Transcript Fol.Colloque`98.V2

TELEPOLY
A High Quality Broadband Multimedia
Transmission System for
Synchronous Interactive Teleteaching
Dr. H. Hänni, P. Kunz
Network for Educational Technology (NET)
Dr. Th. Walter
Computer Engineering and Networks Laboratory (TIK)
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich
1
Content

Introduction
H. Hänni

The TELEPOLY System of
Th. Walter
ETHZ and EPFL

Using the TELEPOLY
P. Kunz (live from ETHZ)
System

Some further info...
H. Hänni
2
Introduction
Dr. H. Hänni, Network for Educational Technology
(NET)
[email protected]
http://www.net.ethz.ch
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich
3
ICT in T&L: Status and Tendencies

New possibilities increasingly known/recognized

Course-related information is put onto the WWW


Virtual classrooms and universities appear


See: ArgusClearinghouse, Yahoo, World Lecture Hall
etc.
NDIT/FPIT, ETH World, Univ. of Berkeley Extension
etc.
Networks of virtual universities are set up



Virtuelle Hochschule Baden-Württemberg (D)
Western Governors University (USA)
Virtual Campus Switzerland
4
Status and Tendencies (2)

Important conferences:




Syllabus Annual Conference (California, USA, July)
Educause Annual Conference (USA, Oct./Nov.)
LearnTec (Karlsruhe, D, Feb.)
-> Coherent picture at Syllabus ‘99:




Communication medium/technology of the (near) future
is the Web:
… Web Course Authoring/Management Systems
… Web technology on- and off-line
… Streaming technology for audio/video
5
Status and Tendencies (3)

Asynchronous communication and Web-based T&L
environments dominate

But: Learning is a social process!
Sometimes people want to communicate “live”

Therefore:
We need high quality synchronous communication
systems as well!
6
Our Persuasion
The ideal virtual T&L environment ...

is a hybrid of
teacher centered (teacher-driven) and
learner centered (learner-driven) components

consists of networked (Web-based), multimedia,
asynchronous and synchronous components
TELEPOLY and its successor Easy Teach & Learn
are leading solutions for the synchronous part of the
virtual T&L system
7
The TELEPOLY System
of ETHZ and EPFL
Dr. Th. Walter
Computer Engineering and Networks Laboratory (TIK)
[email protected]
http://www.tik.ee.ethz.ch
8
History

TELEPOLY became operational in January 1996
with two partners: EPF Lausanne and ETH Zürich

Late 1996, the Swiss Centre for Scientific
Computing (CSCS) Manno joined Telepoly

Since October 1998, University of Basel is
actively participating in TELEPOLY
9
Technical Approach

Use of advanced technology for audio and video
processing.

ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) network for
high data rates and low delays with guaranteed
quality-of-service.

Application or screen sharing tools for electronic
teaching aids in a distributed environment.

