Full HTML for

Scripted foilset WebWisdom Collaboration Database and Web Technology for Education and Technology

Given by Geoffrey C. Fox at Beijing and Chang Sha China on 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. Foils prepared 8 January 98
Outside Index Summary of Material

We use examples from K-12, Undergraduate, Graduate and Continuing Education including special (handicapped users) education
We consider applications which combine asynchronous and synchronous learning and combine education and training
We describe general computer based approaches to distance learning and the virtual classroom
We describe Tango Collaborative Infrastructure in the above context and review general collaboration approaches
We present an overall architecture for a fully POW based virtual learning system including Web-linked database at its heart
Can traditional universities survive this revolution or perhaps some will grow from it !?

Table of Contents for full HTML of WebWisdom Collaboration Database and Web Technology for Education and Technology

 Denote Foils where Image Critical
Denote Foils where HTML is sufficient
denotes presence of Additional linked information which is lightpurpleed out if missing
1 WebWisdom Collaboration Database and Web Technology for Education and Training December 27,97 -- January 6,98 Beijing and Chang Sha Hunan China
2 Abstract of WebWisdom Tango and Web for Education and Training for China
3 International Distance Education Certificate in Internetics
4 Summary of ICWU International Collaborative Web University and its Internetics Program
5 Goals of Distance Education
6 Traditional Model of Instruction
7 ICWU Model of Instruction
8 ICWU Model of Instruction
9 What is ICWU?
10 Goals of ICWU
11 What is Internetics ?
12 Features and Concepts of ICWU - I
13 Features and Concepts of ICWU - II
14 Features and Concepts of ICWU - III
15 Resources Needed by ICWU
16 Responsibilities of Participating Organizations
17 Business Model of ICWU
18 Governing Organization of ICWU
19 Initial Implementation Plan for Internetics Program
20 Internetics Certificate Curriculum: K-12
21 Internetics Certificate Curriculum: Undergraduate
22 Internetics Certificate Curriculum: Graduate
23 Internetics Certificate Curriculum: Graduate Electives
24 NPAC Education Projects
25 K-12: Living SchoolBook http://lsb.syr.edu
26 Special Education http://www.pulsar.org
27 The Neat Thing in Action I
28 Undergraduate Education http://www.phy.syr.edu/courses/modsim.html
29 Graduate Education/Continuing Education http://www.npac.syr.edu/users/gcf/wisdom/help/ http://www.npac.syr.edu/projects/cps615fall96/ http://www.npac.syr.edu/education/web/
30 Industry Outreach: Syracuse Language Systems http://www.syrlang.com/
31 Educational Glossary IX
32 Traditional Approaches to Distance Learning
33 Traditional Approaches to Distance Learning
34 Traditional Approaches to Distance Learning
35 Recent Approaches to Distance Learning
36 Educational Glossary VI
37 Educational Glossary I
38 Asynchronous and Synchronous Learning
39 Recent Approaches to Distance Learning
40 Recent Approaches to Distance Learning
41 Vendors and Projects
42 Educational Glossary X
43 Virtual Classrooms: Televirtual Environment
44 TANGO Collaboratory http://www.npac.syr.edu/tango/
45 TANGO Collaboration Model
46 Role of Collaboratory Systems
47 TANGO Applications with their participants
48 Educational Glossary VIII
49 TANGO Collaboratory
50 TANGO: Highlights
51 TANGO: Highlights II
52 TANGO: Control Application
53 TANGO: application control
54 Tango Applications in Education
55 Virtual Classrooms: Electronic University Class
56 CSC499 at Jackson State
57 Architecture of JSU Distance Education
58 Next Steps in CSC499 Experiment
59 The current Capabilities of Tango -I
60 Tango Screen: Talking Heads and White Board
61 The current Capabilities of Tango -II
62 The current Capabilities of Tango -III
63 Tango Screen: Physics Applets -- Cross Product, Planets and Neural Network
64 The current Capabilities of Tango -IV
65 The TANGOsim C2 Application
66 A demo of animated objects controlled by simulation engine of Tango collaborative system - III
67 A scene from a military scenario, controlled by Simulation Engine of the TANGO Collaborative System.
68 Use of GIS/VRML on Demand in WebWisdom
69 NPAC 3D Visible Human Room in VRML2. II
70 NPAC 3D Visible Human Room in VRML2. I
71 Collection of Shared Applications (incl 3D Visible Human) in the New Tango
72 Connection with the database containing Census & Tiger/Line data.
73 Use of Video on Demand in WebWisdom
74 Video on Demand: Features
75 Search interface for video material. An end user performs a category and keyword search on available video clips.
76 Search results: a list of video clips starting with matching keywords in the close caption.
77 Close caption text associated with each clips in a Web browser.
78 Video on Demand/TANGO Integration
79 Master video client integrated with the collaborative environment.
80 Collaboratory systems: Taxonomy I
81 Collaboratory systems: Taxonomy II
82 Collaboratory systems: Taxonomy III
83 Collaboration Transparency
84 Event Broadcasting: con and pro
85 Architecture of WebWisdom Education Delivery System
86 Critical Tools and Services in WebWisdom
87 WebWisdom Design Details - I
88 Pragmatic Object Web Technology Model
89 Educational Glossary IV
90 Database Architecture for WebWisdom
91 Educational Glossary III
92 Educational Glossary V
93 What are the "Database Issues"
94 WebWisdom Design Details - II
95 WebPersuasion -- Javabean Foilsets
96 Features of a JavaBean Foilset
97 Graphics in the New Tango white Board
98 New Tango white Board in Collaborative Mode
99 WebWisdom Design Details - III
100 Educational Glossary II
101 What is an Educational Object?
102 What is a Curricula Object?
103 What are General Properties of Curricula Objects
104 Status of Tango Collaborative System
105 TANGO2 Guiding Principles
106 Where are We Now ?

