1. Distance Education Jay Beavers Lead Research Developer Microsoft Research, Learning Sciences JBeavers@Microsoft.Com

2. Introductions

3. What is “Distance Education”?

4. How much Distance Education goes on in the world today?

5. Learning Revenues Market Total 2002

6. E-Learning, AKA Distance US$1.6 Billion

7. Learning Revenues Market Total 2002 E-Learning, AKA Distance US$1.6 Billion Classroom Based US$16 Billion

8. Learning Revenues Trends

9. What are the types of Distance Education?

10. Non-collaborative –Online “books” –Slides with Talking Head –Audio, Video, & Workspace (slides & ink) Semi-collaborative –Chat backchannel –Student audio Collaborative –Shared control over Workspace

15. Why Distance Education?

16. New Scenarios –On the job training –Continuing Adult Education –Reach out to new students

17. Why Distance Education? New Scenarios –On the job training –Continuing Adult Education –Reach out to new students Cost Efficiency –If it’s 25% as effective, but only 10% of the cost…

18. Why Not Distance Education?

19. Reduced Interaction Reduced Learning Big Change, Uncertainty Harder to pull off Expensive to do well

20. Challenges of Distance Education

21. Shipping products are aimed at business scenarios –Learning takes place in 30 minutes to four hour chunks –No continuity between learning sessions (no semesters) –No ongoing relationship between student and teacher –Assumes class sizes of around 12-20 students

22. Challenges of Distance Education Little interaction with remote students Classroom observation of 4 CS classes –Instructor on average asked 9 questions per session –Local students on average asked/made 3 questions/comments per session –Remote students spoke once in 6 month © 2002 Milton Chen

23. Challenges of Distance Education Cost to do well –$50k-$75k / classroom for mikes, displays, lighting, networking, etc.

24. Challenges of Distance Education –“When one eliminates the frustrations caused by technical glitches and crashes, two-thirds of the complaints are eliminated.” –“Analysis of qualitative data collected in the course suggest technical difficulties severely impact the learning environment…” –“A Living Laboratory…”

26. Distributed Classroom Project Four universities –UWashington, Brown, UCBerkeley, CMU Graduate computer science class Help solve the issue of too few professors to teach graduate level computer science Avoid many issues (credit, tuition, interaction) by working at the graduate level

27. Technology Choices “Streaming” Video –High Quality (approaching DVD) –High Latency (> 10 seconds one way) Buffers, Retransmissions Real Time Video –< 500 ms latency Real Time Protocol, Forward Error Correction –Traditionally limited to postage stamp video

28. Place Your Bets High Quality, Low Latency Conferencing will increase interactivity –DVD quality streams High quality workspace will increase knowledge transference –Vector Based, high quality slides / documents –High Quality Ink from Active Digitizers Reduce the cost –Personal Computers do the heavy lifting –But what about the room costs?

29. Lesson 1: Configuration Details Video chipsets Capture devices Drivers

30. The first attempt Controlled System Configuration The Internet2 is Limitless! –Multicast enabled –Infinite bandwidth –Low latency –No collisions or packet loss 90% of the system already exists in DirectShow! –Implement multicast Real Time Protocol (RFC 1889) –Simple client UI

31. Lesson 2: Point to Point != Internet2 60 Mb/s

32. Lesson 2: Point to Point != Internet2 60 Mb/s

33. Lesson 2: Point to Point != Internet2 60 Mb/s

34. Lesson 3: Packet Loss

35. Packet Redundancy

36. The second attempt 20:1 compress the video Add 1x Packet Redundancy Better, but still not usable –Signal freezes frequently in the middle of conversation –Unexpected, unexplained, catastrophic loss of signal

37. Lesson 4 Multicast Network Diagnostic Tools Suck Tracert & IPerf: low latency, high throughput Multicast Beacon: green 99% packet reception Reality: Every 180 seconds, 5-35 seconds of data goes bye-bye Serious work with MPING to confirm behavior conferencing apps Big disjoint between router and computer diagnostics

38. Third Try is the Charm ‘Pipecleaner’ diagnostic utility –Runs as a Service –Web Interface –Combines features from other diagnostics with performance history database & graphing –May add IGMP router queries MSVideo codec for higher compression Put it in a Classroom! Spring 2002…

39. How to fail at a distance course Transmission failures Production quality –Lighting, room noise, camera management Classroom issues –Table layout, overhead positionning Attitudes

40. Transmission failures No connection – if the bits don’t get through, there is no class Interruptions – short failures Degradation of performance (audio, video, signal and latency)

41. Production quality Microphones –Not picking up sound –Picking up too much Lighting Camera quality Field of view Distance

42. Classroom issues Placement of projectors Dispersal of audience Student seating –Conference rooms versus lecture hall

43. Seating Room Configuration Screen 1Screen 2 Seating

44. Attitudes Resentment of technology Not attempting to engage other site –Instructor – not encouraging questions –Students – not asking questions

45. Lesson 4, Corollary Network diagnostics & testing –7x24 test agents –Long term statistics gathering & web reporting –Simple UI running in system tray Assume nothing –Test in the classrooms themselves –Suspect 6” Ethernet cables

46. Lesson 5 The Administrator is here to stay (for now) Concept of “Administrative Console” –Diagnostics to quickly determine fault –Over 20 points of potential failure in “I can’t hear the professor” –Non-invasive reset, diagnostics, configuration change At least until we’re no longer “A Living Laboratory”

47. Lesson 6 Dedicated Distance Learning Rooms Rooms dedicated to distance classes –Lighting, wall color, ceiling mikes, projector & A/C noise, projector positioning, table layout –Ease of startup & shutdown Brings with them the high cost

48. Summary Distance Education (DE) is a small but increasing part of Education today –9% of Corporate Training, 2% is Collaborative –<< 1% of University DE technology isn’t ready for production New technologies must appear before interaction barrier is broken and the cost barrier is reduced

49. Open Discussion What interesting scenarios does distance education open up? What do you think should be done in distance education technology? How do TAs fit into Distance Education? Are there other, new roles? What about adding technology to the local classroom experience? Relative value of each scenario to the university community? What does this mean for the future design of university education? Lectures vs. recitations vs. ad hoc study groups?