Richard Anderson Professor of Computer Science and Engineering University of Washington

Microsoft funded centerMicrosoft funded center Investigate education and other collaborative scenariosInvestigate education and other collaborative scenarios Extend and maintain the ConferenceXP platformExtend and maintain the ConferenceXP platform Build the community of users and developersBuild the community of users and developers

How can computing technology enhance international education?How can computing technology enhance international education? –Focus on tools/techniques/technologies to allow faculty to take advantage of opportunities for collaboration and address specific needs Challenges:Challenges: –Extending reach of education –Increasing interaction –Addressing problems of scale –Facilitating expression of ideas

Video conferenced distance education UW PMP DISC ConferenceXP Center for Collaborative Technologies Presentation systems Classroom Presenter 2.0 Classroom Presenter 3.0 Classroom interaction systems Classroom Feedback (CFS) CATs for CS1 Structured Interactions (SIP) Student submissions with CP Tutored Video Instruction UW CC TVI Project Beihang TVI project Digital StudyHall

Deployment drivenDeployment driven –Classroom use –Technology development and promotion Goals and success criteriaGoals and success criteria –Adoption of technology and methodology –Influence educational practice This is a model that has been working for usThis is a model that has been working for us –Target specific deployments that are innovative –Work with partners

Technology to support international educationTechnology to support international education Video conferenced teachingVideo conferenced teaching –ConferenceXP Tutored Video InstructionTutored Video Instruction Lessons learned and challengesLessons learned and challenges Future projectsFuture projects

United States PerspectiveUnited States Perspective –For students Critically important that some US students understand how to work in a global environmentCritically important that some US students understand how to work in a global environment Gain particular skills (language/culture)Gain particular skills (language/culture) Knowledge available in international classesKnowledge available in international classes –For faculty Disseminate education on a global scaleDisseminate education on a global scale Working with international groupsWorking with international groups –Strengthen and maintain ties Gain international perspective on research and educationGain international perspective on research and education Understand emerging trendsUnderstand emerging trends

DistanceDistance Language and cultureLanguage and culture Time zonesTime zones SchedulesSchedules Institutional alignmentInstitutional alignment

Reduce costsReduce costs Support innovations in communicationSupport innovations in communication

Why not just use Skype?Why not just use Skype? –Answer 1: Broader scenarios –Answer 2: Platform to support innovation Low cost to enable entryLow cost to enable entry Extendable platformExtendable platform Shared sourceShared source

ConferenceXP ProjectConferenceXP Project –Started at Microsoft Research in 2001 –Transferred to University of Washington in 2007 with Center for Collaborative Technologies Initial project goalInitial project goal – Support multisite courses with high bandwidth, multicast, internet based audio- video conferencing

Multi-site internet based audio-video conferencingMulti-site internet based audio-video conferencing UW PMP ProgramUW PMP Program –Site-to-site courses between UW and Microsoft since Winter 1997 –cs.washington.edu/education/dl/course_index.html cs.washington.edu/education/dl/course_index.html –Master’s level courses –Goal: interaction across sites Approximate single classroomApproximate single classroom –Various technologies have been used since the program was introduced

Initial phaseInitial phase Winter 1997 – Winter 2002Winter 1997 – Winter 2002 –Polycom + Netmeeting for PPT and SmartBoard MSR DISC ProjectMSR DISC Project –Target: UW, CMU, UCB, Brown graduate class –Spring 2002 ConferenceXPConferenceXP –Since Spring 2003 –Four way courses, Autumn 2004, Autumn 2005, Autumn 2006 UW, MSR, UCB, UCSDUW, MSR, UCB, UCSD

High quality, low latency video to support interactive classesHigh quality, low latency video to support interactive classes High bandwidth internet video conferencingHigh bandwidth internet video conferencing –Internet2 –Multicast Single machine deploymentSingle machine deployment –High end PC –Performance limit: handling multiple high resolutions video streams Innovative presentation toolsInnovative presentation tools

What went wrongWhat went wrong –Technology and systems failures –Multicast networking –High cost of interruptions –Audio –Loss of trust –Room configuration issues –Lack of control of lecture room –Production quality Meta lessonMeta lesson –Learn more from failures than from successes How to Fail at VideoConferenced Teaching – Microsoft Faculty Summit 2002 – Anderson & Beavers

GoalsGoals –Real time interaction between sites –High quality video ChallengesChallenges –High bandwidth connections –Classroom Audio –Establishing a pattern of interaction

