DEOSNEWS Vol. 6 No.10, ISSN 1062-9416.
Copyright 1996 DEOS.
Director of ACSDE and Editor of AJDE: Dr. Michael G. Moore.
DEOSNEWS Editor: Dr. Melody M. Thompson
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EDITORIAL
 
Operated by the Texas A&M University System (TAMUS), the
Trans-Texas Videoconference Network (TTVN) is currently the
nation's largest university-operated two-way interactive digital
video communications network. In this issue of DEOSNEWS,
Larry Dooley of the Center for Distance Learning Research reports
on the development of this multi-campus, multi-agency system,
discusses faculty concerns related to this form of distance delivery,
and offers a number of recommendations for appropriately and
effectively using compressed video for instruction in higher
education. Readers interested in this medium may want to read an
earlier DEOSNEWS article, "Teaching via Compressed Video:
Promising Practices and Potential Pitfalls" (filename 94-00062) by
Mary Alice Bruce and Richard Shade. (Directions for recalling this
and other back issues of DEOSNEWS can be found at the end of
this issue.)
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INSTRUCTIONAL USE OF COMPRESSED VIDEO
TELECONFERENCING:
A REPORT FROM FACULTY USERS
 
 
Larry M. Dooley
Associate Professor & Chair
The Distance Learning Program
 
Educational Human Resource Development
Texas A&M University
College Station, Texas 77843-3256
Voice: (409) 845-5300
http://www-ehrd.tamu.edu
E-Mail: dooley@tamu.edu
 
The Center for Distance Learning Research
501 Industrial Boulevard
Bryan, Texas 77803
Voice: (409) 862-7574
http://www.cdlr.tamu.edu
 
 
 
INTRODUCTION
 
When interactive video teleconferencing was first announced at the
1960 World's Fair, it was touted as an innovation that would be
readily available on a wide-spread basis in the near future (Spiller
1985). However, teleconferencing subsequently was made
available to only the top businesses that could afford the exhorbant
price tag; certainly, it seemed, education could never enter this
market! To the layperson, traditional modes of education were
based on the need to gather around the scarce resources of a learned
person and printed thought (Rogers 1990). Today, the world of
recorded knowledge is richer, more spontaneous, and more
transportable than it has been in the past.
 
In 1990, for the first time, the nontraditional student became a part
of the majority; more than one half of the college students in this
country were over 25 years of age. Students today are busy,
working adults with a great many demands on their lives (Rogers
1990). For education to compete in this arena, it had to make the
transition to the high-tech marketplace. Education is now in distance
learning in a big way.
 
What really is this term "distance learning," anyway? Keegan
identified four essential elements of a distance learning program.
The four elements include: (1) the separation of teacher and student
during most of the instructional process, (2) the influence of an
educational organization and the provision for student evaluation,
(3) the use of educational media to carry the course content, and (4)
provision for two-way communication. At the most basic level,
distance learning takes place when physical distance separates the
teacher and student, and technology is used to bridge the
instructional gap (Willis 1993).
 
Penn State can claim one of the oldest distance learning networks.
Started in 1886, it used state-of-the-art technology (U.S. Mail) to
deliver courses in drafting. Today, Penn State is the home of the
American Center for the Study of Distance Education and has
advanced its communications techniques far beyond the mails,
although the post office still is used (Harler 1991). However, as of
April 1992, there were 11 universities in the United States that
offered distance learning program. Most of the degrees offered
through these programs were at the master's and Ph.D. level (Miller
1994). The Department of Educational Human Resource
Development at Texas A&M University is one of these eleven.
 
These programs are not limited to universities, as Mind Extension
University (MEU), which began cablecasting in 1987, now reaches
23 million homes and is carried by 767 cable systems. MEW also
sends videotaped courses to people without cable access. Students
can take interactive high school courses, complete bachelor's
degrees, or even earn master's degrees by watching cablecast or
videotaped courses (Piirto 1993). Additionally, the TI-IN Network
of San Antonio, Texas, was one of the first commercial companies
to sell distance-learning products. It offers interactive live satellite
courses in math, science, and foreign languages to 650 U.S. high
schools (Piirto 1993).
 
 
HOW COMPRESSED VIDEO WORKS
 
Compressed video is a technology that enables live, two-way
auditory and visual signals to be transmitted simultaneously among
sites which are equipped with specialized equipment. Using this
specialized equipment, compressed video signals can be sent over
fiber optic or other telephone lines, by satellite, and by microwave
transmission, usually at costs substantially less than those associated
with other types of live, two-way transmissions (Cochenour 1993).
 
