EduNet: Internet-based Education Network

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EduNet Internet-based Education Network
Martina Zitterbart Axel Böger, Oliver Brand, Till
Harbaum, Dirk Sturzebecher Institute of Operating
Systems and Computer Networks Technical
University of Braunschweig http//www.ibr.cs.tu-bs
.de/hm
1. Motivation 2. Technical infrastructure 3.
Synchronous learning with MACS 4. Asynchronous
learning with To/oL 5. Summary and outlook
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Motivation

• Goal
• Prototype an Internet-based distance learning
  environment at TU Braunschweig
• Components
• Technical infrastructure (network, multimedia
  teaching rooms)
• Tools for learning and collaboration
  (asynchronous and synchronous)
• Learning and teaching material
• Interdisciplinary project
• Partially funded by the Ministery of Research and
  Culture in Lower Saxony, Germany
• October 1997 to September 1999
• Project members
• 2 computer science, 1 electrical engineering, 2
  didactic and evaluation

3
Technical Infrastructure

• Networking
• Stepwise improvement of campus backbone
• ATM-technology since it can provide quality of
  service
• Room equipment
• Teacher desk with monitor, network access, beamer
  access ...
• Easy access to mutimedia and distance learning
  equipment and content
• Enables simple synchronous tele-teaching of a
  course

Internet
4
Improved Support

• Enhanced group awareness
• Microphone(s) and camera(s) for learners
• Projection of remote learners

Room
Blackboard
Whiteboard
Student A
Room
Speaker
University X
Teacher
desk
Student B
Teacher-
remote learners
mikrophone
Internet
Teacher
camera
Learner
camera
Learner
Room
mikrophones
University Y
5
MACS Modular Advanced Collaboration System

• Goal
• Provide a framework for tele-collaboration
• Integrate dedicated support for tele-teaching
• Characteristics
• Modular
• New applications can be integrated
• Portable and Internet-based
• Java-based
• Scalable
• Provides suited mechanisms for different
  collaboration scenarios
• E.g., tele-course, tele-seminar, tele-lab
• Interworking with ITU (Netmeeting) and Mbone
  protocols
• Visual session control
• Mediation of group awareness
• Control of access rights

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Visual Session Control

• Support of various scenarios (discussion group,
  round robin, agenda ...)
• Different levels of user state

Multimedia equipment
Remote controllable camera
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IBR Whiteboard

• Enhanced whiteboard
• Tele-pointer
• Tele-marker
• Floor control
• Support for late comer

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Teaching with IBR Whiteboard
Projection space
Auto-tracking camera
Monitor and mouse used with IBR whiteboard
Computer with Internet access
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To/oL

• To/oL
• Tool for online/offline Learning
• Characteristics
• Based on Internet technologies
• HTML, JavaScript, Java
• Usable with direct Internet access (online) or
  without (offline)
• Provides interactivity and virtual experiments
• Interactivity
• Individual and free navigation through content
• Email access
• Virtual experiments
• Configurable animations and simulations
• Questions and answers

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A To/oL Screen Dump
Content bar
Title bar
Content - Text, Graphics - Audio, Video - Virtual
experiment
Symbol bar
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Structure of the Content

• Navigation
• Individual (as browsing through a book)
• Guided through content bar
• Multiple levels of detail

Topic
Topic 1
Topic 2
Slides
...
Detailed information
...
Animations/ Simulations
Exercises
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Animation Network Protocols
Selection of algorithm
Manual configuration
Pre-defined network configuration
Control of simulation
Paket sent across the network
Computer
Network internal systems
Protocol information
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Summary and Outlook

• Distance learning support of EduNet
• Technical infrastructure that can be accessed by
  teachers and learners
• Enhanced and easy to use tools
• To/oL already used by other departments (e.g.,
  chemistry)
• Multimedia-based content
• Virtual experiments
• Interactivity
• Evaluation
• ... difficult, since current experience is very
  limited
• Follow-up project together with University
  Hannover, TU Clausthal
• Improve and test tools
• Integrated asynchronous and synchronous tools
  (i.e., To/oL and MACS)
• Provide content for the diploma program
  information technology