Technology bet (2001)Technology bet (2001) –Multicast networking to support multisite courses –Substantial bandwidth savings –Multicast not uniformly supported

Reflector serviceReflector service –Plug in unicast to replace multicast Used as backup in our coursesUsed as backup in our courses Solution when connecting to networks without multicastSolution when connecting to networks without multicast

March 29, 2008, LACCIR MeetingMarch 29, 2008, LACCIR Meeting –Latin American and Carribbean Collaboration for ICT Research Seattle and University of Chile, Santiago, ChileSeattle and University of Chile, Santiago, Chile Seminar presentationSeminar presentation CXP Unicast reflectorCXP Unicast reflector

Masters classMasters class –University of Washington –Lahore University of Management Science –Microsoft Computing for the Developing worldComputing for the Developing world

Ensuring adequate bandwidthEnsuring adequate bandwidth –Limited bandwidth to Pakistan –Reliability –Multicast –Ensuring this did not compromise UW-MS class –Limited time to prepare

PMP VENUE Archiver Video cameras Audio Video Displays Speakers Video cameras Audio Video Displays Speakers CP3 Instructor CP3 Display CP3 Display Student Tablets UWMicrosoft CXP CP3

PMP Venue 1 PMP Venue 2 Archiver MicrosoftLUMS UW CP3 Server CP3

Tablet PC based presentation and classroom interaction systemTablet PC based presentation and classroom interaction system Ink based presentationInk based presentation Classroom ActivitesClassroom Activites

Student Student Instructor Public Display

Full connectivityFull connectivity –One lecture originated from Pakistan Improving audio (microphone issues)Improving audio (microphone issues) Participation of students from PakistanParticipation of students from Pakistan –Student submissions –Questions and discussions Multiple rounds of audio communicationMultiple rounds of audio communication

Participants must have incentive for a distance courseParticipants must have incentive for a distance course Instructor must make an effort to create multisite interactionInstructor must make an effort to create multisite interaction Active participants at remote site helpActive participants at remote site help

Language instructionLanguage instruction MusicMusic PhD ExamsPhD Exams

Video recorded lectures shown with facilitatorVideo recorded lectures shown with facilitator –Original model: lectures stopped by students for discussion –Peer tutors Developed by Jim Gibbons at Stanford UniversityDeveloped by Jim Gibbons at Stanford University Positive results reported in Science [1977]Positive results reported in Science [1977]

Introductory programmingIntroductory programming –Address community college articulation –Experiment with alternate approaches to introductory computing instruction UW – Beihang Algorithms courseUW – Beihang Algorithms course –Offering of CSE 421 in China Digital StudyHallDigital StudyHall –Primary education in rural india

Recorded lecture materialsRecorded lecture materials –Generally based on live classes Class modelClass model –Lecture playback alternating with facilitator led discussion –Facilitation models Gibbons: Peer instructionGibbons: Peer instruction Active facilitationActive facilitation

Offer course based on UW course in BeijingOffer course based on UW course in Beijing UW Instructor could not give the course in BeijingUW Instructor could not give the course in Beijing Scheduling prevented live course offeringScheduling prevented live course offering –1:30 pm Seattle, 4:30 am Beijing –Materials captured from live classes Tutored Video InstructionTutored Video Instruction –Slides, talking head, digital ink

Set up visitSet up visit –Met with Teaching Assistants –Tested all technology –Trained Teaching Assistants in facilitation –Gave classes to students to demonstrate technology and TVI Midterm visitMidterm visit –Observed classes –Gave lecture without recorded video Regular communication with Teaching AssistantsRegular communication with Teaching Assistants Data collectionData collection

Applications displayedApplications displayed –Webviewer for video replay –Classroom Presenter Teaching Assistants would show video or show CP for inking on slides or classroom interactionTeaching Assistants would show video or show CP for inking on slides or classroom interaction

Offering successfulOffering successful –Technology, institutional relationship Cross-cultural issuesCross-cultural issues –English language materials were comprehensible –Classroom discussion primarily in Chinese Facilitation modelFacilitation model –Significant support for facilitators –Classroom activities successful (and popular) –Facilitators innovative and reproduced some of the instruction –Interactive and informal classroom atmosphere