Use of off-the-shelf products.
10
Teleteaching System TELEPOLY
lecturer
camera
(auto-tracking)
local
remote
local
classroom
remote
classroom
microphone
microphone
classroom
camera
lecturer
screen for
remote
classroom
microphone
screen sharing
document
camera
(visualizer)
screen for slides,
documents
V A
VVV A
PC for
slides
PC for
slides
classroom
camera
screen for screen for slides, screen for
local
documents
lecturer
classroom
A V
A VVV
V: Video
A: Audio
cell stack
ATM switch
cell stack
ATM switch
ATM-Network
155 Mbits/s
Survey: Technical Requirements
Video Quality
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
TV-Quality
< TV-Quality
Picture quality
not important
Others
No statement
Students
502
66
20
20
9
Professionals
122
14
4
0
0
12
Survey: Technical Requirements
Audio Quality
400
300
200
100
0
Students
Professionals
CD
Phone
Not important
Others
No statement
380
80
191
59
8
1
27
0
11
0
13
Survey: Technical Requirements
Students
500
400
300
200
100
0
Audio Quality
Picture of Teacher
Picture of
Teaching Docs.
Interactivity
not imp.
6
30
5
26
less imp.
26
197
20
148
important
222
260
172
251
very imp.
357
121
406
189
no statem.
6
9
14
3
14
Using the TELEPOLY System:
Course in Pharmaceutical Chemistry
ETHZ and University of Basle
P. Kunz, NET
[email protected]
http://www.net.ethz.ch
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich
15
ENZYME
Beispiel: HSV1- Thymidinkinase
ENZYME
als targets für eine therapeutische
Intervention
Biochemical
Pathways
Situation
Up to SS 1999:
Students of 2 different semesters in one
course
Course duration: 2 years
7. & 9.
semester
students
together
Prof. Folkers,
Zürich
Prof. Ernst,
Basel
Problem:
The students of the different semesters do
not have the same knowledge base
18
Situation
The pharmaceutical departements
of Basel and Zürich are
establishing a competence centre
Problem:
The students of the different locations
do not have the same knowledge base
19
Solution 1
Offer one separate course for each
semester
Problem 1:
1. Lecturers cannot allocate more time for their
courses
Solution:
Cooperation of the two lecturers:
 They produce one common course and share the
slides
 Each of them teaches just one course
i.e. not more than before
20
Solution 2
Each course is held in just one
location
Problem 2:
2. How to share courses between Basel and Zürich?
Solution:
Use of the TELEPOLY system:
 Live transmission of the lectures between Basel
and Zürich
21
Situation
WS 99/00
Tele-Lecture
7. semester
4. year
Prof. Folkers,
Zürich
TELEPOLY
transmission
SS 00
WS 00/01
Tele-Lecture
8. semester
TELEPOLY
transmission
Prof. Ernst,
Basel
Tele-Lecture
Prof. Folkers,
Zürich
5. year
TELEPOLY
transmission
Open Learning
Environment
TELEPOLY transmission
Prof. Ernst,
Basel
9. semester
10. semester
22
TELEPOLY in an Open Learning Environment
Combination of Tele-Lecture & Individual Work
10. semester
1W
3W
1W
3W
1W
3W
1W
Tele-Seminars
Individual, goal oriented work with:
script, exercices, books, WWW
Tutorials
Subject tests
23
Some Further Info...
Dr. H. Hänni, Network for Educational Technology
(NET)
http://www.net.ethz.ch
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich
24
Initiatives at ETH Zurich

Network for Educational Technology (NET)




Founded in 1996, official Start: January 1st, 1997
Scans the scene and provides information, consulting,
support to instructors
Initiates and supports projects
ETH World


Planning started in 1999
Virtual (reality) extension of the physical campuses and
facilities of the ETH
25
NET Activities
Information/
Communication/
Events
Teachers’ support
Networking
Projects
http://www.net.ethz.ch
Innovation
Assessment
26
NET Events

Information blocks, seminars, workshops, demos

Introductory courses for teaching staff

Live transmissions

Using TELEPOLY or ISDN-based Systems
NET annual meeting at ETH



Next: Nov. 5, 1999, 9:15 - 17:00
Title: "Teach locally - learn globally”
See NET-Website: www.net.ethz.ch
27
Telepoly Research Issues

Network support for dialogue-oriented, isochronous
services.

Technical equipment to be utilised, such as advanced
communication devices for ATM and workstations.

Synchronous and interactive teleteaching as a
didactic concept in support of higher education.
29
Telepoly Scenario
Audio
Audio
Video
Video
Video
Video
Data
Beamer
30
Video
Video
Audio
Video
Audio
Telepoly Scenario
Data
31
Media Processing
CellStacks
Slave
ATM
Slave
155Mb/s
Master
CODEC
STM-1
32
Multiparty Teleteaching
ATM Network
CODEC
ETHZ
CODEC
EPFL
33
Multiparty Teleteaching
ATM Network
CODEC
ETHZ
EPFL
CODEC
CODEC
CSCS
34
Application/Screen Sharing
TCP/IP
ETHZ
TCP/IP
EPFL/CSCS/
INTERNET/ATM UNIBAS
35
Technical Criteria

Video of sufficient quality (TV quality);

Very good audio quality (close to CD quality);

Perfect audio and video synchronization;

Facilities for electronic presentations;

Reliability and stability throughout sessions.
36
Telepoly: Advanced Technology

Multi-directional, digital multimedia information
exchange over ATM (< 155 MBits/s) with guaranteed
quality of service:

TV-quality video over several independent channels


Usually 3 channels
CD-quality audio

Very important! (See survey)

Good synchronization between sound and image

Full interaction possibilities for all participants
37
Telepoly: Do we need it?

