Copyright 2002 Distance Learning and Collaboration Professor Robert Sandberg Charter College of Education California State University - Los Angeles

Copyright 2002 Distance Learning Formats videoconferencing webcams internet media: chat, webrings, listserves, newsgroups, instant messaging, internet phone (e.g. Net2phone), websites streaming media: Online Powerpoint presentations, Real technologies, especially Real Slide Show, but also streaming audio and video

Copyright 2002 Videoconferencing Equipment and Setups: 2 way video; 2 way sound 1 way video; 2 way sound Perhaps the most common use of classroom video conferencing is for students to take field trips to places they would otherwise never visit: other countries, distant nature attractions. But classrooms of students can also visit one another in relation to a common topic of study. When broadband is more widely used and available, videoconferencing will become equally widely used.

Copyright 2002 Webcams Webcams are easy and fun; and they are inexpensive. Under a teacher’s supervision a webcam can be setup in a classroom for simple videoconferencing (using a telephone attached to a speaker phone). This is a Logitec Quickcam set in a table-top tripod that can be adjust to point in any direction.

Copyright 2002 Classroom Webcams A webcam can also be pointed at some object or location of interest in the classroom and images broadcast over the internet. Your classroom could become famous! At any rate you could list yourself with a site like CamCentral in the appropriate category. Some students thought they’d feature an author of the week on a class webcam.

Copyright 2002 Webcam Software When you buy a webcam, it will come with its own software, but 3 rd party companies offer products that you might like even more. Software allows you to schedule broadcasts, quality of picture, thumbnail history archives, etc. Webcam 32 does a great job of controlling your webcam. And it only costs $39.95.