Outside Index Summary of Material

HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 1 WebWisdom Collaboration Database and Web Technology for Education and Training December 27,97 -- January 6,98 Beijing and Chang Sha Hunan China

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
Geoffrey Fox
Syracuse University
NPAC
111 College Place Syracuse NY 13244 4100
3154432163
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 2 Abstract of WebWisdom Tango and Web for Education and Training for China

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
We use examples from K-12, Undergraduate, Graduate and Continuing Education including special (handicapped users) education
We consider applications which combine asynchronous and synchronous learning and combine education and training
We describe general computer based approaches to distance learning and the virtual classroom
We describe Tango Collaborative Infrastructure in the above context and review general collaboration approaches
We present an overall architecture for a fully POW based virtual learning system including Web-linked database at its heart
Can traditional universities survive this revolution or perhaps some will grow from it !?
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 3 International Distance Education Certificate in Internetics

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
A Program of the International Collaborative Web University (ICWU)
Xiaoming Li Peking University Beijing China
Geoffrey Fox NPAC, Syracuse University, Syracuse NY USA
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 4 Summary of ICWU International Collaborative Web University and its Internetics Program

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
ICWU will join 6 or more universities together in fall 98 to use distance education across the world to teach Internetics at Graduate (6 courses) and High School ( 2 courses)
  • Includes Peking, Chang Sha and Syracuse Universities
  • courses will add value to and not compete with existing curricula as typically novel material not yet available
Internetics is the study of technologies, services and applications enabling and enabled by the world wide Internet
  • such as Java, networking, security, multimedia, CORBA, electronic commerce,
Will prototype and test education technologies, infrastructure and demonstrate the feasibility of new approaches to education using International Collaboration
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 5 Goals of Distance Education

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
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Reduce cost and increase quality of curriculum and its delivery by
  • Allowing Students access to expertise not available in their own educational institution
  • Use and deliver material to more students than in a typical class so can justify greater effort in preparation
Most important in near term for remote students and new rapidly changing fields which are typically not available
In long term can impact nature of educational enterprise
Important Questions:
  • What is needed network infrastructure in terms of bandwidth and quality of service?
  • What is appropriate way of preparing material and how should it best be delivered
Answers to questions probably depends on field and student body
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 6 Traditional Model of Instruction

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
Professors
Students
Common Shared Books and Such Resources
Done separately for each class at each university
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 7 ICWU Model of Instruction

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
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Professor
Outside
Students
Common Shared Books Lecture Material
and Such Resources
Each University teaches a given class to all Students Universities divide classes up among themselves
Local Students
INTERNET
Class I is
given by
University 1)
to students
at 1,2,3)
3)
2)
1)
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 8 ICWU Model of Instruction

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
Professor
Outside
Students
Common Shared Books Lecture Material
and Such Resources
Each University teaches a given class to all Students Universities divide classes up among themselves
Local Students
INTERNET
Outside
Students
INTERNET
1)
2)
3)
Class II is
given by
University 2)
to students
at 1,2,3)
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 9 What is ICWU?

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
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Not for Profit Collaboration pioneering world wide distance education
Targeting Curricula not typically available in most Universities
  • So that "adds value" and does not compete with current academic programs
  • Curricula is novel rapidly changing material which needs inter university collaboration to develop complete academic programs
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 10 Goals of ICWU

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
1)Prototype and accelerate the Internet/Web University
2)Test and develop distributed educational objects
3)Further International cooperation
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 11 What is Internetics ?

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
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Emerging field centered on technologies services and applications enabling and enabled by world wide communication and computing grids
The contents come from Computer Communication and Information science fields but with an applied flavor so forms critical knowledge needed by many application fields such as telemedicine, electronic commerce, digital journalism and education
Students with an interdisciplinary background will be encouraged
The applied focus with many totally new and rapidly evolving technologies makes Internetics unique
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 12 Features and Concepts of ICWU - I

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
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1)Background of students -- comfortable with computers -- and includes both computer science another fields such as engineering, physics or chemistry.
2)Offered Synchronously or Asynchronously with teacher involved (i.e. not only self-study), homework, projects etc.
3)All course material (lectures and background material) on the Web
4)Maybe some course material has security restrictions
5)Commercially available books can be used and students are responsible for purchase
6)Replicated Web Servers and CD-ROMS will be available
7)Academic content and quality of courses will be monitored through online assessment and access logs on Web material.
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 13 Features and Concepts of ICWU - II

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
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8)Delivery language is English -- Does this restrict too much lecturers who can be involved?
9)Course material must satisfy some constraints so that it is compatible with delivery technology
10)All student and curricula material will be stored in a database
11)Participating Institutions -- Universities providing students, teachers, resources, mentors -- Research organizations like NPAC or NCSA/CRPC -- Industry supplying employees as Students -- sponsoring Industry for resources (equipment and funds) -- Government Agencies
12)All students must be assigned to a "participating Institution" which may be remote from student. The assigned institution is responsible for grading and mentoring. Ratio of students to mentors/graders should be quite small initially. Another constraint is on central resources and as number of students increases, central resources must increase
13)Training in tools and curricula Sessions will be offered for mentors and graders
14)Teachers can deliver lectures and/or mentor students
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 14 Features and Concepts of ICWU - III

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
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15)Mentors are responsibility of participating Universities and mentoring/grading can be done in languages other than English
16)Graders can be used
17)Broad International Range for Institutions, Teachers and Students
18)Certificates jointly signed by participating institutions
19)"Assignment of University Credit" is optional and if done, is responsibility of individual Universities and may involve tuition.
20)We will try to get high level international government endorsement/support
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 15 Resources Needed by ICWU

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
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Central (albeit distributed) Compute Servers will be supplied by selected participating institutions e.g. for homework and examples on CGI, Databases etc.
Appropriate networking is essential.
  • Eventually one expects to need the bandwidth and quality of service needed to support multimedia delivery including audio-video conferencing (roughly a minimum of 100 kilobits per second)
  • Initially minimum requirement is a internet connection allowing synchronous chat rooms, interactive access to compute servers and batch updates of replicated web servers
  • Some of initial course delivery systems will use and need higher quality links
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 16 Responsibilities of Participating Organizations