Face-to-face meetings will remain important

Good mix of learner-centered and teacher-centered
methods required

Thus:
An effective Distance Education (DE) system must
consist of asynchronous and synchronous parts
38
Telepoly: Benefits

Synchronous sharing of T&L events




Promising environment for DE


Special courses, colloquia, seminars etc.
Extends course programs
Saves resources including working and production time
Courses, seminars etc. may in future be interactively
transmitted over TV-channels to any place
Bridging traditional and new T&L

Faculty teaching via Telepoly are encouraged to use
ICT-based teaching aids
39
Experiences: General

Technique works well!


>200 transmissions performed,
1 major transmission failure only (due to Swisscom)

Used for lectures, conferences, colloquia, exams,
sessions

Very suitable for teleteaching and teleconferencing!

Natural situation, unreached by any other system

Somewhat slower lecturing progress due to the
handling of the devices etc.
40
Experiences: Participants...

Are mostly positive (“Very good transmission” etc.)


Some cultural differences
Adapt quite quickly to the situation

Some cultural differences

Are not irritated by short/minor technical problems

Are very concentrated and motivated

Ask/answer questions (even in English!)

Want to have eye-contact with lecturer!
41
Didactical Requirements

Same as in traditional teaching...




... plus proper use of the media


Good presentation
Good time management
Enough animation
Media training required!
Especially important:



Encourage students to interact/ask questions
Introduce variety, avoid monotony
Enough breaks
42
Technical requirements: Survey

Questionnaires sent out to



To 540 people from industry -> 140 back
To 2300 students (6th to 8th semester) -> 628 back
Questions



Video Quality?
Audio Quality?
Value of Teleteaching
43
Survey: Technical Requirements
Professionals
80
60
40
20
0
Audio quality
Picture of Teacher
Picture of
Teaching Docs.
Interactivity
not imp.
4
19
4
14
less imp.
40
52
10
40
important
57
49
56
55
very imp.
39
20
70
31
no statement
0
0
0
0
44
Survey: Technical Requirements
Value of synchr. interact. Teleteaching
350
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
Students
Professionals
not at all
a little
valuable
very val.
no statem.
32
210
313
58
4
2
30
93
15
0
45
User Ratings

Video quality was good.
Fully agree
3%
26%
0%
0%
26%
In general
yes
Half-half
In general no
45%
Do not agree
No reply
46
User Ratings

Audio was good.
Fully agree
0%
3%
In general
yes
Half-half
0% 0%
36%
61%
In general no
Do not agree
No reply
47
User Ratings

Video and audio was lip-synchronized.
0% 0% 0%
0%
18%
82%
Fully agree
In general yes
Half-half
In general no
Do not agree
No reply
48
Learning Environments
Face to Face
ICT:
Independence of
• Time
• Place
Individual Learning:
• Mastery Learning
• Self-Efficacy
50
Learning Environments
Face to Face
Telepoly
lecture
Traditional lecture
Open learning environment
Individual Learning:
ICT:
51
General Conditions


Transmission Basel
<=> Zürich
Quasiexperimental Fieldstudy:
 normal
course with final examination
 long duration: 2 semesters
 mixed, quite large sample
Problem:
Impacts on lecture must be
minimized
52
Semester: total 13-14 Weeks
WS 98/99:
Normal Lecture with
traditional Media
Zürich
Basel
SS 99:
Zürich
Normal Lecture with
digital Media
Basel
WS 99/00:
Telepoly Lecture
Zürich
SS 00:
1W
Basel
3W
1W
Basel
3W
1W
Zürich
3W
1W
Open Learning Environment:
Combination of Telepoly Lecture & Individual Work
Subject Tests
Questionnaires
Tutorials
53
Examined Variables
1. Acceptance
2. Learning effectiveness
3. Motivation
4. Learning Strategies
54