Nobody really knows with certainty what education using digital video communication technology will be like in the next ten years. The only thing that seems certain is that it will not be like the present. While no one can see into the future, we can research present realities and current rates of change as bases for projecting ahead.
Video conference systems that operate over IP (Internet Protocol) are being implemented in educational organisations, businesses and homes around the globe. Video conference manufacturers inform us that the implementation of such systems and their use is relatively straightforward. This may or may not be the case. This research argues that there is significantly more to implementing video conferencing over IP than simply installing the equipment, training staff and commencing classes. This study reports on an investigation into the effectiveness of implementing digital video conferencing over IP in educational institutions. It specifically looks at this in respect of the desktop and small group user. Research in desktop videoconferencing in education exists but is not abundant, for example, Thompson (1996), Kies et al., (1997), Bogen et al., (1997), Daunt (1999), Davis and Kelly (2002), Davis et al., (2004). With the considerable progress made in IP technologies, more educational providers are moving to use desktop and small group videoconference systems to link to classes and/or students over the Internet. This is a trend that is growing rapidly world-wide. The implementation and application of IP video conferencing in education is under-researched. This study examines three separate case studies to collect the required data. It looks at the processes required to set up effective communications with students and teachers using digital media. It identifies the specific difficulties that need to be overcome, both technically as well as the human factors that are involved. It addresses these issues chiefly as related to desktop users and small groups of participants in particular. In conclusion it also focuses on the design aspects of the video conference equipment and venues used in educational environments. The aim of the research, therefore, is to understand current and future trends of implementing and using video conferencing over IP, in a technical, human and design sense. The research has practical significance for educational institutions, as it provides useful information for students, tutors, technicians and designers involved in digital video conferencing technologies now, and in the years to come.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ADTP/216520 |
| Date | January 2005 |
| Creators | Meulenberg, Paul Martin Charles, pmeulenberg@swin.edu.au |
| Publisher | Swinburne University of Technology. |
| Source Sets | Australiasian Digital Theses Program |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Rights | http://www.swin.edu.au/), Copyright Paul Martin Charles Meulenberg |
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