Video‐Collaboration Technologies in Blended Courses—Student and Faculty Reflections

1. Video‐Collaboration Technologies in Blended Courses—Student and Faculty Reflections Tanya Zlateva, Leo Burstein, Lou Chitkushev, Anatoly Temkin, Michael Hylkema

2. Outline • Motivation for Using Video Collaboration in Blended Courses (eLive) • 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 • Conclusions and Future Work CET 1st Annual Instructional Innovation Conference

3. 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 CET 1st Annual Instructional Innovation Conference

4. 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. CET 1st Annual Instructional Innovation Conference

5. 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 CET 1st Annual Instructional Innovation Conference

6. Comparison of Technologies and Recommended Use CET 1st Annual Instructional Innovation Conference

7. Technology Characteristics 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. CET 1st Annual Instructional Innovation Conference

8. 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. CET 1st Annual Instructional Innovation Conference

9. Demo 1: IOCOM—Multi-Point Video Collaboration • 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 CET 1st Annual Instructional Innovation Conference

10. Demo 2: Video Bridging With Conf. XP Scenario: • 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 • 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 learning • Carla Romney used extensively in MET SEP classroom classes • With ConfXP it can be taken globally, e.g. international programs CET 1st Annual Instructional Innovation Conference

11. Video Bridging with Conf. XP (cont.) met-reflector.bu.edu • Low cost solution • Internally hosted virtual infrastructure • Open Source software, • no licensing costs Internet 2 CET 1st Annual Instructional Innovation Conference

12. Demo 3: Met-Meet — Video Webinar Scenario: • 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 • Student and faculty reflections. • Extremely easy access, browser based /no client software • Robust application • Limited Functionality • Other Uses: Live Video Talk Shaw CET 1st Annual Instructional Innovation Conference

13. Met-Meet (Cont.) • Low cost solution: • Open Source (DimDim-based) software, no licensing costs • Internally hosted virtual infrastructure CET 1st Annual Instructional Innovation Conference

14. 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. CET 1st Annual Instructional Innovation Conference