Video Conferencing-Schepp, Azar, Pitt

Video Conferencing

Kim Schepp, Neri Azar, Jeffury Pitt

February 25, 2008

What is Video Conferencing??

Video conferencing is an interactive telecommunication technology.  It allows 2 or more locations to interact simultaneously via video and audio. It is different than a videophone because it is designed for a conference and group meetings.

History of Video Conferencing:

• Started in the 60's with AT&T introducing the "Picturephone." It was introduced at the World’s Fair. It was popular, however too expensive for everyday use. It was offered at $160/month in 1970. 

• Macintosh developed the The CU-SeeMe development in 1992, this is the most famous system of video conferencing. The first version didn’t have audio, but it was the best video at that time. In 1994, the Cu-SeeMe MAC program was true video AND audio! 

• In 1992, AT&T rolled out their own $1,500 video phone for the home market. 

• In 2003, there was an extreme rise of video conferencing for off-campus classrooms. Interactive classrooms became more popular as the quality of streaming video increased and the delay decreased. Companies such as VBrick provided systems to colleges across the country. Desktop video conferencing is also on the rise and gaining popularity. 

• Now, many people use it daily to talk to friends or family members far away via Skype and many other systems. Many programs, like Skype, are offered free through the internet.

How can Video Conferencing be used in the classroom?

• Interactive classrooms - This will give your kids more opportunities to talk to other students or guests from the comfort of your own classroom! (Cost effective too!)

• Global 'Show and Tell' - Kids love 'Show and Tell', this allows students from all over the world an opportunity to show and tell with each other.

• Sharing different cultures - Students can share their different cultures with each other. Most students rarely get the opportunity to see outside of their own cultural barriers.

• Guest visitors - Teachers can have visitors from far away video conference their class, and this gives their students' an opportunity to talk to more diverse visitors.

• Virtual field trips - Your classroom can visit destinations throughout the world they otherwise would not be able to visit, from art galleries to historic venues.

• Remote environments - Exposing students to environments different from their own. This can give the students a completely different perspective on the environment. Some examples include city verses country, desert verses mountains or forest verses shoreline. 

• Student competitions - Your classroom can compete in more competitions, with other classes and schools. A great example is a spelling bee!

Links:

Global Show-and-Tell

http://highbeam.com/doc/1P3-1574763851.html

Videoconferencing Adventures

http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/vidconf/adventures.html

Application for Future Teaching

How Classroom Video Conferencing Works

http://communication.howstuffworks.com/classroom-video-conferencing.htm

Video Conferencing in the Classroon

http://www.education-world.com/a_curr/curr120.shmtl

Using Videoconferencing in the Classroom

www.fi.edu/fellows/fellow6/nov98/videoclass.html 

Resources for Future Learning

AT&T Enterprise Video Conferencing

http://www.business.att.com/enterprise/Service/unified-communications-enterprise/conferencing-services-enterprise/video-conferencing-enterprise/

Skype

http://forum.skype.com/index.php?showtopic=41492

Yahoo! Messenger

http://messenger.yahoo.com/features/webcam/

Other Resources:

www.ivci.com/images/video-conferencing-is-green.jpg

www.d261.k12.id.us/VCing/classroom/hardware.htm

myhome.hanafos.com/~soonjp/vchx.html

www.hometechanswers.com/streaming-video/history-of-video-conferencing.html

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Videoconferencing

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