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| Data Driven Instruction | Professional Development | One-to-One Computing | Information Technology Planning |
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Streaming MediaBy Tammy Stephens Imagine for a moment that you are a classroom teacher. Imagine going to your classroom computer during your prep hour and opening your Internet browser and going to a web site that has a selection of PowerPoint presentations and digital video from VHS, DVD, and Laserdiscs that correlate with the content you teach. Imagine choosing appropriate content and having these media files streamed over the district's Wide Area Network and having them downloaded and sitting on your desktop ready to use for your next hour class. Now imagine toggling back and forth between a PowerPoint presentation you've created and the content you've just streamed in using a single handheld remote projected on a SMART Board. In order to stream media consistently across a district the following considerations need to be addressed.
InfrastructureLive streaming media works best with broadband access. Districts that want to stream live media need to consider not only having broadband access into the district, but also having broadband connections between buildings. Some districts have invested in a central server that stores downloaded digital media. This allows files to be shared across the district without using as much bandwidth as live streaming. Some systems allow you to download media at off times (such as during the night) to optimize your network bandwidth. A temporary copy of the file is put on the computer's hard-drive and is deleted when the user is finished viewing it. The Wauwatosa School District has has piloted a number of video-streaming services in Wisconsin, after Madison public schools. “The pilots have been useful because it has allowed groups of 5, 10 or 15 teachers to give feedback on whether or not this is worthwhile before investing any district money into it. You don't know the problems you need to fix until you try it. After piloting the streaming video the first time, we noticed how our limited Internet bandwidth reduced the quality of the experience. Now, with double the bandwidth, it really made a difference. It is up to us to create a reliable experience,” Keith Murphy, Media Services Supervisor, Wauwatosa Public Schools. ContentIt can be a struggle to find quality content that is free and doesn't contain bias. Some sites that do include free educational content are:
However, these sites do not allow you to download, making it difficult for districts without significant bandwidth to use their content as a reliable option. Terry Hendrickse, a high school science teacher from the Northern Ozaukee School District, took part in a 60 day introductory trial membership through United Streaming . “ They had an incredible variety of biology clips that lasted 10-15min. with nice clarity. I wanted something shorter that I could show in my PowerPoint presentations. I think this will be the way of the future.” “Teachers don't want an hour or 30 minutes, just a 5 minute clip. This will discourage non-teaching- teaching. The vision that we have is that we are not driven by fact that the only alternative is cable to the classroom. That kind of broadcast technology is push content- not pull content, you don't get to choose what is useful. With the Internet, you can pull what you want. That's what our vision is- to provide our educators with on-demand services of all kinds,” Keith Murphy, Media Services Supervisor, Wauwatosa Public Schools. DisplayAnother consideration is that classrooms need a means to display the streamed media to the students. Most districts have mobile LCD projectors and SMART boards that teachers can check out. However, this might not be practical for school systems that want to use streaming media as an on-demand tool for teaching and learning. Districts who have invested in the necessary infrastructure and content to support streaming media may want to get the most ROI ( Return On Investment) by having a display option such as a TV monitor or LCD mounted in every classroom. There are systems available that turn your classroom TV or projector into a networkable controllable device. Almost any type of television or projector with remote control (infrared) capability can be used. These types of systems can be used to broadcast all school announcements simultaneously across the district. Some systems can even be programmed to turn on TV monitors and turn them to the correct channel. This can minimize set-up time and logistical problems with equipment. Imagine eliminating signing out the VCR, having to know what cord goes to what port, and only having only one remote for the entire system. Staff DevelopmentAs with any new technology, in order to get your ROI , you need to provide adequate staff development. Teachers need inservice on how to manage content and create Internet folders. They also need inservice on different media formats such as Quicktime, Real Media, and Windows Media player, because unlike text-there isn't a universal file type for video yet. They will also need instruction on how to embed small amounts of media into their lessons without the media taking the place of instruction. French School Looking to Establish Collaborative Partnership Through Pen Pals with American School An
elementary school in Arcachon France is looking to establish a
partnership with an American school. The school has approximately 40
students ages 7-11 years old who would like to have an American Pen Pal
of similar ages to practice their English.
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