EDER 677
Telecommunications in Education
Different Modes of Telecommunication
Systems : distance Education
Implications
- Linking to Learn Kowch, 2003
© E. Kowch 2002 1
Goals of this Session
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Key Terms
Linking Resources
Linking Configurations
Advantages of Linking to Learn
Implementation Issues of Linking to Learn
© E. Kowch 2002 2
Key Terms
Telecommunications - communication over a
distance (time, place)
through the use of transmission technologies to
link learners and educational resources.
Distributed Learning - a combination of distance
education and constructivist learning principles
online
-integration of networking, computing, and
multimedia technologies with learner-centered
teaching approaches such as collaboration,
discovery, and active learning
© E. Kowch 2002 3
Linking Resources
Networks - common element to all linking resources
Three basic components
a) People who seek information
b) Source of information
c) Transmission technology that links
the two
© E. Kowch 2002 4
Linking Resources
Transmission Technologies
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satellite
microwave
Instructional Television Fixed Service (ITFS)
Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN)
cable systems
fiber optic systems
Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) - carry all data types on
the same line
© E. Kowch 2002 5
Linking Configurations
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3.
Audio Based Systems
Video Based Systems
Computer Based Systems
© E. Kowch 2002 6
1. Audio Based Systems
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One way audio (e.g. radio broadcast) (RealAudio)
Audio conferencing (e.g. two-way audio (telephone)
Audio graphics (e.g. computer networking - computer interaction with realtime audio communication)
© E. Kowch 2002 7
2. Video Based Systems
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One way video (e.g. TV broadcasting - live or tape delayed)
One way video, two way audio (e.g. TV broadcasts, videos which are followed by teacher-student
discussion)
Interactive two way audio and video (e.g. link between two remote sites -room or desktop video
conferencing
© E. Kowch 2002 8
3. Computer Based Systems
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microcomputer, modem, communications software, communication link (e.g.
telephone line)
provides access to:
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Internet/WWW
E-mail
Chat Groups (MOO and MUD)
Listservs
Bulletin Boards
© E. Kowch 2002 9
Telecom and Distributed Learning Modes: 10
Modes for Distance Education
© E. Kowch 200210
10 Modes for linking and learning
1. Face to face (non telecom or part)
2. Print based (non telecom or part)
3. Telephone and Audio Conferencing
4. Broadcast TV
5. Satellite TV
6. Cable TV
7. Audio Graphic Conferencing
8. Computer Conferencing
9. Compressed Video
10. Multimedia
© E. Kowch 200211
Some advantages & disadvantages of linking to learn and using different
telecom modes in distance delivered education…
© E. Kowch 200212
Face to face Mode
• Characteristics
• Advantages
• Disadvantages
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Recreates institutional
setting
Promotes higher
interaction
Low resource
requirement
High costs
Small numbers in
classes
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Uses existing facilities
Existing institutional staff
Moderate retraining
needed
Low instructional
development cost
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Not as cost effective in
some cases
Travel time and risk is
high
Can have few site support
services
Access to learning
resources can be relatively
limited
© E. Kowch 200213
Print Based Mode
• Characteristics
• Advantages
• Disadvantages
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Cost effective
Learner controlled
Time effective in
development
Easily available and
inexpensive production
Vicarious view of
reality
Dependent on literacy
Easy to edit and revise
Critical component of
most distance ed
programs (globally)
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Easy to use
Use anytime anyplace
No equipment needed
Not intimidating
Least expensive distance
education resource
Focus on content needed
Easy to locate, store,
reference and review
Vast organized body of
existing print resources
exists
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Quickly out dated
Vicarious view of reality
Sound and motion are
difficult to model
High learner motivation
Passive self directed
Lacks feedback and
interaction
Dependent on literacy and
reading skills
© E. Kowch 200214
Telephone and Audio Teleconferencing
STANDARD PHONE ONE TO ONE
SPEAKER PHONE ONE TO
MANY
Audio Bridge
speakerphone
MULTIPOINT CONFERENCE BRIDGE
MANY TO MANY
• Characteristics
• Advantages
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Point to point with self
convened multiple sites
Supports other media
such as print, cassettes,
slides
Fully interactive
Large area of coverage
possible globally
Use at home or
institution
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Universally available
Low cost training
equipment
Program easily taped for
review and absentees
Group or individual use
Supports variety of
teaching strategies:
panels, interviews, role
playing, case studies
Access from any
telephone
• Disadvantages
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Long distance costs
Ties up the phone
Not able to share graphics,
text, images interactively
Maintaining audio quality
can be tough
Eliminates nonverbal cues
Technical interruptions
No visual contact
Cell phones can be noisy
© E. Kowch 200215
Broadcast AM / FM Radio or Shortwave
• Characteristics
• Advantages
• Disadvantages
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Point to multipoint
Audio only
Receivers are low cost
and can be owned by
almost anyone
Reaches very large
numbers
Now available from
satellite downlinks to
local transmitters,
globally.
