DISTANCE-LEARNING/VIDEOCONFERENCING

SERVICES

	Telephone Directory
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	Videoconferencing
	User Support

The Telecommunications Centre of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki provides Distance-Learning services to all University members, since 1997. Modern videoconferencing equipment has been bought under the aegis of the Operational Project for Education and Early Business Orientation "Telecommunication Network ISDN, A.U.Th." with the cooperation of the Telecommunications Committee. The group videoconferencing systems installed can provide full duplex real time audio and video connections with remote sites. Thus, communication and cooperation among Educational Institutes or Organisations becomes easier, while the growing needs for alternative methods of education are also tackled.

A.U.Th. provides a pioneering among Greek Universities Network of six fully equipped Distance-Learning Classrooms, which are located in the following Departments:

Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Dept. of Physics
Dept. of Medicine
Observatory
"Ippokratio" University Hospital
"AHEPA" University Hospital

Picture 1: Distance-Learning Classroom, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, A.U.Th.

Picture 2: Distance-Learning Classroom, Department of Physics, A.U.Th.

There is also a smaller group videoconference room in the Telecommunications Centre (Faculty of Law & Economic Sciences). The first two classrooms are equipped with a Vtel's model TC1000 (512 kbps, Quad BRI), while they are fully equipped with special peripherals. The rest of the classrooms are equipped with a PictureTel's model Venue (384 kbps, triple BRI).

The lecturers can present simultaneously their educational material both to local and remote audience by using appropriate equipment for each case. More specifically the following options are available:

To control both local and remote cameras

To present printed educational material, transparencies, and three-dimensional objects by using a document camera

To use an electronic whiteboard, which allows the lecturer to write something on it locally and present it electronically to the remote site by means of a touch screen

To present video-tape or to record the lecture in a VHS tape

To present several software applications (e.g. Power-Point presentations)

To transfer files, via the same ISDN call connection, without having an Internet connection

To share local applications (e.g. Microsoft Office) with the remote site, allowing far end control, even if the remote computer does not have the particular application already installed

Apart from point-to-point connections, a Multipoint Conferencing Server (PictureTel's model, Montage) is also available, allowing up to eight simultaneous connections, with line speeds ranging from 56 to 384 kbps.

Picture 3: Multipoint Videoconference among three sites (Thessaloniki, Athens, Washington D.C.)

More information about the cost of the videoconferencing services can be found at the following link .

Credits...