The rapid growth of communications facilities combined with steadily decreasing costs makes feasible increasing interaction between students and teachers both nationally and internationally. Although other, more costly communication modes are used to transport voice, graphics, and television, computer technology has accelerated educational communications via low cost digital links. An increasing number of American schools are providing instructional materials to other countries via electronic means. Among these are the University of Hawaii, UCLA, New York University, Georgia State University, Washington State University, and the University of South Carolina. The University of the West Indies also provides instructional materials to a group of smaller countries throughout the Caribbean, and is assisted in this by institutions in both the United States and Canada.
In essence, the classroom of the future is already here in many respects, as a few fortunate students who now have access to other parts of the world by means of various communications technologies can confirm. Probably the easiest method of communication is the simple long distance telephone call with amplified audio equipment at each location. Dial-up service is now available to many parts of the globe, but it is suggested that calls be originated in the United States as calls initiated in other countries may be both more expensive and difficult to place. A few examples of approximate (1993) costs for a fifty-minute classroom session are as follows:
MOSCOW $120.
JAMAICA 60.
PERU 67.
SPAIN 66.
SRI LANKA 123.
The preceding figures allow a few extra minutes for placing the call, hellos, and testing of equipment. Transmission from the U.S. during off hours may reduce costs as much as 40%, and this, together with time zone differences should be taken into account during planning.
Although schools in the United States sometimes seem to have perennial budget problems, it should be realized that institutions in other countries may have far more stringent financial limitations. This particularly holds true in the Third World where the price of a long distance phone call may equate to a year's family income. Similarly, the cost of equipment, for example a simple speakerphone, may represent a serious obstacle.
In the near future it seems likely that international distance learning will depend largely on funding from the United States as well as several of the other developed nations such as Canada. A grant of a few thousand dollars is enough to establish a semester-long program with weekly classes and includes amplified audio at each of two locations. Still visual communications may be added for a moderate additional sum with options being facsimile, slow-scan television, or computer based-image transmission.
Assuming that you have some modest funding it is important that you find someone elsewhere in the world to provide or receive knowledge. This can be a pleasant and interesting task that will bring you into contact with creative and ambitious individuals. Details will have to be worked out such as schedules, participants, and paperwork required. Be sure that telephone facilities are available (not too many classrooms are so equipped.)
Getting the equipment to its final destination is the next step after making arrangements with someone to interact with. Air freight shipments may be preferable in order to reduce prospects of possible damage, and costs frequently seem quite reasonable. Alternately, it may be more interesting to take the hardware there yourself. For the benefit of the adventurous, the following suggestions are appended.
- Pack carefully to reduce likelihood of shipping damage, but be sure that it is accessible for inspection by customs. In extreme circumstances, hand carry in order to avoid lost, strayed, or stolen equipment. Make packaging innocuous and make sure that labels such as IBM, APPLE, GENERAL ELECTRIC, VIDEO CASSETTE, FACSIMILE, etc. are not visible.
- Be sure that you know the customs requirements and have the proper forms. There may be a difference in procedure depending upon whether the equipment is returned with you, sent back sometime later, or permanently left behind. Be forewarned that it may cost you money in customs duties to get items into or out of a country.
It won't work if you can't connect it! Things to find out beforehand:
- A.C. power available: Lots of times it's 220 volts and 50 Hertz which may blow your fuses if you've only taken the same gear that has worked so well in the good old USA.
- A.C. power plugs & connectors: Chances are that they will different than what you're used to. Adapters are available, or you can always cut off the end of the cord and improvise.
- Telephone connections: Not every country uses RJ11 jacks, and telephone handset protocols may vary. Consult local authorities beforehand. In an extreme emergency you might try an acoustic coupler.
- Video: If you are using slow-scan TV, videotape, or anything that comes up with a picture on a monitor, please note that operating standards vary from country to country. (This doesn't necessarily apply to computers as this industry has invented its own standards.)
- "Voice-grade" circuits can mean different things in different places. Presumably it refers to a channel that you can talk over (but not necessarily understandably.) Lack of clarity may compound problems created by different languages and accents. Don't count on pushing 9600 bits per second through the system unless you're sure where you're coming from. Stone age 300 bps may be a lot safer in some locations if digital data is your forte. Also be wary of institutional PBX's. Some of them can do strange things to data.
- Be aware of government regulations concerning communications. Many countries are not as friendly as the United States when it comes to connecting strange devices to their telephone system. Remember, this is a government monopoly in many countries. Some places get suspicious at even the hint that you might be sending "secret" information of the telephone, for example a facsimile message.
- Once you're done with the above, TEST, and test again. Just because you had beautiful results the first time (or perhaps didn't get through at all) doesn't mean that you will get the same circuit quality the next time, or the time after that. Once you have a schedule going, plan to dial your foreign conferee far enough ahead of time that you can redial if the connection turns out poorly.
- Try to originate calls from the United States. It's generally cheaper and faster. Look out for temperamental digital communications equipment, some devices will hang up the phone line if there's a bit of noise or some other technical anomaly that isn't liked. This interrupts the continuity of a meeting, and you might be out of time before a reconnection can be established.
- If you are not completely familiar with the hardware being used, get technical assistance, at least in the early stages. The same holds true for your conferee.
- It may be a temptation to go "state of the art" with an arsenal of com gear including facsimile, computer, writing tablet, and video as well as audio. In this case get help even though you may be a technical whiz. An extra set of hands to set up graphics, operate equipment, make phone connections, and run errands in an emergency may add quite a bit to your peace of mind as well as providing a smoother operation. There's nothing quite like being in the middle of a presentation and forgetting which button you should push next!
- Again, there's the matter of language differences. You may be thoroughly fluent in Mandarin Chinese, but how about the rest of your local audience? An interpreter someplace in the loop might be useful. Don't forget that incoming graphics might contain key information in Farsi, pictographs, or binary code. Working out a few details with your overseas counterpart may avoid glitches in knowledge exchange.
- Oh yes. Whatever you do, don't forget time zone differences! Double check to be sure that 6AM in Boulder is really 3PM in Helsinki.
Glen Southworth
Colorado Video Inc.
71234.2601@Compuserve.Com
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URL: http://library.fortlewis.edu/~instruct/glosas/sideup33.htm
July 1993
GLOSAS NEWS was orinally posted to the WWW at URL: http://library.fortlewis.edu/~instruct/glosas/cont.htm by Tina Evans Greenwood, Library Instruction Coordinator, Fort Lewis College, Durango, Colorado 81301, e-mail: greenwood_t@fortlewis.edu, and last updated May 7, 1999. By her permission the whole Website has been archived here at the University of Tennessee server directory of GLOSAS Chair Dr. Takeshi Utsumi from July 10, 2000 by Steve McCarty in Japan.