VideoConferencing Insight Newsletter


The Welsh Video Network (WVN) set to expand by establishing videoconferencing studios in all higher education institutions; JANET(UK) and Direct Visual win the £2.2 million supply contract - 2. 31 January 2008.
	31 January 2008. The Welsh Video Network (or WVN) started as a network of the 34 Universities and Colleges that exist in Wales. The first WVN videoconferencing rollout was in 2000, and was based on the PictureTel IPower system (now supported by Polycom). Later the Polycom the VSX8000 was supplied, writes Glen Sykes of Direct Visual. The WVN is operated and ... (read article)



The Welsh Video Network (WVN) is to expand by establishing videoconferencing studios in all higher education institutions; JANET(UK) and Direct Visual win the £2.2 million supply contract - 1. 31 January 2008.
	31 January 2008. The largest contract for a videoconferencing installation in Europe, to expand and enhance The Welsh Video Network (WVN), has been won by JANET(UK) and systems integrator Direct Visual based in Yorkshire, UK. It is the largest UK project involving collaboration between the Higher and Further Education sectors. The picture shows: Dr Bob Day, CTO, JANET(UK) and M... (read article)



In the UK, Polycom encourage young musicians to share their musical talents via videoconferencing and helps the UK National Space Centr educate pupils in schools by videoconference. 9 January 2008.
	9 January 2008. Polycom joined forces with Athena on a programme called Rock IT to encourage young musicians to share their musical talents via video-conferencing and online music forums/blogs in the UK. Rock IT is a national competition in its fifth year open to all secondary schools that enables student rock bands to truly show their passion for their music to judges... (read article)



The Global Run project organised by Jody Kennedy of Eastview Middle School, White Plains, New York has been endorsed by the United Nations as a useful way to create awareness of and contribute to The United Nations Millennium Development Goals. 10 December 2007.
	Posted 10 December 2007. The Global Run project organised by Jody Kennedy of Eastview Middle School, White Plains, New York has been enthusiastically described in a United Nations publication: “Shaping Global Citizens, The United Nations Millennium Development Goals in Action:Targeting Hunger”. This appeared as a Newspaper-in-Education Supplement to The Journal News of... (read article)



The World's largest videoconference in 2007 - Megaconference IX - took place for 12 hours on 8 November 2007; it connected students schools and universities in 12 countries around the world. 12 Novembe 2007.
	Posted 12 Novembe 2007. Megaconference is an annual global event designed to connect people everywhere on Earth, to further the use of videoconferencing in education and research and promote advances in videoconferencing technology. It lasts for 12 hours and countries in different time zones participate at a time convenient for them. For details visit: (read article)



Students are participating in a daily Mandarin Chinese class by videoconference. They do not have to leave the school building even though their school has no Chinese instructor of its own. 22 October 2007
	Posted 22 October 2007. In Franklin County, central Ohio, students are participating in a distance learning Mandarin Chinese class offered by the Catholic schools of the Diocese of Columbus. They do not have to leave the school building even though their school has no Chinese instructor of its own. The opportunity is being made possible through a $1.2 million, 3-year g... (read article)



Roy C. Ketcham (RCK) High School,a public secondary school located in Wappingers Falls, New York twins with Yali Middle School in Hunan China for students to enjoy a cultural exchange. 28 September 2007.
	28 September 2007. To build a world at peace, there is a need to create international understanding at a young age. Last week 22 students from Yali Middle School in China visited their American counterparts at Roy C. Ketcham High School as part of a cultural exchange. The Chinese and American students have been in communication since last year, throu... (read article)



Polycom and TWICE launch a Networking Directory for Educators using Video Conferencing; it is is the missing link that will bring more content to many classrooms around the world. 19 September 2007.
	19 September 2007. Polycom, Inc. and Two Way Interactive Connections in Education (TWICE), Michigan's organization for videoconferencing in education have alaunched “Polycom Collaborations Around The Planet”(PCATP), a global collaboration tool and resource for educators. PCATP is a free collaboration tool available to video conferencing educators in the classroom, train... (read article)



In Antigua and Barbuda, mobile information technology classrooms launched by Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer bring computer, Internet and VC access to the students of all public schools. 17 September 2007.
	17 September 2007. The students of every public school in Antigua and Barbuda now have computer and internet access thanks to a three-unit fleet of mobile information technology (IT) classrooms launched on 16 September by Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer. He said that he expects the initiative to be expanded in the near future to offer services to private schools. The fir... (read article)