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Extremely cost effective
Does not require the same
degree of literacy as print
Network infrastructure is
in place, globally
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One way communication
only
No visual component
Language based, naturally.
© E. Kowch 200216
Broadcast Television
TELEPHONE AND FAX INTERACTION
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Characteristics
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Advantages
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Disadvantages
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Point to multipoint
Quality production
facilities
Large transmission
area
Few available VHF
channels
UHF transmission is
limited by line of sight
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Easy access to TV and
receiver
Easy VCR access for
archives
Accepted method of
knowledge acquisition
Facilitates
understanding of
abstractions and
complex information
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Not flexible broadcast
time
Commercially oriented
Open public viewing
Expensive to produce
Expensive to broadcast
at prime viewer times
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© E. Kowch 200217
Satellite Television
TELEPHONE AND FAX INTERACTION
• Characteristics
• Advantages
• Disadvantages\
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Serve remote areas
Pont to point or
multipoint or
bidirectional
Receive only terminal
equipment affordable on
an individual basis
Controlled viewer
access
Programming materials
interchangeable with
broadcast or cable TV
Compatible with
computers now
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Serves users in all areas
VCR delay of
programming
Becoming more
affordable with
compressed video
Mixes well with print,
audio and video resources
Bi directional
transmission feedback is
possible
Local and international
span - access
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Terminal receive
equipment relatively
expensive compared to
broadcast cable or TV
Requires expensive uplink
for broadcaster
Satellite time can be
expensive
Requires special skill in
negotiating satellite time
Spectrum space is limited
and highly controlled
© E. Kowch 200218
Cable Television
• Characteristics
• Advantages
• Disadvantages
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Can carry digital signals
now
Can carry interactive
digital now
Available in north
america everywhere
High digital bandwidth
capacity
Requires low power
(cost) compared to
airborne signals
Universal standards
exist.
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Relatively low cost
High penetration in urban
areas
Multichannel
Low cost to receive
(devices are in the TV)
Can be used in
conjunction with digital
phone service
Education channels often
legislated and dedicated
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Musty one-way
Can be 2 way
Originating education
sites often not connected
for sending signals
Originating production
equipment is expensive
Training personnel is
expensive
Not feasible in low
population areas without
satellite to cable
downlinks.
© E. Kowch 200219
Audio Graphic
Teleconferencing (Centra, vClass)
• Characteristics
• Advantages
• Disadvantages
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Point to multipoint or
point to point
Fully interactive
Two way video is very
slow
Merging audio, video
and computer data
technology
Data files prepared
ahead of time and
modifications saved by
computer ahead of
session
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Uses standard phone lines
Transmits graphics, data
screens, and still images
Possible to annotate
graphics
Cost less than two way
video conferencing
Analog or digital
transmission
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Equipment compatibility
(Mac, PC)
Ties up phone line
Requires institutional
licensing and negotiation
Requires training
© E. Kowch 200220
Computer Conferencing
Server
• Characteristics
• Advantages
• Disadvantages
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Point to point (email)
or point to multipoint
(web server)
conferencing
Synchronous
Host links everyone
(ACS1 and WebCT
do this)
Exchange voice,
video, image and
data
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Convenient, works well in
asynchronous and
synchronous modes
Fairly reliable and getting
better
Can be institutionally
supported
Inexpensive to very
expensive, depending on
the software today
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Equipment incompatibility
Operating system
incompatibility
Firewalls and security
Operating system / host
system upgrades
Human resource support
is required
Complex negotiations
with software vendors
© E. Kowch 200221
Compressed Video /
Real Time or Distributed
Document Cam
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Point to point
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Video/text/graphics
Document Cam
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Document Cam
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Multipoint
Bridge ( n points)
Videoconference
Document Cam
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Document Cam
= codec (encoder/decoder box.. Often proprietary technology)
© E. Kowch 200222
Multimedia / Interactive: on CD Rom or DVD
One-stop
Teaching and
Learning, with
Linkages to the
WWW
As needed.