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
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Identifying agreed number of participating students
Providing agreed services (Complete timely Web ready curricula, Course Delivery, Mentoring, Grading, Compute Resources, Internet Connection)
Monitoring intellectual and technical quality of service delivery
Nominating single point of contact
Signing ICWU certificates for all successful students
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 17 Business Model of ICWU

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
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1)There will be initially no central funding mechanism (e.g. no direct tuition paid to the ICWU). Rather the participating institutions will be expected to contribute and obtain resources in an independent fashion.
2)Responsibilities and benefits should be assigned fairly among participating Institutions but the arrangements can be different in each case.
3)Participating Universities may charge their students tuition and grant University credit to successful students.
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 18 Governing Organization of ICWU

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
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1)There will be a Board of Trustees or Advisory Committee
2)There will be an Operational Council with at least one member from each participating organization, which oversees ICWU Activities
3)The operational council is responsible for ensuring quality of curricula and delivery is that expected of a leading university and they should prepare material for board of trustees to document this
4)Operational council must prepare any detailed requirements such as framework for preparing Web material
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 19 Initial Implementation Plan for Internetics Program

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
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1)Summer 98 Training and planning session
2)First Offering for Graduate is Fall 98 -- 3 courses per semester for 2 semesters
3)First Offering for K-12 is Fall 98 -- Once a week -- one course per semester
4)Participating organizations will come from China (2 or 3), Japan or other Asian country, U.K., U.S.A.
  • There will be at least 6 participating educational institutions.
  • Would like at least 1 industry sponsor.
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 20 Internetics Certificate Curriculum: K-12

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
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K-12 is Middle and High School Students
These 2 courses must be passed to obtain Certificate
  • Introduction to the Web
  • Introduction to Programming using Java (assumes no programming experience)
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 21 Internetics Certificate Curriculum: Undergraduate

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
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These 4 courses must be passed to obtain Certificate
  • Introduction to Internetics
  • Basic Web Technologies
  • Infrastructures
  • Basic Services and Applications
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 22 Internetics Certificate Curriculum: Graduate

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
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Graduate and Continuing Education have same curriculum with 4 core and 2 electives needed for certificate
Core Courses (total 4 courses)
(There will also be a "booster course" offered to students who have taken the Undergraduate certificate so they can "place out" of graduate core course)
  • Introduction to Internetics
  • Basic Web Technologies including Java
  • Infrastructures including Networking
  • Basic Services including Security, Servers, JDBC and Web-Databases
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 23 Internetics Certificate Curriculum: Graduate Electives

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
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Need to take 2 electives
Computer Science Electives
  • Advanced Technologies e.g. VRML, advanced Java
  • Advanced Services Multimedia, Collaboration
  • Distributed Objects and Components
Application Electives:
  • Education and Information Systems
  • Computation and Visualization e.g. Metacomputing, Datamining
  • Commerce
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 24 NPAC Education Projects

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
K-12: Living SchoolBook
Special Education: Interfaces and Edutainment
Undergraduate: Physics and Computer Science
Graduate: Computer Science (Syracuse/China)
Industry: Syracuse Language Systems/WebWisdom
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 25 K-12: Living SchoolBook http://lsb.syr.edu

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
Syracuse University School of Education, NYNEX, Rome Laboratory
ATM Connection to 3 schools in CNY
Web-linked Database Access to CD-Rom's (Newsbank)
Video on Demand for commercial and student/teacher material
  • Search text index from programming/closed captions
3D Interactive Journey through New York State (20 meter data with Census and hyperlinks)
  • High performance VRML view of compressed data stored in Illustra database
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 26 Special Education http://www.pulsar.org

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
Led by Warner (Medical Doctor and Computational Science Fellow) and Ed Lipson (moving from Biophysics to computational medicine)
Neattools: Interfaces from diverse sensors to PC to Java to allow affordable computer access for disabled -- Quadriplegic Eyal Sherman
SmartDesk: Java/Shockwave games/assessment tools (logged in database) for mentally retarded
Telemedicine and Home Health care applications
Commercial Spin-off: MindTel
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 27 The Neat Thing in Action I

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 28 Undergraduate Education http://www.phy.syr.edu/courses/modsim.html

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
Phy105/106 teaches science to non scientists using standard Web resources and a growing number of Java Applets
  • Kinematics, Gravity, Cross Product, Membranes -- several "collaboratized" with Tango
  • Very Popular course -- 250 students each semester
Phy 307/308 modern computational physics course and also using Java
Some resources developed by MRA with Cornell
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 29 Graduate Education/Continuing Education http://www.npac.syr.edu/users/gcf/wisdom/help/ http://www.npac.syr.edu/projects/cps615fall96/ http://www.npac.syr.edu/education/web/

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
All Computational Science, Compiler and Web courses offered through Web
WebWisdom prototype used to deliver courses built from Perl + Java + JavaScript and linked to Tango
VPL Virtual Programming Lab: HPF MPI Perl Java JavaScript Web Laboratory
Offered to China, Continuing Education and regular University
Will offer to DoD and HBCU next year
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 30 Industry Outreach: Syracuse Language Systems http://www.syrlang.com/

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
Language Connect University: uses sophisticated database core/administration module built by NPAC spin-off Translet
  • undercuts traditional Universities and aimed at corporate training
SLS leading PC foreign language teaching company (Triple Play Spanish etc.)
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 31 Educational Glossary IX

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
Education: Learning fundamental principles (such as the reasons why a language is what it is) which typically takes a long time (from years for a degree to several months for a course)
  • typically offered by non-profit organizations such as schools and universities
Training: Learning technical skills such as a computer language in a time which is usually measured in days or weeks
  • you can train HPF but educate in data-parallel languages
  • often offered by commercial companies
  • often associated with retraining workers (continuing "education")
However education and training have similar technology support issues
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 32 Traditional Approaches to Distance Learning