Video is the picture portion of a televised presentation and is an
electronic signal composed of moving frames of information
transmitted at a frequency range of 1 to 6 megahertz. (Megahertz is
a radio frequency term meaning one million cycles per second.) The
term compression refers to the process of reducing the
representation of information without reducing the information itself
and has the effect of lowering the time or space necessary to store or
to transmit the information. Video compression involves processing
the analog television signal digitally. Analog signals are continuous,
much as a clock has hands that sweep along a continuous scale. An
analog signal can vary in strength at any moment in time, and the
signal directly and proportionately creates the display on the screen.
 
A digital signal is not continuous, but rather is discrete--it is either
there or it is not. A digital signal is really a string of digits
transmitted in abrupt, distinct increments at a very high rate of
speed.
 
The major difference between compressed video signals and
traditional signals broadcast over the airwaves or sent over the
telephone lines it that the visual and auditory information delivered
by a compressed video signal is edited during the transmission
process and only new digits are sent.
 
At one-tenth the operating cost of one-way broadcast conferencing,
the digital video technology delivers roughly the same visual image--
and adds to it face-to-face, give-and-take interaction from two-way
monitors in as many as 16 sites at one time. It also can include
computer, recording, and film/document/slide-projection capabilities
(Quinn 1993).
 
 
THE TRANS-TEXAS VIDEOCONFERENCE NETWORK
 
Prompted by the expansion of The Texas A&M University System
(TAMUS) from four universities to eight, Texas A&M University
began working in 1989 with GTE Southwest to assess the feasibility
of implementing a state-wide, high-speed data and
videoconferencing network. Consolidation of costly leased data
links and connection of computing resources at the far TAMUS
campuses became a high priority for the uniform management and
exchange of information in both the administrative and research
sectors. Digital, compressed video two-way interactive
videoconferencing service provided a convenient avenue for
meetings and classes with signals which travel simultaneously on
the same telecommunications links as computer data (Staff 1991).
 
Construction of the TAMUS Interactive Services Data Network
began in early 1990 with funding authorized by the presidents of the
system universities, which include Prairie View A&M University,
Tarleton State University (Stephenville), Texas A&M International
University (Laredo), Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, Texas
A&M University at Galveston, Texas A&M University-Kingsville,
Texas A&M University (College Station), and West Texas A&M
University (Canyon). Also collaborating were the directors of a
number of state including the Texas Agricultural Extension Service,
the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station, the Texas Engineering
Extension Service, the Texas Engineering Experiment Station, The
Texas Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory, the Texas
Transportation Institute, and the Texas Forest Service.
 
For transmission of videoconference signals plus data between
university computing centers, a system of land-based T-1
telecommunications links were leased through GTE Southwest and
ATC Telecommunications. T-1 lines are essentially high-capacity,
high-quality telephone circuits which provide cost effective 24-hour
service. T-1 telecommunications utilizes a combination of fiber-
optic, microwave, and standard telephone technology to provide a
1.544mbps bandwidth which accommodates the 768kbps
videoconference data stream and a variety of data channels for
computing services.
 
Therefore, TAMUS became the first institution of higher education
in Texas to implement a major digital videoconference network in
the spring of 1991. The Trans-Texas Videoconference Network
(TTVN) is currently the nation's largest university-operated two-
way interactive digital video communications network.
 
The TTVN continues to be the fastest growing academic
videoconference network in Texas. During the fiscal year ending
August 1995, the network carried 3,354 videoconferences and 424
telecourses; to date, the network has carried 11,995 different
videocinferences (Staff 1995). Twelve new videoconference
facilities were added during this fiscal year, bringing the total to 66
facilities in 30 Texas cities and towns (prior to the end of this
calendar year, the network will comprise 83 different sites located
across Texas and Mexico. These installations are attempting to meet
the increasing demands of distance learning activities. Several
TAMUS campuses have installed a second videoconference system
to accommodate their extensive telecourse schedules.
 
A variety of people affect the success of a compressed video
experience. People who formally or informally make up the team
responsible for compressed video sessions may include those from
organizational management or administration, instructors,
technicians, distance site facilitators, and students or participants.
One must consider details such as scheduling, registration, course
credit, teacher evaluation, distribution of learning materials, session
funding, room location, and access to hardware. Too often many of
these administrative and managerial details are overlooked; pre-
planning in these areas is a key to success.
 
