Internet Learning Volume 1, Number 1, Fall 2012 | Page 23
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Internet Learning
Table 1.
Technical Solution by Semester
Semester
Hardware Configuration
1st
Classroom computer; wireless microphone; web
camera; wireless mouse tablet
2nd
Classroom computer; wireless microphone; web
camera; second computer; wireless mouse and
keyboard
rd
3
Same as second semester (above)
4th
Web camera; wireless mouse and keyboard
Webinar Software/Service
Elluminate Live, Version 9
Elluminate Live, Version 9
Elluminate Live, Version 10
Elluminate Live, Version 10
Despite the different hardware configurations, it was seldom possible for virtual attendees
to fully hear questions and exchanges by other students. Due to the difficulties of managing
multiple speakers through Elluminate and network limitations, virtual attendees “chatted” rather
than spoke their questions and comments, so their input was always visible. The instructor was
generally audible, barring network issues. But students’ questions could only be heard clearly
outside the classroom to the extent they spoke up considerably and were located in reasonable
proximity to the microphone, roughly the front half of the class. Early on, one tactic to broadcast
classroom discussion was for the instructor (wearing a microphone during that phase of the trial)
to move physically closer to the speakers when extended discussion occurred. But most of the
students very briefly requested clarifications or examples from the instructor or gave relatively
short answers to the instructors’ questions, which did not allow enough time to approach them.
An unintended consequence of the changing hardware configurations was the added
complexity and the associated risk of failures. Table 2 lists the most common technical issues,
illustrating the degree to which the instructor, as technician, had to be involved with minimizing
problems with the infrastructure. The simplest configuration was ultimately chosen (in the
fourth semester), using the stationary microphone capability of the web camera, which featured
zone-oriented audio pickup. This solution effectively