“Using Distance Learning Techniques to

Enhance Traditional Courses”

ODCE 2005 Conference BJ Zirger, Ph.D. – Director of Learning

TechnologiesMike Hittle – Assoc. Director of Distance

Learning

Agenda

• Why use Distance Learning (DL) Technologies for Traditional Courses

• How we Use DL Technologies

• Minimizing the Cost of Video Streaming

• Benefits of Video Streaming

• Future Directions

Benefactor:The Cleveland FoundationThe Cleveland Foundation grant is a three year, $1.5M

program awarded to the College of Business that focuses on enhancing business education through the use of new technologies. This award originates from

the Cleveland Foundation's L. Dale Dorney Fund which supports innovative business and management

education programs

Why use Distance Learning (DL) Technologies for Traditional Courses

• Provides method of reviewing content

• Recreates the class with all presented content in one electronic form

• Provides more “flexible” program structure in a demanding, modern world especially for the mature professional

• Course communication is enhanced for students and faculty

How we use DL Technologies

In-Class Content• Instructor PC• Laptop

connections (video and audio)

• Document Camera

• VCR/DVD • Video camera(s)• Microphones• Audio mixer• Mimio (Aux)

In-Class Recording• PC w/encoder card• Back-up VCR

Post Class Editing• Desktop PC • VCR• Video software

Instructor Camera & Microphones

w/mixer

DVD/VCR

Video SwitcherVideo Switcher

VideoEncoder

PC

Record VCR

Instructor PC/Laptop

Doc Camera

In-Class Equipment

Classroom Workstation

Classroom Workstation

Workstation Equipment

Mobile Link Cart System

Post-Class Editing

• Windows Media Encoder • Techsmith’s Camtasia Studio• Techsmith’s Snagit!• Sony Vegas, DVD Architect,

Sound Forge• Microsoft Producer• Microsoft Media Server 2003

Student Interface• Blackboard CMS link• High and low speed bandwidth version• Alternative delivery through CD/DVDS

Network Workflow

Classroom Video Capture

Video Editing /Processing

Student User

Streaming Server

Web Server

Video Streaming Examples

• Streaming Video QA711_TabletPC

• Streaming Video IS732_PPT_DVD_DOC CAM

• Streaming Video_Two_Window_Format

Value-Added for Students

• Students learn in different ways – visual, audio, written cues or a combination

• Students learn at different paces• Pedagogically advantageous

– Focus on class content rather than note-taking

– All content is captured– Reviewable as many times as needed

• Better fit with demands of a working professional

• Allows for additional content delivery – help sessions, new lectures, guest speakers …

Value-Added to Faculty• Streaming sessions provide back-up

access for courses where lecture/class discussion critical for student success

• Supports supplemental content

• Auxiliary system for assessing student participation

• Create archives for faculty for future use

• Mechanism for instructor to evaluate and improve teaching effectiveness

Costs of Video Streaming• Equipment

– In-Class capturing – HW ($3.5K - $30K)

SW ($100)– Post Class editing – HW ($2.5K -

$4K) SW ($500)

• Labor

- In-class (1:1 per hr of class instruction)

- Editing (.25-.50:1 per hr of class)

Costs of Video Streaming (cont)

Delivery - Web and streaming servers (centralized?) - CMS or physical copy (CD/DVD/VHS)Student - Broadband or modem ($10-$35/mo or through employer) - PC with audio (program requirement)

Student Usage Survey• Course Types: largely quantitative

– PT MBA (Acct, Fin, Econ, QA, OM and Mktg)

• Percentage Usage: 98.5% (68 respondents)

• Why it was used:– Review (76%)– Missed a class (63%)– Study prep (43%)– Help session (5%)– Other: Left class early (3%)

Student Usage Survey (cont)

• Access Location:– Home (85%)– School Lab (8%)– Work (5%)– Other (e.g. hotel) (5%)

• Type of Connection:– 56K or similar modem (8%)– DSL/Cable Modem (76%)– LAN network (15%)

Student Usage Survey (cont)

• Frequency of Usage (10 classes per term)

– 0 classes (1%)– 1-2 classes (42%)– 3-4 classes (40%)– 5-6 classes (9%)– 7-8 classes (5%)– 9 or more (3%)

Student Usage Survey (cont)

• Perceived Value– Improved understanding (4.66/5)– Replicated class session (4.31/5)– Easy to access (4.73/5)– Highly important feature (4.44/5)– Selling feature of pgm (4.48/5)– Want more streaming (4.74/5)Scale: Strongly Disagree (1) to Strong Agree (5)

Student Usage Survey (cont)• Perceived Impact on Learning

– Attend class less often (1.88/5)– Review lectures more (4.08/5)– Listen more in-class (3.88/5)– Take less notes (2.69/5)– Less follow-up (3.00/5)– Be better prepared (3.97/5)– Richer learning experience (4.40/5)Scale: Strongly Disagree (1) to Strong Agree (5)

Actual Usage Data

Actual Usage Data (cont)

Actual Usage Data (cont)

Key Success Factors of Video Streaming

• Links must be posted in a timely fashion• Useful to have student microphones to capture

group discussions, questions and comments• Fonts must be appropriately sized since quality

is less than VGA (PowerPoint and Excel)• Audio, video and PowerPoint preferred to an

audio-only format• Lower sized files preferable given variability of

student systems• Multiple band width format improves

accessibility• Fast forward (indexing) capability on streams a

“must have” feature

As a student experiencing streaming video support in your class, were there some sessions in the class that were more important to stream than others? If so, please describe them and why.

• “ Watching handwritten notes explaining accounting methods”

• “Some classes were more important to stream depending on how quickly the instructor moved through the material and how complicated the material was to learn.”

• “All equally important due to the fact that we have so few lectures (e.g. we only had 4 accounting courses before our exam.)”

Do you have other suggestions for improving this service?

• “Great service...wish more of my classes had streaming available.” “I am so thankful for this service. My understanding of the material is vastly increased.”

• “For those that learn best from a classroom setting, this is the best thing we have to replicate that experience.” “I don't know what I would have done without this feature.”

• “Streaming is such a useful addition to my educational experience at UC.” “I hope that this feature will be continued.”

Conclusions and Future Directions

• Value-added of streaming seems promising

• Cost .vs. benefit not proven• Continue testing pedagogical benefit

and usage of technology• Seek ways to pay for streaming services• Faculty acceptance & leveraging

increasing• Streaming value when coupled with

videoconferencing remains stronger than a stand-alone service

Questions?