What is Interactive Distance Learning:
Interactive Distance Learning (IDL) is a term used to describe an interactive educational video network that connects two or more locations, eliminating the barriers of concrete walls, time and distance. These shared video environments are fully interactive with everyone seeing and hearing each other live. Instead of face to face instruction like a traditional classroom, students and teachers see each other on large monitors or on a large screen with a projected image. These video classrooms are equipped with state-of-the-art teaching tools such as laptops, document cameras (ELMO), student response systems, VCR/DVD players, video compression units, and interactive whiteboards.

Distance education usually has one content delivery site with a teacher and their own students plus one or more additional receive sites where there will only be students and a Para educator. To make this instruction most beneficial to the students and teacher, each classroom usually have a lower number of students. The idea is not to see how many students can be instructed, but to deliver the best content in the most manage way.

 

Listen to our IDL Podcasts:	Articles and News Reports about our Program
	Wichita School News - November 2007 - [click here] KSN News - October 2007 - [click here] Urban Educator - October 2007 - page 9 - [click here] Wichita Public Schools Tech Focus - August 2007 -[click here] Urban Educator - March 2007 - page 7 - [click here] USD 259 Express Online - January 2007 - [click here]

                             
       

Basic Equipment of an IDL:
(the equipment below varies between a set-top units and full-mesh systems)

Codec- The codec is a small device that simply codes and decodes the signal from each IDL site. It works much like a modem does with a computer, where it converts an analog signal into a digital signal and vice versa.
Computer- Our districts IDL classrooms are PC based. This means that the large full-mesh units run on a Windows platform. This is basically the control center for the system that runs behind the scenes. In order for the instructor to run applications for instruction, each system has an external interface so that the a laptop can be connected.
Document Camera (ELMO)- The document camera is a vital part of the full-mesh IDL classroom. This device allows the instructor to transmit pictures of printed text (paper documents), objects, traditional overheads.
Keyboard and Mouse- The keyboard and the mouse are the navigational tools that allow the instructor to navigate and controlling the system.
Microphones- Both the full-mesh and set-top units require noise-canceling microphones. These devices help in the clarity of communication between sites. They are specially designed to eliminate echoing and feedback when conversations are taking place.
Presentation Station/Mobile Cart- Whether it is a full-mesh system or a set-top unit, each one requires unique furniture. The furniture that each of these units sits on serves three purposes. The first one is to provide security for the specialized equipment. The second purpose is to serve as a presentation station for the instructor, allowing them to connect to each system and present to their audience. The final purpose for the furniture is to give each unit some mobility.
Projectors- In order to make the systems totally interactive projectors are used to display participants from all sites and to allow the instructor to present material and maintain virtual presence with all sites.
Remote Control/Touch Screens- Every set-top unit has a infrared remote control which is multifunctional. Not only does it control the camera, but it also allows the units do dial out to other sites and switch to a document camera and VCR/DVD player. The full-mesh systems are equipped with touch screen units which give the instructor the same control as the set-top units, and more. Not only can the instructor control the student cameras in their own classroom, but they can also control the cameras in the connected sites.
Student and Teacher Camera- Classrooms using the set-top unit have one camera that sits in the front of the room. This camera allows the connected site to see the classroom. The full-mesh classroom usually contains two cameras, a student camera and a teacher camera.
Video Compression Unit- The video compression unit is only found on the full-mesh systems. This unit allows instruction to be recorded and achieved for future use.
VCR/DVD Player- In order to give the full-mesh classroom the full multimedia capabilities, each one contain and VCR/DVD player. This allows the instructor to share additional enrichment materials with all sites.


Benefits and Advantages of IDL:

• Allows a connection with external resources and experts- Students will be able to receive instruction at their local schools that will enhance and enrich their current curriculum and join them to a greater community of learners. experts can help validate understanding, provide feedback, and introduce practical examples. This real-world connection can greatly improve motivation, especially if students participate and the expert interacts at an appropriate level. Over-all, with the use of IDL, USD 259 can establish an alliance between higher education and K-12 participants.
• IDL is Synchronous and Asynchronous- It can be tailored to the needs of the instructor and students. Content can be delivered live, or achieved for use in the future. This course content can even be exported for use with video iPods
• Interactive distance learning can take on customizable forms. It can be Permanent, Mobile and Semi Mobile- Now units can be small enough to be put on mobile carts so all classrooms be experience IDL. The Semi- Mobil carts, which are designed to used in classrooms for a year and then if needed, moved to a different location.
•  IDL can replace traditional field trips- As funding and student safety issue continue to arise in our schools, the traditional field trip can be replace with virtual field trips with the use of IDL.
• Allows a visual and audio connection among participants- Within time, the technology piece is forgotten and will become invisible. Participants and they will feel as if they are in the same room or just next door
• Addresses the needs and learning styles of the 21st Century Learner-
• Helps facilitates collaboration and feedback-
• Can help provide ongoing, real time professional development for the district-IDL can help provide ongoing, real time professional development for the district- With the use of interactive distance learning, districts can offer teachers professional development opportunities that maybe were not possible before.
• Expand Curriculum- Districts can bring in content that they themselves could not offer. Examples- Micro-biology courses, Language courses

IDL Management:

In order to make IDL truly interactive and meet the needs of both the teacher and the student, a on-line support/ web-centric approach is needed. An on-line support approach shifts to the World Wide Web as the center for interaction between the instructor and the student. It uses items like class web pages or a Blackboard site to help enrich and support the content for each course. These sites should contain the course syllabus containing goals and objectives, documents such as hand-outs and homework, structured student activities and daily assignments, video and audio content from previous classes, and traditional resources. To make IDL courses even more personable, instructors should use the interactive capabilities of the Internet (Web 2.0 Tools) such as e-mail, Wikis, Blogs and chat rooms to facilitate student-to-student and instructor-to-student communication and interaction. Instructors who use Web-centric courses create course Web sites or Blackboard courses where course information and announcements reside for easy access by students during or after school hours.

Current Full Mesh Sites:

• North High School
• Southeast High School
• South High School
• West High School

Current Set Top Sites:

• East High School
• Heights High School
• Northeast Magnet High School
• Northwest High School
• Gordon Park Academy (K-8)
• Hadley Middle School
• Jardine Middle School
• Cessna Elementary School
• L'Ouverture Elementary
• Price- Harris Elementary
• AMAC - Conference Room 410
• ISC - Presentation Cart

For more information, please contact Brad Niessen at 973-4743 or at bniessen@usd259.net