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Given by Geoffrey C. Fox at Chautauqua Albuquerque New Mexico on 9 August 99. Foils prepared 16 August 99
Outside Index
Summary of Material
We describe the technology components that are needed to support distance education and training
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| This model will succeed because it will provide more cost effective and higher quality learning environments |
| Greater use of emerging standards such as XML will improve situation |
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Distance Education and its Technology
Abstract of Distance Education Technology
Challenge and Opportunity in Education and Training
Why use Distance Education and Training?
Traditional Model of Instruction
Better Model of Instruction
Courses at Jackson State
Architecture of Tango Distance Education
The Ingredients of Web Based Education
Role of Collaborative Objects in Education
Collaborative Web Page in Tango
Universal Shared Object Strategy
Shared Form Illustrated by Shared Access to NCSA Biology Workbench showing how general server objects can be shared from web interface
Learning and Teaching the Curricula I
Learning and Teaching the Curricula II
What do Collaborative Systems Provide?
So What Do You Do -- I?
So What Do You Do -- II?
Design and Architecture of Curricula Material
4 Approaches to Authoring of Back End Resource I
4 Approaches to Authoring of Back End Resource II
Shared Simulations -- Fluid Flow and Planetary Motion
Managing the Curricula I
Managing the Curricula II
LecCorder Lecture Recorder
WebWisdomDB Web linked Database
Current NPAC Grading Database used to register Syracuse and Online Courses
What is Universal Access / Cross Disability Rendering?
Distance Education Technology Outlook ?
Components of Technology Cauldron
New Enterprise Models for Universities?
Where are we in Distance Education?
Outside Index
Summary of Material
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared 16 August 99 
Full HTML Index
| University of New Mexico |
| NCSA Alliance Chautauqua |
| 9 August 99 |
| http://www.npac.syr.edu/users/gcf/distedtechaug99 |
| Geoffrey Fox |
| Syracuse University NPAC |
| 111 College Place Syracuse NY 13244 4100 |
| 3154432163 |
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared 16 August 99
Full HTML Index
We describe the technology components that are needed to support distance education and training
|
| This model will succeed because it will provide more cost effective and higher quality learning environments |
| Greater use of emerging standards such as XML will improve situation |
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared 16 August 99
Full HTML Index
Pervasive Communication Infrastructure (The Internet) and powerful new software technologies and concepts
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Can enable education and training with
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| Can also change/enable businesses, research, electronic societies |
Need to implement so that
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HTML version of Basic Foils prepared 16 August 99
Full HTML Index
New and rapidly changing Academic Curriculum suggest the use of distance education as it will allow a few experts to deliver instruction to more students and this addresses both
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| Distance Education is technically sound based on web curricula-- both synchronously and asynchronously -- today with very robust clear implementations available over next 2 years |
Both delivery mechanism and identification of knowledge nuggets (such as Internetics or computational science) that are smaller than a traditional degree suggests different approaches to certification
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| Similar arguments for distance training with relative importance of synchronous and asynchronous learning differing by customer group |
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared 16 August 99 
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| Professors |
| Students |
| Common Shared Books and Such Resources |
| Done separately for each class at each university |
| Often |
| Low |
| Quality |
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared 16 August 99
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| Professor at AVU |
| (AnyTown Virtual University) |
| with team of authoring specialists |
| Outside |
| Students |
| (dominant clientele) |
| Common Shared Books Web based Lecture Material |
| and Similar Resources |
| Institutions focussing on particular disciplines, teach a given class |
| to Students from Universities which provide beds and mentors |
| Possible local Students |
| INTERNET |
| Classes are |
| given by |
| AVU |
| to students |
| around |
| the state |
| (world) |
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared 16 August 99
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Taught using Tango since fall 97 over Internet and defense high performance network DREN twice a week from Syracuse
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| Jackson State major HBC University with many computer science graduates |
| Do not compete with base courses but offer addon courses with "leading edge" material (Web Technology, modern scientific computing) which give JSU (under)graduates skills that are important in their career |
Needs guaranteed 30 (audio) to 100 (video) kilobits per second bandwidth
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| As with Access Grid, main difficulty is Audio Quality of Service |
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared 16 August 99
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| NPAC Web Server |
| JSU Web Server |
| Java Tango Server |
| ....... |
| Share URL's |
| Audio Video |
| Conferencing Chat Rooms |
| White Boards etc. |
| Address at JSU of Curriculum Page |
| Teacher's View of Curriculum Page |
| Student's View of Curriculum Page |
| Participants at JSU |
| Teacher/Lecturer at NPAC |
| ....... |
| Java Sockets |
| HTTP |
| Java Control Clients |
| All Curricula placed on the Web |
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared 16 August 99
Full HTML Index
| Assess and install the rapidly changing hardware and software technology infrastructure |
| Design of (possibly new as exploiting new possibilities) curricula |
| Authoring of material in curricula |
| Managing the material and students response to it including quizzes, grades and administration |
| Delivery of the material in a mix of self-paced (asynchronous), traditional (synchronous) or collaborative (interactive) |
Good answers to all these components are pretty clear and these answers will match the evolution of web over next few years
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HTML version of Basic Foils prepared 16 August 99
Full HTML Index
Learning is an example of an activity which can be thought of in terms of objects (digital audio streams when you talk, books, homework, science fair exhibits) worked on alone or together -- either between students or students and teacher
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Collaboration can be synchronous as when individuals talk to each other
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| Or asynchronous when sharing is done at different times |
| I post a web page and you look at it later is a basic asynchronous sharing model while writing on a blackboard is hallowed synchronous model in teaching |