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
Video conferencing (room), satellite broadcast
  • Poor instructor control (none for satellite)
  • Low interaction between students and instructor
    • Limited student verification
    • classroom atmosphere does not foster student activity
  • Little multimedia interaction
  • Low content retention
    • no associated textual material, visuals not even as good as blackboard
  • Very expensive to install and maintain
    • classroom adaptations costs >$50K (actual data)
    • high network link costs
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 33 Traditional Approaches to Distance Learning

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
Desktop videoconferencing
  • Poor instructor control
    • Difficult to accommodate multiple video windows on teacher's console
    • Hence, limited student verification
  • Low content retention
    • no associated textual material
  • Little or none multimedia interaction
  • Limited to a small number of students
  • Poor quality for software-only solutions, expensive for hardware solutions
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 34 Traditional Approaches to Distance Learning

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
CD-ROM - based distance learning
  • Non-interactive
    • Interaction with computer ? Interaction with instructor
    • Without instructor, it leads to low completion rates
    • Does not support student's group interactions
    • No real-time student verification
    • Difficult effectiveness assessment, hence not suitable for certificate courses
  • Contents is expensive to develop
  • CD-ROM technology is a good add-on to Web-based training, but it isn't very useful stand-alone for DL applications
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 35 Recent Approaches to Distance Learning

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
Web-based asynchronous training
  • Shares many drawbacks of CD-ROM - based learning due to non-interactive nature
  • Adds performance problems (downloading time)
  • Advantage: courseware easier to update and develop
  • Very popular approach at many universities in USA as stationary class enhancement
    • This is probably the right model
  • The trend to call every class syllabus published to the Web "distance learning" is somewhat dangerous
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 36 Educational Glossary VI

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
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MOO: Rather controversial form of asynchronous collaboration supporting rooms and a simple "virtual world" view with often text supplying illusion of a more familiar virtual interaction space
Threaded Discussion Space: Hierarchically organized asynchronous collaboration with (text) messages from a chat room, bulletin board or mail interaction
Lotus Notes is a document database supporting asynchronous collaboration and offering a web front end. Offers a JDBC/ODBC interface and so can be viewed as a particular form of a relational database with tools to support collaboration. Has security features
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 37 Educational Glossary I

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
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Asynchronous Instruction: Students browse material independently from each other and from teacher. Communicate through generalized email such as threaded discussion lists (as in Lotus Notes) or MOO's
Synchronous Instruction: As in a classroom teacher and students interact in real-time exchanging information by audio, video and documents. Microsoft NetMeeting, NPAC Tango and NCSA Habanero implement this digitally
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 38 Asynchronous and Synchronous Learning

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
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Traditional Education "favors" synchronous style but if you use Web, it is clearly easier to chose asynchronous
  • Need to remove historical biases in learning models
Role of Teacher in synchronous Web based learning system is that of a Tour Guide to a rich (asynchronous) Web Site of material the student can return to
  • In our course at Jackson State, there is 100 megabytes of teacher delivered foils and 150 megabytes of "tutorial material" which are highlighted in synchronous classes
As well as remote "deliverer of lecture", there is a local "mentor" at JSU while in general homework can be set and graded either remotely or on site.
Basic strategy is to support simultaneously asynchronous and synchronous learning
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 39 Recent Approaches to Distance Learning

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
Client-server desktop learning systems
  • correctly recognize that mix of technologies is necessary to effectively support distance learning
  • support interactivity
    • synchronous communication tools
    • dynamic floor control
  • support access to rich multimedia resources
  • enable verification and assessment
    • interactive quizzes
  • support multiple authoring systems
  • But: platform-specific, require installation and maintenance, not customer-extensible, expensive
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 40 Recent Approaches to Distance Learning

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
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Web-based synchronous learning systems
  • Offer all advantages of the client-based learning systems
  • Fused with Web fabrics, extend browser functionality
  • Implemented in Java/Javascript, hence entirely open and programmable
  • Downloadable software with zero maintenance
  • Courseware repository is Web hence self-paced asynchronous training mode is automatically supported
  • Offer security via digital signatures and encryption as Internet commerce software
  • Web standards allow support for arbitrarily distributed contents and SW tools to avoid performance problems
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 41 Vendors and Projects

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
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Client-server systems:
  • LearnLinc from Interactive Learning Int. Corp. - www.ilinc.com - fully featured DL system
Web-based systems:
  • Symphony from Centra - www.centra.com - fully featured DL system, Java
  • Itinerary from Contigo - www.contigo.com - more a presentation package, Java
  • TANGO Interactive from NPAC, SU - tango.npac.syr.edu - fully featured DL system, Java
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 42 Educational Glossary X

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
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Computer Aided Instruction: typically an asynchronous learning tool -- originally CDROM based -- but often now based on multimedia web presentations.
  • Has typically not been successful in education
Flight Simulators: High end Computer aided instruction used in general to train defense and industry workers in particular difficult tasks.
  • Creates a virtual world and closely related to gaming technology
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 43 Virtual Classrooms: Televirtual Environment

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
This generalized "flight simulator" and MOO's and constructs an electronic virtual environment which emulates some optimal learning space
Could use distributed simulation technology and involves multiple individuals (avatars)
The technology of simple virtual classroom could also be used as part of this
Builds on gaming industry and could involve high performance computing to support multiple virtual participants in complex world
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 44 TANGO Collaboratory http://www.npac.syr.edu/tango/

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
Java collaboration system built for command and control but being customized for education
Videoconferencing, Whiteboard, Chat system, Video-on-demand, shared browser
supports C++, Java, JavaScript applications
3D GIS (C++), Phy105 simulations (Java), WebWisdom (JavaScript) foil delivery linked
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 45 TANGO Collaboration Model

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
TANGO supports client side electronic societies of people, instruments and their applications.
TANGO links these to a network of Java Servers which manage TANGO sessions and interfaces them to the world wide Server Infrastructure that underlies our model of Web applications
  • TANGO does not directly manage world wide servers
Electronic societies or groups are managed by core database in TANGO
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 46 Role of Collaboratory Systems

