Robert A. Levenson
Texas A8M University College Station 77843
Graduate Instruction at a Remote Location
nonverbal feedback from the students (looks of frustration, quizzical grimaces, etc.) which was not available in the sterile studio format. A particular advantage of the videotape system is that on several occasions students who missed class were able to view the tapes a t a later time; the nature of the activities of industrial chemists, particularly those working in plants, can frequently make regular class attendance somewhat difficult. One advantage to the instructor, in addition to the saving of time that would be required to drive the round trip between campus and classroom (-5.5 hr) is that this system permits greater inktructor flexibility. Any telephone Procedure may be used to communicate with the class. Thus, since The audio and video portions of'the lectures were recordclasses generally ran from 4:OO-7:00 PM, i t was possible to ed on C-60 Sony videocasettes with a Sony videorecorder take the calls after the first two tapes a t the office and the and camera. The lectures could be adequately recorded last call a t home. with only one camera and operator, a l t h ~ u ~ h ~ f r e q u e n t l y The cost of this program compares favorably with the two (and occasionally three) cameras and operators were "blackboard hv wire" method since the maior cost of that used. With a Sony SEG-1 video special effects generator it program is the long distance telephone calls (two lines for was possible for one individual to operate a camera and to the three hours Der week): . . in the current method the calls select for recording the input from that or two other camhave been reduced t o approximately 20 minutes per week eras that were stationary. Lectures were recorded either in over one line. Other costs involve the videorecorder and a studio format (i.e.. lecturer and camera operator onlv) or camera a t the campus (both were already available and no before a class taking the same course on campus. ~ u e s k o n s extra costs were incurred), the videorecorder (for playback) asked bv the live class were r e ~ e a t e d b vthe lecturer (wearand monitors a t the remote site (again, these were availing a neck microphone) before they were answered. Three able), and the videocasettes. I t was judged that the costs one-hour lectures constituted one class. The videocasettes involved and the potential for technical problems were too were mailed or otherwise transported to the classroom a t high to justify use of color cameras. The convenience of cathe industrial location (Dow Chemical Company at Freesettes relative to open reels is obvious. Three sets of tapes port, Texas) on a weekly basis. There, the Gpes were (nine videocasettes in all) were found to be adequate for played to the class over video monitors. During class hours the semester; of course, i t would have been possible to the instructor was always near a telephone a t the main maintain the complete course on tapes, but this would have campus to answer questions. The audio system described in involved additional expense. Finally, the cost of a camera the "blackhoard by wire" approach was used so that all stuoperator must he considered. dents could hear both the questions and answers. However, The simplicity of the equipment made it possible for the as opposed to the "blackboard" approach the instructor instructor to set it up and just have a student aim the camwas not restricted to any particular telephone. The stuera. Alternativelv. .. higher - costs are necessarily involved t dents were encouraeed to d a c e a ohone call a t anv ~ o i nin with several camera operators and the special effects generarose. ~ a l l c w e r ealways placed after the tape as ator (provided a t a nominal charge from the video lah of each taoe in order to help stimulate discussion. I t was aenthe ~;rriculumand Instruction Department on campus). erally possible to answer ail questions without need of a Several criticisms of the program can be offered. One is live ~ i s u a technique. l In one instance i t was necessary to that no visual techniques are available to answer questions; defer a complete answer to a question until the following however. this was not found to be very limiting. Another is week's taoe. that a n y piece of sophisticated equipment can malt'~lnction. T o d ~ v &rapport ~ with the class, the instructor traveled One class had to he resrheduled st the remote facility when to the industrial site for the first class meetina and for each the videorecorder was found to he inoperative; however, meeting the week preceding an exam. this was accomplished easily and involved no inconvenience to the instructor other than the necessity of being Evaluation near a phone during the rescheduled class period. While The reaction of the students was that the method deboth the instructor and class agreed that there is no substiscribed is almost "the next best thing to being there." The tute for the lecturer in the classroom, the method described students in the class who had taken courses by the "blackhere offers a satisfactory alternative for long distance inboard by wire" system were all in agreement that the viddmrtinn -" eotape-telephone method was a significant improvement. I t The author wishes to thank Charles Johnson, Ranene is not possible t o evaluate if this method is clearly superior ~of curric- ~ paulson, and their associates in the ~ to the previous one, or whether the situation is just closer A&M University for ulum and ~ ~ ~at Texas t ~ ~ ~ t their i ~ to a typical classroom situation, and therefore the students ~ompetenttechnical assistance. This project was also greatfelt more comfortable. Additionally, the students were ~ k at D~~ ly facilitated through the efforts of ~ i H~~~~ unanimous in their preference for the tapes recorded in the ~~ ~ ~~ ~~ . chemical co., F ~T ~ presence of the campus class, with the concomitant questions and answers, rather than those recorded in the studio situation. Similarly, the instructor felt he did a better job Meyer, E. A,, Hedges, R. M., and Zwolinski, B. J., J. CHEM. EDUC., 44,452 (1967). in the class situation, since he could also make use of the A method for the teaching of graduate level courses to students working in industry a t a location up to 250 miles from the main campus has been described previously.' In this techniaue. called "blackboard bv wire." a teleohone of and electro&kr transmitted the au&o and'video a live lecture over telephone lines. An alternative method using a videotape-telephone system has been employed a t the same universitv in the teaching of an introductory graduate level inorganic chemistry course and appears to offer several advantages over the "blackboard by wire" approach.
300 / Journal of Chemical Education
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