All objects can be thought of as web pages as these are rendering of a server side object
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HTML version of Basic Foils prepared 16 August 99
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| Shared Pointer |
| Automatic Preview of Next Page Only Available to teacher |
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared 16 August 99 
Full HTML Index
Assume teachers, students, engineers, shoppers, salespersons, families teach, learn, collaborate, buy, sell, socialize via electronic versions of traditional human interactions combined with shared objects expressed now in HTML and soon XML and rendered as web pages
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| Shared event model (used in Tango) of sharing (collaboration) is capable of necessary efficiency and customization to each user |
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared 16 August 99
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| Shared Multiple List |
| Shared Buttons |
| Shared Text field |
| Shared Checkbox |
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared 16 August 99
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| So the students need to learn the material and they may need some sort of help from a teacher or mentor |
In self paced or asynchronous learning, student studies material in his or her own time and essence of this is a web site which may of course be generated from a back-end web-linked database
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In synchronous learning, teacher selects material from website and delivers it in electronic virtual class rooms
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HTML version of Basic Foils prepared 16 August 99
Full HTML Index
In collaborative learning, teachers, assistants, students and the web resource interact in an electronic collaboration system
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| All approaches use basic asynchronous tools such as electronic mail, bulletin boards and searchable repositories |
| Can record synchronous sessions for later asynchronous replay |
| One need not chose any one approach as can support all of them with a (preferably database back ended) web site linked to a suite of collaboration tools |
Note just as we can link asynchronous--synchronous--collaborative, we can also link education and training
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HTML version of Basic Foils prepared 16 August 99
Full HTML Index
| Overall Management of a lecture viewed as part of a learning environment built around a Web Resource |
| Audio/Video Conferencing (Can use Access Grid or lower end desktop resources -- need ~$300 PC VTC Card in TangoInteractive implementation) |
| Chat Rooms and electronic mail for synchronous and asynchronous messages |
| Shared Web Pages which can come from a database |
| Whiteboard for communicating visual material |
| Shared Java applets which can be embedded in web pages to allow interactive lesson components |
| API to interface specialized resources -- Planning Tools, GIS Systems, CAD, Visualization .. -- not necessary for training? |
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared 16 August 99
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Author Curriculum using NO specialized systems or systems like WebCT that produce HTML or preferably XML
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| Add pointers and other such "WebWisdom" helpful DHTML capabilities (we can provide a filter) |
| HTML Pages can be screenfuls (best?) or scrolled |
| Put material on Web Server or CDROM; intersperse with other asynchronous resources |
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared 16 August 99
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| Give your students URL of system |
| If desired use registration database |
Set up necessary infrastructure with collection of individual machines and/or class rooms (PC's are best)
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| In a class room, establish proxy server and central machine for audio/video conferencing |
Test system for
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| Decide on applications e.g. multiple chat rooms (teacher--students, "chitchat", "support") and their control |
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared 16 August 99
Full HTML Index
So the architecture is that of a set of web accessible distributed objects which are designed to be as modular as possible
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Initial design will be traditional -- include
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HTML version of Basic Foils prepared 16 August 99
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| In order of increasing sophistication; cost; preparation time and presumably also in increasing learning value |
Note "Low-end" can be best solution in a case where curricula material is changing rapidly
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| "Low-end" typified by simple HTML and PowerPoint. Of course hand written notes and postscript are even less sophisticated but these are getting less important. |
"Enhanced Low-end" typified by audio or video over web pages. Not clear how editing is possible/desirable
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HTML version of Basic Foils prepared 16 August 99
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| "Medium End" such as WebCT, Campus product from Blackboard LLC, or Cornell Virtual Workshop where one provides knowledge at different levels of detail, glossaries, quizzes and dynamic instructional nuggets. |
| "Traditional High End" such as the classic Multimedia CDROM ( or its web equivalent) prepared by sophisticated authoring tools such as Macromedia Director and with possibly professionally produced videos. |
| These will move towards Web Standards using Web Video, Java plus Dynamic HTML and W3C based XML and DOM specification |
| Note clear to me if authoring of educational material will differ from that of "ordinary documents" |
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared 16 August 99
Full HTML Index
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared 16 August 99
Full HTML Index
So as we have stored all our material in a database, managing it is equivalent to building an administrative support system for the database
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| Web export from database should support Educom's IMS standard for metadata to allow convenient webwide searches of repositories |
One needs special modules that accommodate
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HTML version of Basic Foils prepared 16 August 99
Full HTML Index
One needs database technology for
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| One needs web-linked seamless computing to support programming assignments Using older NPAC VPL written in JavaScript to allow web access to computer cluster for HPF and MPI (DoD Gateway activity should produce better technology) |
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared 16 August 99
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| Database must archive lessons with LINKED curricula material and multimedia delivery |
| LecCorder is integrated hardware & software system and will record live trainings or digitize taped events & publish on web quickly and easily as "foils over audio/video" |
| Minimal human intervention |
| Java viewer |
In progress...
