-------- Original Message -------- Subject: RE: #8413.1 - (!!) video conf - linked classrooms Date: Sun, 10 Dec 2006 11:38:42 +0000 From: R Freeman <[log in to unmask]> To: [log in to unmask] CC: [log in to unmask] Lauren, Thanks for your reply (and comments!) :-) To answer your question, I would like to set up a combined/linked language class (ESL or Spanish) composed of about around 10-15 students from my campus (in Wilmington, Delaware) and 10 - 15 students in Taiwan (where I am currently on site doing some doctoral work). I know our school in the States has a pretty reliable T3 connection with ample bandwith (well, at least it's this way in the morning and in the evening, when the classes would be conducted). As well, I think (but am not 100% sure YET) that the university here in Taiwan has decent connectivity too. They have a classroom in with about 10 Polycom units. The real issue for me now is what would provide the best set up for our school in Delaware (ie what gets the best bang for the buck). If I use a SmartBoard to project the video being received by a computer, would that create a better "illusion" of a "life-size" class? Do you know if Polycom units include such enhanced or enlarged projection? Do they also provide for a secondary video share of monitor or application sharing? Do you have any idea of pricing for a classroom of appx 10-15 microphone - equipped desk stations and camera set up? I was really impressed by the Cisco Telepresence product but it seems limited to just 6 peoiple at each site, so probably not a classroom-friendly option. Last question for now: what product/set up would best facilitate one-on-one pairing and group work between sites? I'm not worried about the "lecture" segment of class or whole-class work, but am most concerned with finding a way to build cohesive student groups and pairs for speaking and interaction between (rather than among) sites. Woud I have to just take the classes to computer labs with chatting software or does Polycom somehow allow for private channel link up's between specified stations or desks? I have been looking into the Wimba Voice Tools and Live Classroom packages as a way to create "aural/oral" threaded discussions and spoken chats between pairs and groups of students at the two sites, but wondering if the Polycom functionality makes this superfluous? ANY suggestions or ideas would help!!!!! Brett Freeman [log in to unmask] ----Original Message Follows---- From: "Otmar Foelsche, LLTI -Editor" <[log in to unmask]> Reply-To: Language Learning and Technology International Information Forum <[log in to unmask]> To: [log in to unmask] Subject: #8413.1 - (!!) video conf - linked classrooms Date: Tue, 5 Dec 2006 13:32:56 -0500 -------- Original Message -------- Subject: LLTI: approval required (9E3E7E7D) Date: Mon, 4 Dec 2006 15:38:08 -0500 From: Dartmouth College LISTSERV Server (15.0) <[log in to unmask]> To: [log in to unmask] Rob, The linking of the classrooms and getting videoconferencing in there is really the easy part with a couple of polycom units and cameras for the teacher and student views along with desktop mics for students and wireless mics for instructors. The question that I have here is what do you want to do over the videoconferencing connection? What types of interactions will need to take place? What will students need to be able to do in the room? What will instructors need to do? That will determine more what additional technology you will want such as document cameras, if you need PIP software working, and a number of other technologies. The transparentness and seamlessness is really more a function of "how" it is used not what it is. The quality of the audio and video is a combination of the quality of the equipment and the bandwidth you have at the time of the connection. You might have perfect video and audio with miliseconds of lag at 9am but come 4pm the same connection will have some freezing. Also having a quality of service solution in place will help with those problems but are still no guarantee of perfection every time. I'd be happy to talk with you further about this if you are needing more details. We have been using large classrooom videoconferencing for instruction for 8 years. You can contact me off the list if you like. Lauren Rosen Collaborative Language Program University of Wisconsin 618 Van Hise Hall 1220 Linden Drive Madison, WI 53706 [log in to unmask] 608-262-4066 (voice) 608-265-3892 (fax) http://www.uwosh.edu/colleges/col s/clp.htm -- ********************************************************************************** LLTI is a service of IALLT, the International Association for Language Learning (http://iallt.org/), and The Consortium for Language Teaching and Learning (http://www.languageconsortium.org/). Join IALLT at http://iallt.org. Otmar K. Foelsche, LLTI-Editor ([log in to unmask]) ********************************************************************************** _________________________________________________________________ Get free, personalized commercial-free online radio with MSN Radio powered by Pandora http://radio.msn.com/?icid=T002MSN03A07001 -- ********************************************************************************** LLTI is a service of IALLT, the International Association for Language Learning (http://iallt.org/), and The Consortium for Language Teaching and Learning (http://www.languageconsortium.org/). Join IALLT at http://iallt.org. Otmar K. Foelsche, LLTI-Editor ([log in to unmask]) **********************************************************************************