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
Systems like Tango or Habanero built around Java Servers integrate a group of multiple clients as a "Service" at the middle Java Server level
Group of collaborating clients
and client applications
Database
Object Broker
MPP
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 47 TANGO Applications with their participants

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
Crisis Management and Command and Control or more generally distributed (tactical) real-time decision support -- decision makers and gatherers of information
Forums and Chattering on the Web -- the world!
Education -- teachers and students (and administrators)
(Tele)medicine -- Doctors (primary and specialist referrals), Nurses, Patients and administrators
Business Enterprise (strategic) Support as in Lotus Notes -- Employees of Business including especially managers
Multidisciplinary Applications including Collaborative design -- teams of up to 10,000 engineers
Computational Steering -- one or more computational scientist and visualization device
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 48 Educational Glossary VIII

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
Habanero from NCSA supports elegantly synchronous sharing of Java objects allowing multiple clients replicated views of arbitrary Java objects. Runs as a Java application and cannot be integrated with major browsers except HotJava
  • Sharing same as collaboration
Tango from NPAC is a Web browser based synchronous collaboration system allowing objects to be in any language including Java, VRML, JavaScript, C++
  • User must supply events to be shared through well defined API's
  • Needs a plugin for Netscape3 but uses signed Applets and no plugins for IE4 and Netscape4
Habanero and Tango both support event sharing model
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 49 TANGO Collaboratory

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
TANGO is a software framework supporting computer-based communication and collaboration
  • Initial design and implementation for Command and Control under a DoD contract
  • Runs in Web environment and uses standard Web technologies
  • Allows for implementation of arbitrary collaboratory applications (examples will follow)
  • Multiplatform run-time and multi-language API
    • UNIX/Windows; Java (applet or application), C, C++, JavaScript, VRML2
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 50 TANGO: Highlights

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
Technically, TANGO is a distributed system based on event broadcasting
  • TANGO does not implement collaborative transparency, although current design allows for it for certain applications
Core system is implemented in Java and as a browser plug-in
Base programming module is a Java applet
  • however, other shared entities supported as well, including Java, C/C++ applications, and JavaScript/VRML 2 modules
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 51 TANGO: Highlights II

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
Global architecture is a mesh of servers
  • migration via hand-off mechanism (work in progress)
Session metaphor is a meeting room with tools
  • a more flexible "application session" model has been shown indigestible for many early users
Asynchronous collaboration is (will be) enabled via session recording to database backend
TANGO modules can be downloaded from anywhere
  • can interact via a server at arbitrary location
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 52 TANGO: Control Application

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
Application select
buttons
Application
Domains
Open/close and
floor control
Session
information
User information
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 53 TANGO: application control

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
TANGO session, sync, and
floor control buttons built
into the application control
panel.
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 54 Tango Applications in Education

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 55 Virtual Classrooms: Electronic University Class

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
We deliver class from a central site to several different places linked by pervasive Web Technology
  • Synchronous (delivery) plus asynchronous (self study and homework) collaboration technology improves current class experience as material better
  • As preparation leveraged over more students
  • Local people become mentors and this is text book model of today applied to delivery and preparation of lectures and homework
  • Students sits in front of individual or shared computer screen
  • Is central site a new or traditional type of entity (the individual "independent" Professor, a commercial company or a University?)
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 56 CSC499 at Jackson State

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
Taught using current Tango/WebWisdom over Internet (now DREN via CEWES) every Tuesday and Thursday from Syracuse
  • Course material based on Syracuse Senior Undergraduate class ECS406
Jackson State major HBC University with many computer science graduates
Can now offer addon-on courses with "leading edge" material (Web Technology) which give JSU graduates skills that are important in their career
  • Job fair employers liked Java Programming!
Needs guaranteed 30 (audio) to 100 (two way) kilobits per second bandwidth assuming course material mirrored at JSU
  • Can be offered using CD-ROM's to homes with audio only link and 28.8 kbaud modem
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 57 Architecture of JSU Distance Education

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
NPAC Web Server
JSU Web Server
JSU Tango Server
...
Audio Video Conferencing Chat Rooms etc.
Teacher's View of Curriculum Page
Student's View of Curriculum Page
JavaScript
JavaScript and Perl
TANGO Server Client Chat etc. Java
NPAC CGI Server
Log of Access to Curriculum Pages
Perl
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 58 Next Steps in CSC499 Experiment

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
There are many universities/schools where such "augmentation would be valuable
  • http://www.webwisdom.org happy to offer such courses
Experience with teaching in China suggests huge demand in foreign universities where faculty less up to date in latest material
Will repeat course at JSU next semester with improved curricula and hopefully improved bandwidth
Hope to produce a grade 7-12 version of Web Technologies for kids offered in depth of this winter in Syracuse
Note base material used in about 20 different courses/tutorials over last 2 years
  • This approach has obvious economies of scale
  • material updated continuously (e.g. Java1.0 to 1.1) which requires such economies to be realistic
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 59 The current Capabilities of Tango -I

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
Tango supports (more than) enough (over 40) applications and our next step is to evaluate, improve and make robust release
Core Collaboration Capabilities
  • Audio-Video Conferencing multicast between room participants
  • Text chat rooms with various trade offs between "coolness", ease of use etc.
  • Shared Browser (Synchronized view of Web Pages)
  • Shared Web Search (becomes shared database query)
  • Slide Show
  • White Board
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 60 Tango Screen: Talking Heads and White Board

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
From Tango - A Java/WWW-Based Internet Collaborative Software System part of NPAC Overview May 1997
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 61 The current Capabilities of Tango -II

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
Office and Authoring Tools
  • PowerPoint via shared display or shared Java viewer
  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Word
  • shared visual C++ etc.
  • Combined Whiteboard/ Java object based PowerPoint like authoring system
  • Shared emacs editor
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 62 The current Capabilities of Tango -III

