Board of Regents presentation: PTLE

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Distance Learning from a Traditional Classroom A
Win-Win Proposition
Gene Abrams and Jeremy Haefner University of
Colorado at Colorado Springs An interactive
discussion with high school math teachers and
counselors from the Pikes Peak Region April 14,
2000
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Traditional mathematics delivered with high
technology

• Motivations - Experiment with distance learning,
  but under our rules.

• History - Video conferencing, 2-way audio,
  whiteboards

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How the system works in the classroom
Students hear the instructors voice
directly watch projected image of electronic
whiteboard from instructors computer
station Instructor computer workstation,
graphics tablet, microphone computer algebra
system, internet, internet whiteboard, audio
broadcaster
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The view within the classroom
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How the system works outside the classroom
Students outside the classroom synchronously hea
r instructors voice via Real Audio, see the
image of the electronic whiteboard on their
screen, participate via a chatbox
Students outside the classroom asynchronously bo
th the whiteboard and audio feeds are archived
for later playback
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Technical details
Whiteboard server (online.uccs.edu) Dual 500Mhz
Pentium III, 512meg ram, 100Mb ethernet Runs
VisualTeks Rendezvous server Audio server
(easaudio.uccs.edu) Single 450 Mhz Pentium III,
256 meg ram, 100Mb ethernet Runs RealMedias
free basic server (25 concurrent users) Student
technical support Monitors lectures, maintains
webpages for lectures
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Survey

• Of all students enrolled
• 80 attended regularly in-class, 20
  out-of-class
• 79 would attend this whiteboard-enhanced class
  over a traditional class
• 85 would still attend class

• Of the 20 out-of-class students, some
  participate
• at work synchronously every class day HP, MCI
• from out of state, the country, the hemisphere!
• as high school students
• (More complete survey results later.)

Students overwhelmingly prefer this delivery
method to traditional chalkboard Archiving and
multimedia.
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MathOnline

• MathOnline a distance education program for
  delivering University mathematics to specific
  targeted students who may not otherwise be able
  to participate in traditional classes at CU.

• The High School Student Channel Fall 2000
  course offerings
• Calculus I
• Discrete Math
• Differential Equations
• Linear Algebra

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Benefits

• Students can participate in the course from any
  location they have Internet access (high school,
  home, )
• Students earn standard university credit which
  can be transferred to universities throughout the
  country.
• Theres no need to hassle with transportation,
  traffic, parking, weather,
• Just like their in-class counterparts,
  off-campus students can ask questions real-time.

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Benefits, contd

• The archive / playback feature of this delivery
  system allows the student to experience the
  lecture at his / her convenience.
• Homework can be submitted electronically (as a
  file attachment), or by fax.
• Students can network with others, both in their
  own high school as well as students from across
  the country.
• Students can ask the instructor questions via
  email.

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Issues
Funding through Post Secondary Options
Program? Role of Coordinating Math
Teacher? Senior-itis Mathematical support for
HS students
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The future

• The High School Teacher Channel A certification
  program for using technology and applications in
  the mathematics classroom.

• Increase participation opportunities online
  office hours, online tutorial help

• Technology enhancements video, 2-way audio.