Lectures delivered in EnglishLectures delivered in English –Language exposure consider to be a positive side effect of the course Teaching assistants facilitated in EnglishTeaching assistants facilitated in English –But discussions were generally in Chinese Students reported using lectures outside of classStudents reported using lectures outside of class Instructor observations from site visitInstructor observations from site visit –Chinese students had substantially more English listening than speaking experience –Recorded lectures did contain some colloquial usage and cultural specific references which were lost

Support provided for facilitatorsSupport provided for facilitators –Lecture notes –Activities Facilitators invested a larger effort in preparationFacilitators invested a larger effort in preparation –Studying videos –Planning how to cover content Active facilitationActive facilitation –Worked through lecture examples –Led activities –Asked questions to students Example: facilitators working through example from lecture slides InstructorFacilitator A Facilitator CFacilitator B

Tablet PC supported activitiesTablet PC supported activities –Student submission model –Used for every lecture Technology generally successfulTechnology generally successful Considered very positive by studentsConsidered very positive by students –High rate of participation Provided a structure for active learningProvided a structure for active learning

Contrast to traditional large lecture classContrast to traditional large lecture class Highly interactive classHighly interactive class –Interaction episodes measured by observation logs and videos of Beihang classes –Average of 13 interaction episodes per class, 10 with students speaking –UW class averaged about 20 interaction episodes per equivalent length of time –Beihang episodes averaged a greater number of rounds of communication Class atmosphere was informalClass atmosphere was informal

Offering successfulOffering successful –Technology, institutional relationship Cross-cultural issuesCross-cultural issues –English language materials were comprehensible –Classroom discussion primarily in Chinese Facilitation modelFacilitation model –Significant support for facilitators –Classroom activities successful (and popular) –Facilitators innovative and reproduced some of the instruction –Interactive and informal classroom atmosphere

Value of electronic materials in the process of classroom instructionValue of electronic materials in the process of classroom instruction Tools for teachingTools for teaching –Teacher and students drive the process –Flexible and unpredictable use Importance of high reliabilityImportance of high reliability –And attention to address issues Broader context – interplay of technology and other issuesBroader context – interplay of technology and other issues

Richard AndersonRichard Anderson Classroom PresenterClassroom Presenter – Center for Collaborative Technologies at UWCenter for Collaborative Technologies at UW – Digital StudyHallDigital StudyHall – Other contactsOther contacts –CCT: Fred Videon – Andrew Whitaker

Support from Microsoft Research, National Science Foundation, HP, Ford, UW CSESupport from Microsoft Research, National Science Foundation, HP, Ford, UW CSE Jay Beavers, Jane Prey, Randy Hinrichs, Chris Moffatt, Jaime Puente, Lolan Song, Sailesh Chutanai, Tom Healy Jason Van Eaton, Tony Hey, Harry Shum, Paul Oka, Steve Wolfman, Ken Yasuhara, Ruth Anderson, Craig Prince, Valentin Razmov, Natalie Linnell, Krista Davis, Jonathon Su, Sara Su, Peter Davis, Tammy VanDeGrift, Joe Tront, Alon Halevy, Gaetano Borriello, Ed Lazowska, Hal Perkins, Susan Eggers, David Notkin, Andrew Whitaker, Fred Videon, Rod Prieto, Oliver Chung, Crystal Hoyer, Beth Simon, Eitan Feinberg, Julia Schwarz, Jim Fridley, Tom Hinkley, Ning Li, Jing Li, Luo Jie, Jiangfeng Chen, Melody Kadenko, Julie Svendsen, Shannon Gillmore, Umar Saif, Mansoor PervaizJay Beavers, Jane Prey, Randy Hinrichs, Chris Moffatt, Jaime Puente, Lolan Song, Sailesh Chutanai, Tom Healy Jason Van Eaton, Tony Hey, Harry Shum, Paul Oka, Steve Wolfman, Ken Yasuhara, Ruth Anderson, Craig Prince, Valentin Razmov, Natalie Linnell, Krista Davis, Jonathon Su, Sara Su, Peter Davis, Tammy VanDeGrift, Joe Tront, Alon Halevy, Gaetano Borriello, Ed Lazowska, Hal Perkins, Susan Eggers, David Notkin, Andrew Whitaker, Fred Videon, Rod Prieto, Oliver Chung, Crystal Hoyer, Beth Simon, Eitan Feinberg, Julia Schwarz, Jim Fridley, Tom Hinkley, Ning Li, Jing Li, Luo Jie, Jiangfeng Chen, Melody Kadenko, Julie Svendsen, Shannon Gillmore, Umar Saif, Mansoor Pervaiz

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