Videoconferencing Over IP in the Classroom

I am facilitating a class in my school district called Standards-Based Virtual Field Trips with Videoconferencing on May 18, 2007. This class focuses on the use of videoconferencing over IP applications (using codec machines like Polycom or Tandberg). Participants will learn about and set up videoconference projects for their classrooms (to be completed by early June), and I already have California State Parks and Los Angeles County Museum of Art ready and waiting to schedule programs with the teachers in this class.

I also know that California's K-12 High Speed Network and Megaconference Jr also provide great opportunities to use this type of technology.

I also want to give the participants a chance to connect with other classrooms that have the ability to connect through videoconference over ip. Is there a classroom willing to participate? I have teachers of all grade levels from the Los Angeles Unified School District taking this class. It would be great if I could give them classrooms to contact to develop a videoconference project. Let me know if you have an interest in this or point me to other resources I can provide them. It is much appreciated.

Tags: fieldtrip, ip, trip, video, videoconference, virtual

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Permalink Reply by Tammy Moore on July 2, 2007 at 10:14pm

We use Elluminate for our online classroom. I have been thinking about how the kids can do virtual fieldtrips using it. What are some of the ideas that you have come up with? Are you bringing experts in as guests or actually taking computers with internet access, cameras, and mics out to sites?

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Permalink Reply by Alex Savage on July 3, 2007 at 1:28am

I've been playing around with video conferencing for the last couple of years. We've got a polycom unit but have had problems trying to connect to other schools outside of our region over IP. It would be great to test it with a school in the US to see if it works.
On another tack, we have been using a much simpler tool called flashmeeting. All you need is a webcam and flash. This is proving to be much more popular with schools I'm working with as a first step into video conferencing. If any of your teachers would like to try it out with us, they'd be very welcome.
If you'd like more information about flashmeeting go to http://communicty.wikispaces.com/Flashmeeting

Thanks
Alex

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Permalink Reply by Greg Mar10 on July 3, 2007 at 7:05am

Hi John,
I'm an educator from SE Michigan. We have a grassroots organization here called TWICE that promotes the use of videoconferencing for learning. Our website is: www.twice.cc

Many classrooms in Michigan are using videoconferencing technologies to collaborate with other classrooms in annual projects as well as connect with experts such as authors or content providers like you mentioned above (LAC Museum of Art).
Take care,
Greg

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Permalink Reply by Sholom Eisenstat on July 4, 2007 at 3:26pm

My school board, north of Toronto, Ontario, is very involved in video conferencing. I'd be happy to work with you finding teachers, classes etc. to partner with.
Keep me posted in the fall.