This network was established to provide instructor-operated, high-
quality educational telecommunications without the need of an on-
site technician. All of our professors operate all phases of the in-
class equipment. There is, however, a systems operator for the
overall maintenance and management of the network. Our 36-site
system has a technical staff of three individuals. In most cases,
professors are alone in the classroom to operate the cameras, VCRs,
multimedia presentations, and the overall classroom management.
 
 
FACULTY CONCERNS
 
Although satisfying the intent of the administration for providing
instructor-managed educational telecommunications classes, it
became apparent to this instructor, after using this network for three
years, that there was a critical shortage of support for faculty and,
especially, for adult students using this system. In December of
1993, the author approached the Associate Vice Chancellor for
Information Resources of The Texas A&M University System about
the need to examine the support services available and to recommend
potential additional services to support faculty and students in
instructional delivery. Based on input from faculty at various
campuses in the TAMUS, the following recommendations are made:
 
 
There should be someone at the remote site(s) who knows, and can
troubleshoot, the equipment, as well as operate the cameras.
This person can also proxy classes by being responsible for
collecting assignments and other duties, as assigned by the
instructor.
 
All electronic classrooms should have access to the Internet and have
a computer in the room that can be used for multimedia
presentations. These computers should be compatible with
either Macintosh or PC platforms.
 
There should be some time available on the network, outside of
scheduled class time, for on-line office hours. Students
should have the opportunity to give feedback to the faculty at
times other than class time and without the necessity of a
long-distance telephone call.
 
It is important that e-mail be made available to all faculty and
students to ensure that contact with professors is maintained.
 
There should be an additional allocation from departmental operating
funds to departments that have faculty teaching distance
learning classes; additional expenditures are required over
and above what the current formula allows for traditional
courses.
 
Class facilitators should be available for the duration of each class,
and these persons should not be registered as students.
Work-study students could be hired for this purpose from
the additional funds recommended to be allocated to
Departments teaching through educational
telecommunications.
 
A computerized system should be established whereby one call
could schedule a meeting/class on the network, reserve
rooms at all sites, and coordinate times for the meetings.
Often multiple calls are required to schedule the network and
each site.
 
Library and other support materials needed for classes should be
provided by the host site. This could include an 800
telephone number, overnight delivery, fax and Internet
address for students. Students should be able to access all
items in the library just as if they were local students.
 
There should be a time at the beginning of each semester to provide
a hands-on student orientation to the distance learning
classroom and technologies. A training session for the
students should be initiated that would include a
handbook/manual that can be referred to later.
 
An additional network room should be available on each campus
where instructors can practice without tying up the system;
there should be increased hours of availability of these
rooms.
 
The administration should bring together faculty who have taught,
or are teaching, on the network to dialogue with other faculty
about "best practices" for distance instruction.
 
A standard evaluation instrument should be used to evaluate course
expertise and professor performance. This instrument
should be different from the one used in traditional
classrooms.
 
Faculty need to be trained and this does not mean in how to
turn on the equipment, but rather in using the advantages of
the system. Additionally, administration should provide
faculty with access to curriculum specialists who can modify
faculty syllabi for distance delivery. Most faculty use the
same instructional design for the distance learning class as
they do for their traditional classes.
 
If educational telecommunication-delivered courses are to be
successful, it is necessary for all the involved sites to adopt
the same semester calendar.
 
Each site should have classrooms dedicated solely to
videoconferencing, or at least have network activities take
precedence over all other scheduled activities in these rooms.
 
Registration of students at distant sites should be studied. How is
admission handled? Are support materials mailed to distant
students prior to class?
 
A target class size should be established. Both minimums and
maximums are critical for planning purposes. Where is the
break-even point? Classrooms should be designed so that
the entire student population in the room can be viewed at
one time. All monitors should be at least 35" for adequate
viewing.
 
Calculation of faculty load for those teaching distance learning
classes is a major concern. Individual faculty should receive
credit for the total number of students they are teaching,
regardless of where they are registered. Moreover,
professors should be given some extra incentive for teaching
distance learning classes.
 
Universities must distinguish between resident courses taught at a
distance and those taught locally.
 
The administration should study all courses and decide which
courses should be taught by distance learning.
 
