Are There Vultures Among Us? Is The Recent Re-Emergence of Videoconferencing Suspect?

What are the reasons videoconferencing seems to be flourishing when so many other technologies are being challenged? The following will be the world according to Max and five reasons why I think videoconferencing is having its heyday.

Kopsho, Max. Presenters University (2002). Articles>Presentations>Teleconferencing>Videoconferencing

Collaboration via Desktop Videoconferencing: Designing Interactive Environments  

Recent studies suggest that classroom collaboration is not always successful. We designed a course that motivates students to provide adequate help for writers. In this course college students studying to become technical communicators mentored high school students in language arts and content area courses. In order to overcome barriers of schedules, distances, and resources, we created a multimedia system that combined face-to-face communication and networking in one configuration. We collaborated with University of Minnesota groups, local high school personnel, US WEST Communications, Inc., and Compression Labs, Inc. in the development of the system.

Duin, Ann Hill, Linda A. Jorn and Lisa Mason. STC Proceedings (1994). Articles>Education>Online>Videoconferencing

Collaboration Via Desktop Videoconferencing: Evaluating Mentoring Environments  

Based on the need for mentoring, we developed a multimedia configuration that fostered one-on-one connections. In this study, we examine these connections in terms of what strategies mentors use when mentoring and how mentors respond to students. The two case studies indicate that neither of the subjects took full advantage of the multimedia system or the environments in which it functioned: neither mentor chose to manage the computer screen so that they could adequately see their student or chose to monitor the environments in a manner beneficial to their students. However, mentors tended to differentiate between weak and strong writers in this environment.

Duin, Ann Hill, Linda A. Jorn and Lisa Mason. STC Proceedings (1994). Articles>Collaboration>Mentoring>Videoconferencing

Desktop Videoconferencing--State of the Art  

Archee assesses the current state of DTV technology.

Archee, Raymond K. Intercom (2000). Design>Collaboration>Teleconferencing>Videoconferencing

The Distance Learning Experience: Developing, Transmitting and Participating in Courses Delivered at a Distance  

Distance education comes in all shapes and sizes. Videotaping led to satellite and videoconferencing. Today, web-based videostreaming is gaining popularity in many areas. Back in 1995, a team from Rensselaer and IBM met to discuss opportunities to deliver leading edge user interface design education via distance delivery methods. Join our panel discussion to hear how this program has progressed, and how Rensselaer’s Professional and Distance Education Program continues to work directly with its customers to deliver leading edge distance education.

Brauneis, David, Kim Scalzo and David Hans. STC Proceedings (1999). Articles>Education>Online>Videoconferencing

E-Chalk Talk

Although electronic whiteboards come in several sizes and shapes, their main function is the same – to capture written annotations, notes and drawings and store them for future reference. This is accomplished with infrared sensors, radio-signal-emitting pens, plasma overlays and other technologies. The end product is a file of digitally stored notes that can be e-mailed, posted online, or printed and handed out to an audience immediately after a presentation or training session. Beyond these basic features, some electronic whiteboards are interactive – letting you connect a computer and projector to the whiteboard to combine its features with common software programs. A Microsoft Excel spreadsheet, for example, can be projected onto an interactive whiteboard where it can be marked up with colored pens to highlight important numbers or trends. Or, using an interactive whiteboard's touchscreen feature, a presenter can navigate the Web using a finger to move the cursor and double-clicking with taps on the screen. Even videoconferencing functions have been integrated into electronic whiteboards in the past year.

Regenold, Stephen. Presentations (2003). Articles>Education>Multimedia>Videoconferencing

How to Select Your Web Conferencing Tool

New conferencing and collaboration solutions are being announced at the pace of one or more tools per week. New versions and upgrades are promoted even more frequently, and in this avalanche of "this is the best, don't look anywhere else" claims, it is hard to distinguish the good from the average. How should you select your web conferencing tool? Which companies are more reliable and how do you find out? How can you be sure you will not be disappointed? These are tough questions to answer, as there are a million vendors out there and an army of supposed experts all claiming to have the best solution while offering different ones.

