18-12-2012, 03:12 PM
Virtual Classroom Extension for Effective Distance Education
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Abstract
We present the design, implementation, and initial
results of a system for remote lecture attendance
based on extending on-campus classrooms to
accommodate remotely located students. A remote
student is modeled with a real-time video sprite. The
sprites are integrated into a geometric model that
provides a virtual extension of the classroom. The
virtual extension is rendered and projected onto the
back wall of the classroom. The remote students are
displayed at a natural location within the field of
view of the instructor, who can conveniently get a
sense of their body language and of their facial
expression. The system has been deployed in a first
classroom and a pilot study indicates that the system
promises to deliver quality education remotely. The
system relies exclusively on commodity components,
therefore it can be deployed in any classroom to
allow any course to offer distance education seats.
Keywords I.3.6.d Interaction techniques, I.3.7.g
Virtual reality, I.3.2.a Distributed/network graphics,
I.3.8 Applications.
Introduction
Distance education services provide access to
education for students living in remote areas as well
as for working adults, and allow field-authority
experts to reach an increasing number of learners.
The latest report from the National Center for
Educational Statistics indicates that more than half of
the higher education institutions in the United States
offer distance education services, with enrollment
doubling every three years [NCES 2002]. However,
current distance education systems fail to match the
effectiveness of conventional on-campus education,
because of several shortcomings.
First, students engaged in distance education (or for
short remote students) feel isolated due to lack of
interactive communication with the instructor and the
on-campus students. Most systems only support
asynchronous remote delivery of lectures, and
existing synchronous systems provide a low level of
interactivity.
Contribution
We are developing a distance education system that
has unique characteristics that address limitations of
current distance education systems. Specifically, our
system:
1. relies on an education-science-inclusive design
process by integrating at all stages expertise and
feedback from education science experts,
members of our team;
Hardware components for classroom system.
2. provides transparent extension of on-campus
educational activities such as lectures, office
hours, and study groups to support distance
education, which ensures that remote students
are included without significantly altering the
preparation or the normal course of the
educational activity;
Prior Distance Education Systems
Several distance education systems have been
implemented to date. A virtual classroom multimedia
distance learning system [Deshpande and Hwang
2001] extends streaming and conferencing tools by
supporting both unicast and multicast networks, by
employing a specialized compression algorithm for
handwritten text, by improved synchronization and
resource allocation for media streaming, and by
providing the ability to record the live classroom
sessions. Interactivity is limited by rigid
communication rules. A single audio and video feed
is transmitted at any time, originating either from the
instructor or from a remote student. The instructor
must grant permission for students to ask questions,
which places a strong limitation on interactivity and
keeps the focus on the use of technology rather than
on the actual educational activity.