P1252428542AEUTB

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Telecommunication Strategies in the STC-ERSP
Diane H. Sonnenwald University of North
Carolina Sonnenwald_at_ils.unc.edu 919-962-8065
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Our Approach

• Action research
• - Addressing STC needs
• Socio-technical
• - Exploring technical social changes
• Collaborative
• - Working with university technical staff
• Evolutionary
• - Initial focus Large group interaction
• - Current focus Small group interaction

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Large Group Video Conferencing

• Center-wide interactive video conferences
• across 5 locations
• - Weekly student presentations
• - Guest speakers
• - Center-wide meetings
• - PI project meetings/reviews
• Web broadcast of presentations
  (password-protected)
• - Industry partners, traveling faculty
• Benefits
• - Increased communication awareness
• - Learning opportunities for students

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Example Installation

• UNC Equipment
• Loudspeakers
• Large (120) displays
• Smart Board (72)
• Overhead camera
• Monitor for presenter
• STC Purchases
• 6. Ceiling-mounted
• LCD Projectors
• 7. Zip drive for PC
• 8. Microphones

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Desk
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Desk, chairs microphones for audience
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Network Configuration
In-state Location 1
In-state Analog Network for Video Audio
In-state Location 2
Internet for NetMeetingTM (PowerPoint
Presentation)
In-state Location 3
Internet2 or ISDN Connection (Video Audio)
Cell Phone (Back-up)
Out-of-state Locations 1 2
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Technical Operations
Universities Video conferencing Equipment
Practices
STC ERSP Video conferencing Needs Requirements

• Collaboration with university video conferencing
  
• technical staff to leverage existing expertise
  facilities
• New operating procedures required
• - Dynamic camera operation
• - High quality n-way audio video
• - Multiple types of signals
• Synthesis of STC needs and university needs
• - A win-win situation

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Large Group Interaction
Interaction via Video Conferencing
Interaction via Face-to-face

• New social technical challenges
• - Iterative process
• - Suggestions from social science team
• center members
• Current best practices
• - Preparation tasks
• - Facilitator role
• - Participant etiquette

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Small Group Video Conferencing

• Ad hoc small group interaction across distances
• - Project team meetings
• - Management meetings
• Equipment (funded by NSF supplemental grant)
• - 42 Plasma displays (alternative
  overhead projector)
• - Smartboard overlay
• - NetMeeting (point-point)
• - Conference phone
• - Remote control camera

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Small Group Meetings
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Small Group Video Conferencing

• Participation
• - Similar etiquette as in large video
  conferences
• - Increased informal interaction
• - Increase use of Smartboard features
• Technical issues
• - NetMeeting can be problematic only
  point-to-point
• - Investigating alternatives, e.g.,
  ConferenceXP
• - Internet audio unreliable
• - Mistakes happen (e.g., internet
  connection unplugged)

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Lessons Learned

• You can teach an old dog new tricks.
• - Members help each other learn technology.
• The Internet is not the telephone network.
• - Technical problems will occur.
• - Have backup solutions available.
• Working with university video conference staff
  pays off.
• Formality of presentations and discussions
  initially
• increased with the introduction of technology.
• - Less so at small group meetings.

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Some Additional Outcomes

• Publications
• - Book chapter on large group video
  conferencing
• - Student masters thesis (information
  science)
• Research investigating impact of technology on
• collaboration in small groups
• Research proposals submitted
• - Cultural aspects of mobile communication
• - Evaluation of 3-D video-conferencing