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
General Virtual University Applications
  • Current WebWisdom hierarchical systems navigating through 20,000 foils and 500 foilsets
  • "Raise Hands" Applet to help teacher-student synchronous interaction
Special Virtual University Applications
  • Shared Java applets to teach physics (spring, planets, vector cross product)
  • Shared Java Applets used to teach Java!
  • Shared SmartDesk system aimed at activities useful in special education with built in assessment
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 63 Tango Screen: Physics Applets -- Cross Product, Planets and Neural Network

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
From Tango - A Java/WWW-Based Internet Collaborative Software System part of NPAC Overview May 1997
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 64 The current Capabilities of Tango -IV

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
Have some fun with Multi-player games
  • VRML Chess
  • Tetris
  • Othello (Java)
  • Rubric's Cube (Java)
  • Should develop snakes and ladders and bunch of similar "grid" games
"Other" Applications
  • TANGOsim command and control system with shared tools (e.g. mapping, weather) to use in scripted crisis management
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 65 The TANGOsim C2 Application

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
TANGO Java
Collaboratory
Server
HTTP
Server
MultiMedia Mail
C2 Commander
Chat
VTC
Event Driven
Simulation
Engine
C2 Radar Officer
3D GIS
Scripting
Language
C2 Weather Officer
Message Routing
SW/Data Distrib.
Other
Collaborators
MultiMedia Mail
Chat
Simulation
Engine Controller
All Clients
Typical Clients
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 66 A demo of animated objects controlled by simulation engine of Tango collaborative system - III

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
From Tango Project for CEWES Collaborative Tool Meeting
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 67 A scene from a military scenario, controlled by Simulation Engine of the TANGO Collaborative System.

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
The green plane, possibly carrying chemical weapon, is being intercepted over Long Island.
From Geographic Information System part of NPAC Overview May 1997
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 68 Use of GIS/VRML on Demand in WebWisdom

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
VRML has been motivated by virtual environments which may be very important
  • e.g. Build a realistic school in VRML
However one focussed application is to "virtual field-trip" in our K-12 Living SchoolBook where we have a VRML front end to 3D GIS (Geographical Information System).
  • Preset map, image and USGS (TIGER) data and additional material from teachers
Can also use VRML to display results of 3D simulations such as weather predictions
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 69 NPAC 3D Visible Human Room in VRML2. II

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
http://www.npac.syr.edu/projects/3Dvisiblehuman/VRML/VRML2.0/
From 3D Visualization of Visible Human part of NPAC Overview May 1997
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 70 NPAC 3D Visible Human Room in VRML2. I

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
http://www.npac.syr.edu/projects/3Dvisiblehuman/VRML/VRML2.0/
From 3D Visualization of Visible Human part of NPAC Overview May 1997
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 71 Collection of Shared Applications (incl 3D Visible Human) in the New Tango

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
Latest Tango Capabilities June 97
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 72 Connection with the database containing Census & Tiger/Line data.

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
Statistical and demographical information for a particular location is displayed on the right.
From Geographic Information System part of NPAC Overview May 1997
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 73 Use of Video on Demand in WebWisdom

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
Video as used in teaching is typically not complete 90 minute movies but short focussed segments of a few minutes
So text indexed NPAC technology very appropriate in education
  • Note H263(ISDN performance) or MPEG(LAN (Ethernet) performance) data stored in flat files
  • All metadata including closed caption or text indices stored in Web linked Oracle database
  • closed captions read automatically at same time as decoding
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 74 Video on Demand: Features

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
A complete, end-to-end system for
  • video delivery over local area networks
  • video contents marketing over Internet
Modular system supporting following functionality:
  • video digitization and compression to high (MPEG1) and low (H.263/GSM) rate formats
  • contents indexing and asset management via relational database backend
  • video server, codec independent and distributed
  • software and hardware supported intelligent multi-codec video clients
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 75 Search interface for video material. An end user performs a category and keyword search on available video clips.

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
From Video-on-Demand in NPAC Overview May 1997
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 76 Search results: a list of video clips starting with matching keywords in the close caption.

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
The end user can choose a movie and request to start playback from any position in the movie related to the keyword.
From Video-on-Demand in NPAC Overview May 1997
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 77 Close caption text associated with each clips in a Web browser.

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
Links on the HTML page initiate seeking to a particular position in the movie.
The Video Client displays ActiveMovie OLE control with a video window (right lower corner).
ActiveMovie Control Properties window provides an extended interface to the Video Client (right upper corner).
From Video-on-Demand in NPAC Overview May 1997
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 78 Video on Demand/TANGO Integration

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
Master-slave video client architecture
  • Master client for the teacher
    • has all capabilities of the stand-alone video client, including random access capability
    • uses unicast for server access
    • forwards video streams to a multicast address
  • Slave client for students/general audience
    • start/stop capability only
    • session control via TANGO session manager (more secure than standard MBONE)
No need for separate on-demand and broadcast video servers
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 79 Master video client integrated with the collaborative environment.

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
Session control for slave clients is provided by TANGO.
From Video-on-Demand in NPAC Overview May 1997
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 80 Collaboratory systems: Taxonomy I

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
Basic architectures
  • Shared display: single instance of application, user input & display replicated via conference agent
    • Entire functionality of application is shared
    • Examples: Shared X (HP), NetMeeting (MS), ProShare (Intel), ShowMe (Sun), Timbuktu (Farallon)
    • Advantages: simple to implement
    • Disadvantages:
      • functional: simplistic, inflexible, awkward session control model, insecure (no data access control), no support for asynchronous collaboration, race condition problems
      • performance: generate heavy data traffic, unacceptable on WANs
      • incompatible with Web programming model assuming local intelligence
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 81 Collaboratory systems: Taxonomy II

