technology brings. One thing is for sure, good things always have to come with a price tag. The cost of the equipment and leasing the lines to transmit conferences may put a damper on the budget. There are many companies out there that produce codecs (coder-decoder), each have developed unique methods of compression, which are incompatible. The good news about this,is that there has been protocols established that allows communication among brand names. Another limitation is that students may become uninvolved. If you are an instructor you need to have a strong effort to keep your students involved. Visuals, handwritten or copied materials, need to be properly designed because students may have troubles reading them. Real time sounds so spectacular but if the pipe that carries the transmission among sites is not large enough, then the students/teachers may observe, “ghost images” when rapid movement occurs. Visualization is not the only thing that may have a bug in it; audio has echoes. The echo occurs when the system is not properly configured.

Now that we have read what video conferencing is, the benefits and its limitations lets talk about the equipment. We found out that videoconferences are done over telephone wires. The way that videoconferencing is done is by using a codec (coder-decoder). The codec takes the analog video signal and codes (digitizes and compresses) it. Also, the codec has a decoder (decompress and un-digitize) the received transmission. There is a desktop system that displays video in a small window on the computer screen. The videoconferencing rooms have one or two large television screens and usually display the local audience as well as the remote audience. The classrooms are constantly recorded by a camera that is as small as a desktop camera to a high-quality model with remote control pan and zoom features (room system). If the budget is large enough get the high-end systems that way you can get the document camera and a second video connection. Now the part I love to talk about, audio. This part of the system takes the green because you really need to hear what is being talked about. High-quality systems come with a microphone designed to work best with a small group of people. You really need to have additional microphones and make sure that your system allows additional microphones. If you put the green here you can buy a system that is smart enough to process the background noise and echoes out. A system is not complete unless you have the controls. A system control allows you to place calls, adjust the volume, and sometimes even pan and zoom the cameras. The desktop system display controls and tools on the computer monitor window. Again if you put some extra cash here you can get the room system that comes with remote control or console devices.

We now know the equipment of videoconferencing, so now lets learn some videoconference etiquette. One of the rules of teaching in a traditional classroom is to keep eye contact, which will follow here as well. The learner will participate if they feel like they are included, relate directly to them by looking directly into the video camera. The video camera is your students therefore make eye contact to it. Since this is not your typical classroom setting you need to make few changes in you wait time, addressing a student, and answering questions. Since there is an audio delay, this means you may want to wait a bit longer before you start to probe for answers. Some facilitators make a point of communicating with remote participants by name and/or location. Some of your students may not talk loud enough for some other site to hear the question. You can help out by repeating the question or comment that a student makes. Have you ever wondered why news people wear solid colored clothing rather than bold, complex patterns? They do that for a reason and that reason also goes with stripes or busy patterns, this will cause the camera’s focus to oscillate and destroy picture clarity. Another hint to the clothing area, wear dark or neutral colors. Compressed video system cannot transmit rapid movements without some loss of picture quality; therefore you should move in a fluent way. Position yourself on-camera according to the elbows and wrists rule: when you stretch out your arms, the edge of the screen falls between your elbows and wrists. Participants see you or another speaker’s facial expressions, but remember that the camera is very sensitive to movement and will exaggerate blinking eyes, moving hands, or shifting in chairs. Something that all teachers like which seems to be in their genetics, is a strong and a clear voice. This is extremely important while doing videoconferencing.

Now for my final thought: videoconferencing is new technology and schools can use this technology to the fullest. High schools can use videoconferencing to communicate to other people for real world things and have speakers come to their class without even using any transportation. Colleges can increase their enrollment by having videoconference rooms throughout the areas like A&M-Commerce did with Grayson County College. Have fun learning in the 21^st century with 21^st century style.