Good, Robin. Communication World Bulletin (2004). Articles>Web Design>Videoconferencing>Software

Information About Video Conferencing: What You Need To Know

Video conferencing is the technique of meeting in a group over a network employing video and audio transmission technology and equipment. Armed with information about video conferencing businessmen, technologists, scientists and government heads started to explore ways to bring the world closer together and enable meetings of many people located in different parts of the globe. Video conferencing is the process of being able to see and interact with a group of people located at any point of the world at the same time.

Shakir A. Ezine Articles (2007). Articles>Collaboration>Videoconferencing>Online

Sixteen Suggestions for Successful Videoconferences  

Offers protocols, procedures, and rules of etiquette for conducting videoconferences.

Smith, Gary M. Intercom (2000). Articles>Collaboration>Teleconferencing>Videoconferencing

Technical Communication and Clinical Health Care: Improving Rural Emergency Trauma Care Through Synchronous Videoconferencing    

While debates continue over the effectiveness of innovative communication technologies to bring information and services to populations that have been underserved by such new technologies, a federally-funded program at the University of Vermont and Fletcher Allen Health Care (FAHC), Burlington, Vermont, has enabled trauma specialists to link with rural emergency room health care providers through a synchronous videoconferencing (telemedicine) network. Analysis of patient histories and surveys completed by the participating physicians after each use of the computer conferencing system as well as interviews and observations indicate that the FAHC consulting trauma specialists and the remotely located physicians felt the linkups do not interfere with standard ER procedures, that communication was at least adequate for all consultations, and that the consults improved the quality of care, for over half of the cases. Furthermore, interviews with rural ER physicians indicated that they saw the program operating as the first stage of FAHC's management of a patient to be transferred to that facility.

Doheny-Farina, Stephen, Peter W. Callas, Michael A. Ricci, Michael P. Caputo, Judith L. Amour and Fred B. Rogers. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication (2003). Articles>Scientific Communication>Videoconferencing>Biomedical

Video: The Basis Of Video Conferencing

Video is a Latin word that means 'I see'. This technology includes, capturing, transmitting and replaying visual media. Video is actually the technique of turning a series of still images into moving images and the technology to do this varies through time. Video has come a long way from the black and white images that used to move much like a fast slide show just a couple of decades ago. Live video was made possible with the invention of the 'Vidicon', which was the heart of the video camera. This was first used in television cameras in the large television studios. Today, video cameras come in various shapes and sizes to match the work they are required to do. Small video cameras that fit into the palm of your hand are the most common and inexpensive cameras that produce very high quality images that can be stored on discs or video tape.

Shakir A. Ezine Articles (2007). Articles>Collaboration>Videoconferencing>Online

Videoconference-Based Courses in Technical Communication: Pros, Cons, and Considerations  

Interactive compressed video (ICV), also called videoconferencing, is increasingly popular for distance education. While ICV shares many features with satellite technology, its two-way audio and video make it more interactive and versatile, at a lower cost. The interactivity can help meet the instructor’s concern about appropriate methods for teaching writing. The lower costs, and the versatiliy to send as well as receive courses, can help meet the administrator’s concerns about maximizing the return on investment.

Farrell, Kathleen L. STC Proceedings (1996). Articles>Education>Online>Videoconferencing

Web Conferencing Tips

Despite the Internet's emergence as a mainstream business tool, web conferencing can still be a daunting experience for first-timers and even seasoned presenters. For today's business professionals, it's not the technology that makes them apprehensive, but the knowledge that familiar ways of presenting are inadequate to execute an effective web conference. Provide someone with useful information and a little preparation, however, and that person can host an effective, efficient web conference.

Murray, Krysta. Communication World Bulletin (2004). Articles>Collaboration>Teleconferencing>Videoconferencing