Agony aunt: videoconferencing feasibility

Q: I have been told that videoconferencing might help me to support my off-campus learners, as sending staff out is just not feasible. Is it a good investment?

A: Videoconferencing is particularly good at supporting remote or distributed groups of learners because, unlike static webpages, it is a two-way medium that works in real time. Interactions are faster and more spontaneous and relationships can be developed more easily than via email or computer conferencing. Visual resources can also be used that would otherwise be inaccessible (such as remote access to live surgical operations or close-up examinations of small components in machines). Unlike pre-recorded video, these live demonstrations can respond to the needs of the participants.

The best videoconferencing sessions involve everyone and encourage interaction between different sites. This is easiest with small groups. Videoconferencing is not good for delivering lectures, although it can be used occasionally to bring in a star performer. Videoconferencing costs are falling rapidly as systems converge with general-purpose computing platforms and networks. Reasonable quality facilities are a financially viable proposition for universities and colleges needing to run a multi-site or distributed campus operation.

There are three main types. Costs vary from £100 to up to £1,000 for desktop systems, and £15,000 to £35,000 for dedicated studio installations. In between, you can get trolley-mounted, roll-about systems that combine some advantages of the other two. Costs are typically in the region of between £5,000 and £17,000.

Fixed studios offer good sight lines, lighting, audio, camera management and supplementary data presentation devices. Desktop and roll-about systems tend to be more rough and ready. You also need to consider the type of network. The higher the bandwidth, the better the quality of pictures and sound.

Stephen Brown
Senior technology adviser
Technologies Centre
Joint Information Systems Committee / Learning and Teaching Support Network

A: Will all your students be in one other location or do you have students at different locations? It is usual to hold multi-site videoconferences but you will need to get good technical advice. If the learners are located at different campuses at your institution or if they can go to local learning centres, there may be permanent videoconference facilities that they can use. Technical staff at your institution may already have investigated the options; if they have not, then suggest they get in touch with the Video Technology Advisory Service (www.video.ja.net).

Scottish institutions have dedicated videoconference studios that are connected to the high-capacity Scottish higher education network; they can also connect to ISDN-based videoconference facilities and to internet-based desktop facilities. Institutions in the rest of the United Kingdom often have ISDN-based videoconferencing facilities. But bear in mind the costs: ISDN2 incurs phone bills of twice an ordinary phone call; a higher-quality ISDN6 incurs a bill of six times an ordinary phone call. Because the Scottish videoconference rooms operate over the computer network, staff and students can use them free of charge.

Desktop videoconferencing is worth considering and allows students from different institutions to collaborate.

Jean Ritchie
Coordinator
Scottish Higher Education Funding Council's communication and information technology programme.

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