Video conferencing is not a new technology. Rather the technology has been available for
the past 15 years. In the early stages of its deployment the technology was used for meetings
of individuals located in diverse geographical points. Typical examples of such meetings
included intra company communications for corporations with sites in various cities or
countries. The videoconferencing systems used were typically large and required special
setup of a room with related equipment, including decoders and televisions.
The limitations of the technology were mostly relevant to insufficient networking bandwidth,
which resulted in loss of accuracy for image and / or sound. The latter made the
technology large usable, with a large part of the communication being lost. The result was
that professionals would resort to more traditional methods of communication, such as
conference calls using regular telephone communications.
However, over the last 5 years networking bandwidth limitations have to a large extent
been eliminated due to optical and broadband networks. This means that loss of quality on
image and sound transmission has been reduced to acceptable rates, allowing communications
to be carried out comfortably in business settings where the content of the discussion
is important and possibly urgent and the facilitating communication technology, i.e. videoconferencing,
is seen as just that, i.e. a facilitator of important communications.
Bandwidth limitations are expected to be further reduced over the next 5 years since most
European countries already have broadband networks or are in the process of installing
them nation wide.
These advances in networking technology make a mature communications medium, such
as videoconferencing, more relevant than ever. Organizations can now use video conferencing
to synchronously communicate, thus making asynchronous communications, for
example web-based communication platforms including forums and chat rooms a complementary
solution rather than the only available alternative as used to be the case.
Furthermore, new tools are now available for videoconferencing in smaller scale. In particular,
inexpensive desktop systems including web cameras and microphones can be used
by individuals to connect to video conferences. This is a departure from the familiar video
conferencing room with heavy equipment and allows video conferencing to even take
place from home.
The above imply that the applications of videoconferencing increase as well to include
other areas, in addition to business meetings among corporations who have the economic
means to purchase expensive equipment and network connections. Academic applications
are a very good example of using video conferencing in new settings for the benefit of end
users.
In academic situations, video conferencing can be used in distance teaching settings to increase
the level of synchronous communication between instructors and students by simulating
face to face discussions. However, the use of video conferencing in such settings
does not enjoy the expected level of market penetration. The reason for that oxymoron lies
in the fact that most individuals are not familiar with the technology and need to be trained
on its capabilities and its use. Most importantly, in the case of academic applications, instructors
need to be trained on pedagogical aspects of deploying such technology in educational
settings, for example how to engage students located at a distance, how to make students
feel that he/she is talking directly to them by successfully using the camera, how to
overcome technological failures during a teaching session, etc.
GLOBALMAT uses information and knowledge management to train teachers on the pedagogical
and technological aspects of deploying the latest communication technology in
distance teaching settings.
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