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| Note MPEG, H263, Real Video versions..... |
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared 16 August 99
Full HTML Index
Over the last 2.5 years I have put 815 foilsets and over 32000 foils on the web supported by Perl Scripts and JavaScript Display (including 2000 family photos)
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| WebWisdomDB abstracts lessons to a Oracle database backend and a dynamic HTML front-end (see later) |
| Database stores Microsoft (COM) or W3C "Document Object Model Components" including HTML PowerPoint with each slide/page separately stored and editable from database |
| Reconstructs dynamic pages using XML templates to view or print or write to CDROM ..... |
| Has Java Manager to support play list and arrangement in hierarchical "FoilWorlds" |
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared 16 August 99
Full HTML Index
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared 16 August 99
Full HTML Index
This implies choosing a rendering method that best suits client user and respects
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| e.g. Visually impaired would prefer audio rich rendering |
| e.g. Muscularly limited users would need appropriate interfaces |
| New Cascading Style Sheets can express this but need intelligent renderer to make correct decision and allow user to adjust choices |
Further one needs decision at the stage of XML input and not after it has already been rendered into HTML
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| Assume goal is equal and high quality rendering -- do not downgrade material to support cross disability rendering |
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared 16 August 99
Full HTML Index
| Today asynchronous systems dominate using Web technology |
| For synchronous delivery, Tango 2 is about as good as you can do with current browsers -- compatible with major asynchronous mode |
| When W3C DOM fully supported and XML is well established, we can evolve Tango and Shared Browser to provide richer interactive shared Web Pages |
| Universal Access for different devices (Fully capable and impaired users) from PalmTops to PC's |
| Greater use of XML Web components for both content and for specification of collaboration policy |
| Integration of asynchronous and Synchronous messaging Services (Tango supports Pagers Palmtops etc.) |
| Integration of Tango and Database backends to provide "Portals to Education" |
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared 16 August 99
Full HTML Index
| Internet is universal delivery infrastructure |
| XML is universal data structure (or object serialization mechanism) |
| Java is universal programming language |
| Distributed Objects are basic electronic building blocks |
| Jini is universal mechanism for registration and look up of distributed objects |
| Databases are useful way of persistently storing and managing objects |
| Pagers/PalmTops/Cell Phones/PC's render objects |
| W3C DOM describes Web Pages -- the universal view of all (information) objects |
| Messages or Events link objects together (Java programs this producing information in XML format) |
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared 16 August 99
Full HTML Index
| Distance Education is technically sound -- both synchronously and asynchronously -- today with very robust clear implementations available over next 2 years |
| Separate teaching mentoring and dormitory role of University |
| Teaching and grading naturally performed by centers of excellence which need at least an order of magnitude more customers than a single faculty in order to be able to justify investment in course preparation and maintenance |
| Continuing Education of growing importance and natural area to attack first -- corporate training is serious competition here and commercial deliverers have advantage? |
| Not obvious that will save large amounts of money as students will need more not less mentoring in today's information-overrich world -- quality of educational experience will become more uniform and better |
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared 16 August 99
Full HTML Index
| We are meant to be short of employees trained in many important areas -- in particular computer science |
| Syracuse has a few good course but Courses are incomplete and hard to keep up to date..... |
| Nationally there is a complete set of excellent courses but most universities cannot offer quality complete program |
| Technology for distance education is proven in concept and improving in robustness and functionality |
| Networks are increasing in bandwidth ... |
| This will lead to much better learning environments and total happiness for students ........ |
| There is one minor problem! Most Existing Universities and K-12 Establishments will oppose this |
| They will accept my courses if given as Syracuse University but not if done through www.webwisdom.org |