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
Basic architectures
  • Event broadcasting: each workstation runs its own copy of application.
    • (A) Virtual instance: all events shared (collaboration transparency)
    • (B) Independent data views: some events shared
    • Examples: Habanero (NCSA - B), Java Collab. Toolset (Old Dominion - A ), ProMondia (Univ. of Nuremberg - B), UARC (Univ. of Michigan - B), TANGO (NPAC - B)
    • Disadvantages: new category of SW, difficult to implement
    • Advantages: infinitely flexible and adaptable, generates little network traffic, perfectly fit Web/Java paradigm, can implement security, can support asynchronous collaboration....
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 82 Collaboratory systems: Taxonomy III

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
Evolution of chat servers in a collaboratory
  • Chat servers multiply and offer 1D, 2D and even 3D interfaces:
    • Comic Chat (MS - 2D), Passport (BlackSun - 3D), Traveler (OnLive - 3D), The Palace (2D), MOO's .........
  • While technically similar, these products are geared towards creation of sophisticated and unproven rather than towards increasing functionality of a collaboratory
    • Collaboratory paradigm easily breaks when combined with orthodox cyberspace visualization paradigm
      • two avatars reading a Word document on a screen of the virtual computer rendered in VRML browser???
    • Conclusion: evolving chat servers are not key today to a collaboratory!
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 83 Collaboration Transparency

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
Concept: design a system that allows using an application designed for a single individual to be used by a group of people without changing anything in the application
  • Shared display applications implement collaboration transparency
Proposed extension of the paradigm to the event broadcasting architectures (Old Dominions' JCT, Virginia Tech's JAMM)
  • technical approach: modification of the Java AWT to distribute events
  • our evaluation: we support event distribution model, but consider collaboration transparency an unrealistic model.
  • Rather we modify applications to distribute events
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 84 Event Broadcasting: con and pro

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
Sharing possible only if applications deterministic
  • applications ARE deterministic or can be made so
Copies of applications must be present everywhere
  • but they are, being applets or downloaded via a push channel
Environments must be identical
  • Java VM takes care about this
Initial state of a newcomer impossible to define
  • not so for good OO design and object serialization mechanism
Cannot maintain consistency among copies
  • Difficult but not Impossible. Variety of sync mechanisms available
The pros win! Web model enables event broadcasting!
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 85 Architecture of WebWisdom Education Delivery System

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 86 Critical Tools and Services in WebWisdom

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
Database query and access including indexed video clips
Delivery including specialized VRML, GIS (virtual worlds), Simulations as well as classic HTML
Collaboration or sharing of interactive objects
User interfaces for disabled individuals
Security for proprietary material and personal information
Quality of Service based on replication and bandwidth trade-offs
  • Asynchronous has less demands than synchronous
Conversion and Integration of Legacy material
Authoring (object creation) tools
Assessment Administration and Logging Tools
Specialized services such as programming laboratories
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 87 WebWisdom Design Details - I

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
The layered design includes a secure database at its core on top of which are built a set of services including
  • audio and video servers; basic Web servers and a
  • collaboration subsystem which is heart of both asynchronous and synchronous delivery.
  • This has a set of basic collaboration capabilities including chat, audio-videoconferencing, whiteboard and shared applications.
The communication system supports the worldwide delivery and includes support for distributed databases to get high performance with for instance core courseware replicated on delivery machines with CD-ROM's or other such mechanisms.
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 88 Pragmatic Object Web Technology Model

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
The current incoherent but highly creative Web will merge with distributed object technology in a multi-tier client-server-service architecture with Java based combined Web-ORB's
COM(Microsoft) and CORBA(world) are competing cross platform and language object technologies
  • Javabeans plus RMI is 100% Java distributed object technology
Need to abstract entities (Web Pages, simulations) and services as objects with methods(interfaces)
How do we do this while infrastructure still being designed!
One can anticipate this by building systems in terms of Javabeans e.g. develop Web-based databases with Javabeans using standard JDBC (Java Database Connectivity) interfaces
Design and Use Java Framework for Computing which will become a "CORBA facility"
  • Do not sacrifice significant performance!
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 89 Educational Glossary IV

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
Database Backend: used to store educational objects -- curricula, grades, quizzes; personal data (students and teachers); assessment logs; multimedia records of classes
Web-linked database: A database used with a Web client front end. This can use various technologies:
  • Perl CGI Scripts such as oraperl for Oracle
  • Template based Web front-ends such as Cold Fusion
  • Specialized solutions such as Oracle Web Server and Lotus Notes
  • Good but out-dated solutions such as PL/SQL generating HTML from Oracle database
  • General JDBC Java or Javabean (componentware) modules
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 90 Database Architecture for WebWisdom

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
Data Defining Content of Curricula Pages
Server side
Java(JDBC) or
LiveWire
Templates Defining How educational data stored in Pages
Web Server
Conventional but Dynamic HTML Pages
Web Browser
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 91 Educational Glossary III

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
Server-Side Dynamic HTML: HTML generated from a database and so page contents depend dynamically on values of current user or administrator (teacher) set parameters
Client-Side Dynamic HTML: HTML includes JavaScript and so exhibiting dynamic behavior depending on client side actions. Typically generated from back-end static pages but no reason why JavaScript enabled pages cannot be generated from a database
JavaScript: Interpreted language which is embedded in HTML or used server-side in Netscape servers as LiveWire. JavaScript is Java-like but less powerful but often faster both in execution and for developer as fully interpreted and integrated into client or server -- Not certain if MicroSoft and Netscape will agree on language
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 92 Educational Glossary V

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
Audio or Video over Foils: Multimedia clips are attached to individuals pages of a presentation. These are either recorded from "teacher in action" or in more formal but perhaps less spontaneous studio presentations.
  • Can play in carousel mode (all foils one after another) or individually
  • Can have multimedia file drive documents or vice-versa or both ways.
  • Multimedia data also stored in database although typically store pointers to flat files
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 93 What are the "Database Issues"

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
The containers needed in WebWisdom are characterized by classic library metadata (author, institution, licensing, Date, Title, Abstract, parent and children containers etc.)
The people have two classes of data attached to them
  • "Personal Information" Such as Name and SSN
  • "Performance Information" such as grades gotten and courses taken
IMS and ADL have good initial start on this.
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 94 WebWisdom Design Details - II

