The Dos and Don’ts of Videoconferencing in Higher Education HUSAT Research Institute Loughborough University of Technology Lindsey Butters Anne Clarke Tim Hewson Sue Pomfrett Contents Acknowledgements .................................................................................................................1 Introduction .............................................................................................................................3 How to use this report ..............................................................................................................3 Chapter 1 Videoconferencing in Higher Education — How to get it right ...................................5 Structure of this chapter ...............................................................................................5 Part 1 — Subject sections ............................................................................................6 Uses of videoconferencing, videoconferencing systems, the environment, funding, management Part 2 — Where are you now? ......................................................................................17 Guidance to individual users or service providers Chapter 2 Videoconferencing Services — What is Available .....................................................30 Structure of this chapter ...............................................................................................30 Overview of currently available services .......................................................................30 Broadcasting ...............................................................................................................31 Factors afecting videoconferencing uptake ....................................................................31 PC integrated systems ..................................................................................................33 Videoconferencing Equipment ......................................................................................35 Summary .....................................................................................................................37 Chapter 3 Survey of Users of Videoconferencing in Higher Education .......................................38 Introduction .................................................................................................................38 The current picture .......................................................................................................39 Installation and support ................................................................................................44 Funding and cost-benefits ............................................................................................46 Future uses ..................................................................................................................47 Advice for potential users ............................................................................................49 Further Reading .......................................................................................................................55 Glossary .................................................................................................................................57 Appendices.............................................................................................................................. Appendix 1 List of relevant standards ...........................................................................63 Appendix 2 Some currently available PC videoconferencing products. ...........................69 Appendix 3 Examples of Equipment Currently in Use ...................................................83 Appendix 4 Useful Contacts .........................................................................................85 Appendix 5 Questionnaire ............................................................................................97 AGOCG Report HUSAT Resarch Institute Acknowledgements The authors would like to acknowledge all those who have contributed to the production of this report especially those who laboured over filling in the questionnaire. 1 Introduction The aim of this document is to support those who wish to use videoconferencing in higher education. Throughout the report, videoconferencing is taken as referring to “any activity which requires communication involving live video images being transmitted from one location to another”. In almost all applications, this also includes the transmission of audio and sometimes includes the transmission of data. The authors recognise that this definition of videoconferencing is a very broad one, including activities that elsewhere may not be referred to as videoconferencing; e.g. videotelephony, TV-type broadcasting and surveillance. They have been included here because, in higher education, there seems to be an acceptance that all these diverse activities have a similar base and are usually referred to under the same umbrella heading of videoconferencing. HOW TO USE THIS REPORT This document is divided into 3 main chapters and has 5 appendices, a glos sary and bibliography. Chapter 1 gives a general guide to using videoconferencing. It is intended to be of use to those thinking of using videoconferencing as well as those who are wanting to improve the facilities they already use. It will also be helpful for people who offer a service to others. Chapter 2 reviews the services (including networks and equipment) that are currently available and points to sources of further information. Chapter 3 reports the results of a survey carried out specifically for this docu ment and describes the ways in which videoconferencing is currently being used in higher education, ways in which it is being funded, possible future uses and advice that existing users give to those who may be just starting out. The Appendices form a very valuable reference resource and include: • a summary of videoconference standards; • a list of the main PC-based videoconferencing systems available with technical and other related information; • a list of videoconferencing configurations currently used in higher education (from the survey) describing the equipment used in each case; • a list of organisations (including higher education institutions) which have considerable experience and which are willing to be contacted; • a copy of the questionnaire used in the survey. The aim has been to cover as many potential problem situations as possible and the authors are aware that some areas have been covered in more detail than others as is not surprising in such a small project. The areas that have not been given so much 2 AGOCG Report HUSAT Resarch Institute attention are probably those of satellite transmission (as opposed to detailed descriptions of some of the network possibilities) and large scale broadcasting generally. The authors suggest that those with spe cific queries in this area contact Ray Winders at The University of Plymouth (See Appendix 4) who offers services and advice. 3 4 AGOCG Report HUSAT Resarch Institute Chapter 1 - Videoconferencing in Higher Education - How to get it right This guide is based on a short project investigating videoconferencing within one specific application area — higher education. It refers to both the other chapters in this report and also draws on the experience of the HUSAT Research Institute in undertaking both research and consultancy work in the area of videoconferencing (largely in the commercial sector). Structure Of This Chapter The guide is designed to be useful and relevant for anyone wanting to succeed with videoconferencing in higher education. In order to address individual needs as closely as possible, it is important to differentiate between those who actually use or want to use videoconferencing in order to facilitate their work and those who provide a videoconferencing service for others to use (of course it is possible to be both a user and a provider of the service). The intended readership of this report is those who would like to learn more about using videoconferencing in higher education. The reasons why you want to know more may be diverse and how you approach the subject will depend on where you are with it now. The chapter is therefore written in two main parts: The first provides information relating to videoconferencing that is divided into subject sections: • Uses of videoconferencing • Videoconferencing systems and methods of signal transmission (including networks) • The videoconferencing environment (physical and social) • Funding of videoconferencing • Management of videoconferencing services. The second part of the chapter attempts to provide guidance to individual readers which is dependent on where they are in the process now. This means that readers may want to go back to the chapter at a later date when their circumstances have changed. Each section of the second part of the chapter will refer the reader back to relevant sections of the first part. In addition, it will provide a perspective that is appropriate for individuals in each of the different situations described. 5 Chapter 1: Videoconferencing in Higher Education Part 1 SUBJECT SECTIONS Uses of videoconferencing According to the survey reported in Chapter 3, the general uses that higher education is currently making of videoconferencing are as follows: • Personal communication • Collaborative work • Presentations • Research (As a tool to aid research in other areas, e.g. astronomy