© E. Kowch 200223
Multimedia / Interactive: on CD Rom or DVD
© E. Kowch 200224
Multimedia
• Characteristics
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Convergence of digital
technology
All information
mediums are on board
The computer links the
present and emerging
technologies
Multimedia makes us of
remote and local data
bases seamlessly (with
good design)
• Advantages
• Disadvantages
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One workstation opens up
the world of information
and instruction
possibilities for the
learner.
The learner can design his
or her own approach to
learning with a good
design, and learning
object management
system links emerging
from the WWW.
Students can store vast
amounts of data
Combines all the
advantages of audio or
video teleconferencing as
large plasma screens will
play digital content
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Equipment is compiles
and expensive
Software not on the net is
very fast, so video and
sound are more clear, and
faster than the other
modes
The point above means
that the computer must be
configured with a
multitude of software, or
the software must be on
disc.
Learning materials must
be reconfigured, a process
that requires far greater
investment (and
instructional design) than
the cost of the equipment.
© E. Kowch 200225
10 Modes for linking and learning
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Face to face (non telecom or part)
Print based (non telecom or part)
Telephone and Audio Conferencing
Broadcast TV
Satellite TV
Cable TV
Audio Graphic Conferencing
Computer Conferencing
Compressed Video
Multimedia
© E. Kowch 200226
We often choose the medium before designing the learning
event….
Think about mixing the modes on the previous page…
There are great implications for learner type, instructor type,
higher order learning, cost, leadership and instructional
design if we consider a mixture of modes, the CMC strengths
and weaknesses, and we create learning situations for
specific distributed learning groups, for specific learning
outcomes… just like in a
“regular” classroom
(Kowch, 2003).
© E. Kowch 200227
Some advantages of Linking to Learn
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5.
Provide ready access to a variety of people and information (changing the
physical learning environment)
Create opportunities for collaboration between classrooms (learning
communities)
Support learner - initiated study (changing roles of teacher and learner)
Offer advanced and otherwise unavailable courses
Deliver staff development programs with minimal restrictions of time or place
© E. Kowch 200228
Some advantages of Linking to Learn
Research Evidence (1954 to 2000):
There is no significant difference between instruction delivered
through traditional classroom methods and instruction
delivered over one or more remote technologies in which a
teacher and students are separated by distance.
“The quality and design of instruction, rather than the delivery
mechanism, make learning more effective” (Richard Clark).
© E. Kowch 200229
Some Implementation Issues when Linking to Learn
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Top level policy/planning is needed (leadership and partnerships)
Teacher involvement and training is required (the voice of teachers and
students must be heard)
Technical limitations (time, money, machine, software constraints and
constant change are important variables)
Differentiated staffing (classroom and field assistants are required, paper
and electronic systems require good tech staff, not just good teachers)
Assessment (accountability split, non-traditional learning models are
questions, credentialism is an issue, transfer of credit is an issue: Are there
standards? (no)
© E. Kowch 200230
Some Implementation Issues when Linking to Learn
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We need curriculum design and development for new and emerging standards that
consider time and distance manipulated teaching and learning (transition from
classroom to on-line communication styles and nuances)
Administrative support and leadership training is essential for the success of
planning and supporting distributed learning teaching and learning environments
(education and environmental (macro) issues)
Common transmission and technology standards will continue to make the discussion
difficult, and easy for technocrats to control or direct (incompatibility issues)
Obtaining required resources - DL can be expensive if we use telecommunications
(cost and sustainability)
© E. Kowch 200231
Some Implementation Issues when Linking to Learn
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2.
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Logistical problems : fixed assets, human assets, contracts,
infrastructure sharing contracts, shared systems… shared support
mean complex logistics and people capable of working with such a
situation (DL leadership issues)
Ethical issues (on-line behavior and content monitoring - and now
issues exist where DL software is extremely intrusive onto personal
systems)
Equity and cultural issues abound (equal access, cultural
communication bias, multicultural leveling versus appreciation)..
Who can afford DL (we must design for our demographic by
choosing the right telecom mode)
© E. Kowch 200232
Coming up on October 17th
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Contribute to this week’s discussion forum on The Different Modes of
Telecommunications and distributed education.
Work on your paper and web-based student portfolio.
Prepare for discussion next week on Centra that will allow us to synthesize
our readings / discussions / learnings so far.
For now, Adieu from Calgary
© E. Kowch 200233