 
RECOMMENDATIONS
 
Distance learning is no longer a marginal part of higher education; it
is becoming an important means of providing access to educational
opportunities and resources. Moreover, the dramatic rate of change
in information is forcing us to realize that we don't need an
"educated" population, but rather that we need to become a nation of
learners who combine work and education. Learning must become
an active and ongoing process rather than a test of memorization
skills based on some acceptable list of core knowledge (Rogers
1990).
 
When taking these next steps in the process of managing existing
educational telecommunication systems, it is critical to involve
leaders at the highest levels of the organization. Faculty, however
must be involved in the governance of these systems, and the
introduction of telecommunications-based education should be a
collaborative effort. A successful process-created team is one
weighted toward professionals who can best consider the non-
technical questions that are asked (Duning 1993). One must place
the learners' (customers') needs ahead of organizational convenience
and at the center of planning and decision making.
 
Currently, most organizations create telecommunications-based
educational programs in an ad hoc fashion. In the absence of
adequate instructional design support as a resource for instructional
environments and, in particular, for educational telecommunications
systems, learning packages tend to be created by (1) an AV
specialist who translates traditional instruction to fit the medium, (2)
an educator who directs the AV specialist to accommodate the
instructional style demanded, or (3) a tense fusion of the two
(Duning 1993). Educators working in this ad hoc fashion have been
doing something for which they were not hired or trained.
Moreover, the organization's incentive system was not devised to
reward them for such tasks.
 
The shifting priorities this new distance learning paradigm provides
uncovers a basic organizational principle of which we are all aware:
management problems are rooted in the long history of the academy
and moving toward change must be incremental to be effective.
 
This author suggests that most organizations have not adapted their
units to accommodate the opportunities and impact of educational
telecommunications. Most are still trying to force their traditionally
delivered classes into the mold of electronic delivery. In the long
run, this will not be effective.
 
It is suggested that each campus establish an academic instructional
design unit to assist faculty and instructors in distance learning
course development. Instructional design can be a valuable and
integral part of the telecommunications-based education (Duning
1993). A major rationale in support of an instructional program is
the current practice of diverting subject matter experts (SME) from
instruction to design work, which often is not the best use of
valuable resources. An separate instructional design unit would free
the SMEs to do their job of teaching.
 
Regardless of the course taken, teaching faculty should not be
expected to be the content specialists, curriculum designers, and
technology specialists. The compressed video equipment on the
market today is designed for individual faculty and instructors to
operate while teaching. However, in this day of the technologically
informed student, we can no longer afford to offer classes that
merely place traditionally prepared material on the network. Our
instructors can indeed operate all the equipment; however, they must
have high quality material to deliver. Our clients are requiring a
product that rivals what they see coming from business, television,
the cinema and other commercial markets. As colleges and
universities in the future will no longer control all access to
knowledge, we will find ourselves competing for students with
other entities such as the telecommunications and entertainment
industries. Education, therefore, must embrace this new paradigm
or be left behind.
 
 
REFERENCES
 
Cochenour, J.J., Rezabek, L.L. & Burton, C.H. 1993. What is
Compressed Video? In _Compressed Video Operations and
Applications_, edited by S. Hakes, Box & Cochenour:
Association for Educational Communications and Technology.
 
Duning, B.S., Van Kekerix, M.J. & Zaborowski, L.M. 1993.
_Reaching Learners through Telecommunications_. San
Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
 
Harler, C. 1991. Penn State network combines video, satellite
POTS. _Communication News_ 28 (2) (February):22.
 
Miller, G. & King, J. 1994. Taking the distance out of distance
education. _The Agricultural Education Magazine_ (February):5-
9.
 
Piirto, R. 1993. Teaching on television. _American Demographics_
15 (9):6.
 
Quinn, Judith. 1993. Videoconferencing: Face to face at a distance.
_EPRI Journal_ 18 (3):26-33.
 
Rogers, S.M. 1990. Educational applications of the NREN.
_EDUCOM Review_ (Summer):25-29.
 
Spiller, R. & Housel, T.J. 1985. SMR forum: Video
teleconferencing-a new training tool. _Sloan Management
Review_ (Fall):57-62.
 
Staff. 1991. Trans-Texas videoconference network: The first year:
The Texas A&M University System.
 
Staff. 1995. Trans-Texas videoconference network: The fifth year:
The Texas A&M University System.
 
Willis, B. 1993. _Distance education: A practical guide_.
Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Educational Technology Publications.
 
 
Note: This project was supported in part by funding from the 1992-
1994 State Of Texas Legislature through the special item
TTVN Expansion
 
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