One Stop Richmond Hill Community Center believes the best way for their New York City elementary school students to learn subjects is with virtual field trips for which they are well prepared. 10 September 2007.
	Posted 10 September 2007. The educators at the One Stop Richmond Hill Community Center believe the best way for their New York City elementary school students to learn subjects like environmental and space science is by experiencing the lessons first hand from subject matter experts. These specialists in their fields teach students by engaging them in live demonstrations and qu... (read article)



Governor Rendell of Pennsylvania announces that 255 additional schools will get 'Classrooms for the Future' in which students use laptops and other hi tech tools like videoconferencing
	30 August 2007. Governor Edward G. Rendell today said 255 more high schools will benefit from Pennsylvania's innovative Classrooms for the Future technology initiative this school year, bringing the total number of participating high schools to 358. The expansion of the program means high school students in 303 of the state's 501 school districts will be able to begin u... (read article)



SatCom Networks Africa chooses Gilat's SkyEdge Broadband Satellite Network for high performance broadband data communications links and videoconferencing in Tanzania, East Africa. 16 July 2006
	Posted 16 July 2006. SatCom Networks Africa Ltd. is a pioneering provider of satellite communications systems in the United Republic of Tanzania. SatCoNet solutions meet a wide range of enterprise networking requirements, combining design, installation, testing, commissioning, training, support and equipment distribution. (The picture is of Mount Kilamanjaro in Tanzania.) ... (read article)



The Governor of Alabam, Bob Riley, says that 20 more schools will join the 24 original schools that are members of ACCESS - Alabama Connecting Classrooms, Education and Students Statewide.28 June 2006.
	28 June 2006. The Governor of Alabam, Bob Riley, has announcd the expansion of a distance learning program that will include Birmingham-area schools. Twenty more schools will join the 24 original members of Access - Alabama Connecting Classrooms, Education and Students Statewide. The announcement iwas made during the annual Alabama Educational Technology Conference at the Birmi... (read article)



Sutherland Secondary School of the North Vancouver School District in BC, Canada installs classroom video projection systems and IP videooconferencing using Visual Defence as contractor. 12 June 2007.
	12 June 2007. Visual Defence Inc., the security convergence company, today announced that following a competitive bidding process it has been awarded a contract in excess of $350,000 to supply Sutherland Secondary School of the North Vancouver School District with a new communications and audio video system. Installation will begin immediately and is scheduled for complet... (read article)



Schools in the UK are making good use of their access to the National Education Network that runs on JANET; more than 2000 schools are registered with the JANET Videoconferencing Service. 28 May 2007.
	28 May 2007. There was a time when only universities and research institutes in the UK had access to JANET, a very high capacity backbone network like Internet2. But UK schools can now use JANET. The JANET network connects UK universities, Further Education Colleges, Research Councils, Specialist Colleges and Adult and Community Learning providers. It also provides con... (read article)



Polycom wins the USDLA Best Practice Award for Excellence in Distance Learning; Polycom video networks in Washington State, Arkansas and Mississippi also honoured by USDLA. 11 May 2007.
	11 May 2007. Polycom, Inc. has received the prestigious 21st Century Best Practice Award from the United States Distance Learning Association for leadership in the field of distance learning. The United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA) is a non-profit association that promotes the development and application of distance learning for education and trai... (read article)



This week students from more than 25 schools throughout the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom will interact with students in Uganda over video conferencing to increase their understanding of Ugandan culture and conflicts. 17 May 2007.
	17 May 2007. Global Nomads Group (GNG), an organization dedicated to fostering cross-cultural dialogue and understanding among youth, and Polycom have announced the launch of Project Uganda. This project is a 10-part video conferencing series connecting more than 25 schools throughout the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom to interact with students in Uganda over vide... (read article)



Students interview their California State Senator by videoconference as part of a lesson plan in which the students study State legislation and learn about their district's elected officials. 9 April 2007
	9 April 2007. Students at Soledad High School Monterey County, California recently got a chance to speak face-to-face with legislator State Senator Jeff Denham, by videoconference while 200 miles apart, reports Victor Valderon in The Salinas Californian. Students in teacher Chris Bourke's Advanced Placement Government class asked him questions for about 45 ... (read article)



Cleveland Metroparks Zoo keepers share their knowledge with children in their classroom across the USA with Cisco wireless network nodes just outside the zoo’s cages and aquariums. 9 April 2007.
	9 April 2007. The Cleveland Metroparks Zoo is using a wireless network to make students who participate in the zoo’s videoconferencing programme feel as though they are on a virtual field trip. The zoo’s education staff was able to videoconference from outside after the zoo installed a wireless network, writes Chuck Soder in Crain’s Cleveland Business, The zoo hir... (read article)