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
The top layer of WebWisdom consists of education and training specific capabilities, which customize and extend the generic middle-layer services.
  • Note assessment relies on database at heart of WebWisdom, which logs synchronous delivery of curricula and records interaction of students with courseware and tools.
  • Authoring and Editing includes audio, video, and Java applet based animations as well as basic text (HTML) material.
    • The latter includes a web presentation system with capabilities similar to PowerPoint and Persuasion but generating directly HTML in a form suitable for presentation.
  • Conversion of Legacy systems includes putting Persuasion Framemaker PowerPoint etc. on the Web.
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 95 WebPersuasion -- Javabean Foilsets

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
Although we have 384 foilsets imported to the Web -- this is not the correct way of doing it!
  • Microsoft's Word/Powerpoint Internet assistants are just temporary fixes as is my analogous Persuasion system!
Originally we thought a "Web Foil" is an enhanced HTML and we built a prototype using HotJava
However now believe this is not powerful and correct Web implementation of "foils" is a JavaBean stored as a serialized Java Object
  • Base on a powerful WhiteBoard built for next release of Tango
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 96 Features of a JavaBean Foilset

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
Start with a full drawing program supporting "art" and importing of images where basic entities are Java objects
Start with system integrated with Tango
Basic Unit is a "foil" -- typically NOT scrolled (but supporting this)
Foils are arranged into foilsets dynamically as in current WebWisdom and allow notes(addons) etc.
Import existing PowerPoint/Persuasion from "outline" text with automatic font size scaling
  • Note current WebWisdom records whether image has significant information not carried in text
Allow user to add highlighting and images "cut" from original screendump of PC foil
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 97 Graphics in the New Tango white Board

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
Latest Tango Capabilities June 97
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 98 New Tango white Board in Collaborative Mode

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
Latest Tango Capabilities June 97
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 99 WebWisdom Design Details - III

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
The delivery system is based on customized shared browser windows for curricula together with more generic collaboration capabilities e.g. audio-videoconferencing is used by students and teachers for traditional voice interactions.
  • The collaboration subsystem must support multiple rooms and many groups of users.
We believe that impressive demonstrations of all the above capabilities have already been prototyped and one can now build such a system.
  • Note that as always in the rapidly changing web field it is critical to build systems in as modular fashion as possible and with the loosest (not tightest) relevant coupling.
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 100 Educational Glossary II

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
Distributed Educational Object: Unit of Instruction which can be re-used and addressed using either Web or CORBA model of distributed objects
  • Could be a Web page in HTML, Java, VRML or larger or smaller granularity
  • Natural size is a "screenful" which can be aggregated
"Metadata": Aspects of educational objects which are inherited from their view as documents
  • Author, Version, Abstract etc.
  • Naturally arranged hierarchically from foil,foilset,course,curricula, department,University, Country ...
Educational Object properties: are those properties specific to its educational use and would differ between computer science and physics
  • "Programming Laboratory features"; Java simulations of Physics etc.
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 101 What is an Educational Object?

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
We have a set of containers -- courses, training modules, degree programs, lectures, online Universities ....
We have a set of base curricula entities
  • This can be defined at various level of granularities. It is probably useful to optimize around a base unit that is a "blackboard full" or "screenfull"
  • This base unit is aggregated into hierarchical containers
  • It is itself made up of smaller objects
There are a set of people (students, teachers, administrators) with properties
There are relationships such as courses taken and grades gotten by students
There are a set of Services and Tools manipulating objects
See Advanced Distributed Learning Initiative (http://www.imsproject.org/adl)
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 102 What is a Curricula Object?

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
HTML Page; PowerPoint presentation; Task in Virtual World as in flight simulation training; Sample Programming examples; Sample Physics Simulations; Voice recordings in foreign language training; Digital Video clip .......
These are "classes not "objects" as for instance a given HTML Page can be used in multiple containers (courses) and have different attributes in each case
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 103 What are General Properties of Curricula Objects

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
Each object has contents which could be embedded document types such as images, bullets ..
Each object has a "Next" and "Previous" object inherited from container
There would be for each display of object, an "up/down" state representing where (e.g. which bullet) teacher or student is
One would attach to object, the audio/video clip of teacher presenting it
There would be as in PowerPoint, "notes" attached to object
Licensing information
There would be log events attached to object used in assessment as well grades and grading method.
Particular curricula objects would inherit general properties but also have special properties which would be different for an HTML page and Physics Simulation Java Applet
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 104 Status of Tango Collaborative System

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
It must be competitive with best available collaborative tools and so its multi-language interface allows us to interface to other systems with Tango supplying Integrated Session Control
  • e.g. interfaces to Microsoft NetMeeting
Basic model is that of a room which is a group of people getting together for a class
  • Tango2 (April98) will support a very powerful persistent multi-room paradigm
Each room supports a collection of shared objects chosen by teacher/students/administrator
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 105 TANGO2 Guiding Principles

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
"Buy a place at the table" with a core system that is competitive with other commercial and academic systems
Then focus on specific TANGO features to support selected applications
  • Education and Training
  • Medicine (through New York State Industry Outreach)
  • Manufacturing/Multidisciplinary applications (discussed here but no funded activity)
HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 8 January 98

Foil 106 Where are We Now ?

From General NPAC Foils-B starting June97(PowerPoint) Beijing and Chang Sha China -- 28 Dec 97 to 5 Jan 98. *
Full HTML Index
Tango and WebWisdom delivery/storage system essentially work and have "proven" (to me) value of integration of synchronous and asynchronous systems
  • Need many more experiments!
But they do not have correct implementation for object web vision and have not implemented fully correct database and metadata standards
For instance need replace Perl CGI scripts with JDBC interface to commercial database
Need to take critical parts of Tango and make more robust and compatible with all browsers
Some services such as assessment need a lot of work
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Page produced by wwwfoil on Sat Jan 10 1998