SMA Overview a

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Agenda

• What SMA is
• Origins, Goals, History
• How SMA employs videoconferencing
• Multiple Uses, Different Venues
• Related Educational Technology
• Details and Demos
• Questions

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SMA Goals and History

• Educational research venture between MIT, NUS,
  NTU
• Engineering research and education
• Began in 1998 first classes in 1999
• Benefits to Singapore Benefits to MIT
• 1 year Masters Program/with PhD option
• 2-3 week immersion period
• 2 semesters synchronous video conferencing
• 50 SMA courses cross-listed w/ MIT

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How SMA Uses Videoconferencing

• Uses
• Lectures
• Recitations
• Research Team Meetings
• Qualifying Exams
• Collaboration Advising
• Program Administration

• Venues
• DE Lecture Rooms (Level 5 Classrooms)
• Research Interaction Rooms (conference rooms)
• Desktop / home set-ups

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Distance Education Classrooms

• Level 5 DE classrooms
• Dedicated IP subnet
• Tandberg 6000
• Multipoint
• Wireless
• Cable
• PVC Private Virtual Circuit
• Cameras, speakers, microphones, etc.

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DE Classroom - MIT
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DE Classroom - MIT
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Podium close-up
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DE Classroom - MIT
8.7
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DE Classroom - MIT
8.7
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DE Classrooms - Singapore
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DE Classroom Infrastructure

• Academic Media Production Services - AMPS
• Master Control Room - fiber to the DE classrooms
• Technical staff - set up, manage, maintain
• Tech Checklist
• Lectures - beaming sessions
• 2,500 lectures, 6,000 hrs, 1 terrabyte
• Recording
• Digitization Synchronization

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NetMeeting (Application Share)

• Free with Windows thru XP
• Simple and robust
• (But no longer supported by MS)
• T.120 app. sharing
• H.323 videoconferencing
• Multi-point app sharing
• Supports remote control

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Research Interaction Room - MIT
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Research Interaction Room - MIT
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Research Interaction Room - NUS
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Research Interaction Room - MIT
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Research Interaction Rooms

• Research Interaction Rooms are designed for self
  service we train, they operate
• No technicians required saves
• Also connected to PVC
• 66-319
• Shared with the Chem-E department
• 66-319 2 working positions ? 2 cameras, 2
  document cameras, 2 plasma screens
• Main plasma screen shows multiple views
• Tandberg 6000 CODEC allows for multi-point (4
  max) end-points, duo-video
• No Sympodium, but Tablet PC is an alternative

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Desktop systems

• PC or appliance
• Can use Webcam NetMeeting
• We use ViaVideo and ViGO (600)
• Connection speed 64/128 kB/s (vs. 128 or 384)
• Connected to SMA PVC via MITs VPN
• Built in application sharing
• Demo

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Analysis Comparison
Costly Technician Advance Planning
Inexpensive Self-Service No Advance Planning
detractions
benefits
benefits
Less Reliable Varying Quality
Reliable High Quality
detractions
Research Interaction Rms
PC-based Systems for Home/Office
DE Classrooms
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Not the only one

• System Design and Management
• Cambridge MIT Institute

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Summary
Questions?
Peter Hess phess_at_mit.edu 617-253-6435 Molly
Ruggles ruggles_at_mit.edu 617-253-0937