Videoconferencing brings Grade 3 students in Texas to a world of of snow, ice and dog-sledding in Alaska; a teacher says: “this is what education is all about ... students learning because they want to learn”
	26 March 2007. Grade 3 students at Speegleville Elementary School in central Texas travelled more than 3,000 miles to an icy tundra, where they went for a bumpy but educational ride, writes Mónica Ortiz Uribe in the Waco Tribune-Herald of 8 March. Students from two classrooms participated in a videoconference with a nonprofit educational group in Alaska and learned the ... (read article)



Schools User Interview: Jody Kennedy, a teacher at Eastview Middle School, White Plains, New York tells us how videoconferencing is bringing together a network of schools worldwide under the “Global Run” project umbrella. 26 March 2007.
	26 March 2007. Jody Kennedy is the ambassador for videoconferencing in her own school and throughout her school district of 12 schools in White Plains, New York. She has been so successful that her duties as an art teacher have been reduced to 50 per cent so that she can play the video conferencing promoter role in the other 50 per cent. One month ago, we advised readers that J... (read article)



The performance of each school’s robot at the FIRST Robotics Competition held in Kansas City can be viewed live or as recorded video at numerous remote video-enabled locations linked by a Codian MCU 4500. 15 March 2007.
	15 March 2007. The Greater Kansas City regional FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) has selected a Codian MCU 4500 to deliver high-definition (HD) video conferencing for its participants. This year’s Greater Kansas City regional competition to see which school can build the best robot was held at the Hale Arena in Kansas City, Missouri on 15-16 March. The Codian MCU ... (read article)



With Polycom technology, American high school students will video meet with Jim Stoval, author of the book “The Ultimate Gift” and the screenplay writer of the upcoming movie of that book
	26 February 2007. Polycom has announced a unique interactive video conferencing session between Jim Stovall, author of the bestselling book “The Ultimate Gift”, and students from across the U.S.A.. Steve Forbes, President, CEO, of Forbes Magazine said of the Book: “A wonderful story. Written by one of the most extraordinary men of our era....” Stovall and ... (read article)



Mike Griffith launched the Global-Leap web site for school teachers enthusiastic about using video conferencing seven years ago on 29 February 2000; we asked him to bring our readers up to date on this project. 27 February 2007.
	27 February 2007. Seven years ago, Mike Griffith had the idea of creating a global network of teachers around the world who were excited about using videoconferencing technology in their classrooms. To launch his global network of schools, Mike initiated a videoconferencing marathon that linked schools around the world in 16 hours of back-to- back, curriculum-based activities. ... (read article)



Pupils at Northwood Primary School in Kent collaborate with schools across London, in China and in the USA by videocnference; learning about culture is important as over half of pupils are Yoruba from Nigeria. 26 February 2007.
	26 February 2007. Pupils at Northwood Primary School in Kent are communicating with children in other London schools, and also in schools as far away as China and the USA. This has been achieved using videoconferencing technology supplied by the London Grid for Learning (LGfL). Learning about culture and tradition is an important part of life at Northwood School as ove... (read article)



Jody Kennedy, a teacher at Eastview Middle School, White Plains, New York is using videoconferencing to help her students become little global citizens, ready for visiting the United Nations HQ nearby. 26 February 2007.
	26 February 2007. Jody Kennedy, a teacher at the Eastview Campus of White Plains City Schools (WPCS) in New York, is in the news again because of the effective use she and her school are making of videoconferencing. The publicity is extremely useful for those who believe more schools should use interactive videoconferencing, but it leaves Jody inundated by press enquiries. ... (read article)



The mission of Global WRITeS, Inc. is to promote literacy through the integration of performing arts and use of innovative technology; one project will 700 hundred at risk students in six middle schools in the Bronx, New York and Chicago, Illinois. 5 February 2007.
	Posted 5 February 2007. This is the second part of the user story contributed by two educators, by Maria Fico, then Regional Instructional Technology Specialist for Region 1 schools, and John Ellrodt, Director of the RETC at Fordham University. Global WRITeS, Inc. (Writers and Readers Incorporating Technology in Society) is a non profit organization, started in August ... (read article)



Bronx WRITeS is a poetry writing and performance project for NY middle schools. Pupils finds that being in front of a videoconferencing camera to recites poetry is more effective in providing feedback than being directly in front of a live audience. 5 February 2007.
	Posted 5 February 2007. This user story in two parts is contributed by two educators, John Ellrodt and Maria Fico from the Bronx in New York City. They formed Bronx WRITeS a poetry writing and performance project for middle school children that culminates with a District-wide Poetry Slam competition via video conferencing. This project began in 1996 with 4 middle schoo... (read article)

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