1. © MIT 2000 The Singapore-MIT Alliance Lessons Learned in Technical Delivery Michael D. Barker Melinda G. Cerny MIT Center for Advanced Educational Services Syllabus Conference December 1, 2000

2. © MIT 2000 The Singapore-MIT Alliance n Joint effort between MIT, the National University of Singapore, and the Nanyang Technological University n Combines distance-learning with traditional on-campus learning n Provides advanced engineering degrees that are highly collaborative –Between schools –Between disciplines

3. © MIT 2000 SMA Degree Programs n July 1999 –Advanced Materials –High Performance Computation for Engineered Systems n July 2000 –Innovation in Manufacturing Systems and Technology n July 2001 –Chemical Engineering –Materials Science and Management

4. © MIT 2000 SMA Student Demographics n Recruited from Southeast Asia –China, India, Singapore, Malaysia –Generally in the top five of their undergraduate institutions n Receive degrees from either NUS or NTU n Must meet same admission standards as MIT graduate students n Generally did as well or better than their MIT counterparts

5. © MIT 2000 SMA - Driven By Technology n MIT Center for Advanced Educational Services n NUS Center for Instructional Technology n NTU Center for Educational Development

6. © MIT 2000 SMA Synchronous Delivery n Live lecture format n T.120 application sharing n PowerPoint primary presentation tool n Internet2

7. © MIT 2000 SMA Synchronous Delivery n Control Room –Videoconferencing codec –Most components of a broadcast studio n Technical Support

8. © MIT 2000

10. Asynchronous Delivery n Central website –Built on a database server back end –Allows for easy access control and organization of content n Course materials include streamed video lectures, homework assignments, lecture notes, readings

11. © MIT 2000 SMA Cooperative Research “ Distance Interaction Kit” n Facilitates interaction between graduate students and faculty n Includes: –a camera –headset with microphone –drawing table with inking pen –small footprint sheet fed scanner –pc-based videoconferencing software.

12. © MIT 2000 SMA Staffing Requirements for Infrastructure n Network engineers n Systems administration personnel n Video production technicians n Other Support personnel

13. © MIT 2000 SMA Staffing Requirements for Personnel Support n Faculty Liaisons –Technology in the classroom –Distance interaction kits –Web Course Site –Trouble-shooting faculty needs n Administrators –Financial –Project management

14. © MIT 2000 Evaluation of Year One n Would Internet2 even work? n How well would faculty adapt to using the new technology? n How well would the technology aid the faculty? n How could we shorten the distance between MIT and Singapore?

15. © MIT 2000 Survey Says... “Distance learning facilitated more lectures from MIT, which [is] good. But at the same time, the professor is not able to judge from our faces, if we have understood something or not…”

16. © MIT 2000 Year Two Additions n Two 33” diagonal plasma monitors are placed directly in front of the lectern n An auto-tracking camera is positioned directly above the plasma monitors n A 3-chip camera, mounted in the ceiling replaces document camera n Audio system is redesigned –Push-to-talk microphones –Upgraded wireless presenter microphones

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18. Singapore view

19. © MIT 2000

21. Master Control Room n Allows any room on campus to become a potential distance education classroom n Increases operating efficiency

22. © MIT 2000 MIT CAMPUS Bldg 9 Rm. 1-390

23. © MIT 2000

24. Enhancements to Asynchronous Delivery n Specialized software to automate the logging and synchronization of lectures n More compact and reusable acquisition of the in-class experience n New comprehensive web infrastructure system

25. © MIT 2000 Future Initiatives n Reduce the total cost of delivery n Provide a richer communications channel for effective collaboration between faculty and students

26. © MIT 2000 You Can Reach Us... n Michael Barker –mbarker@mit.edu –617/253-0119 n Melinda Cerny –cerny@mit.edu –617/253-5414 n CAES website: http://www-caes.mit.edu/