Videoconferencing

What is a videoconferencing class?

Johnston Community College offers video conferencing classes through Interactive Video Conferencing, an interactive two-way video network that connects universities, colleges, secondary schools, medical centers, and other agencies throughout the state. The network is a two-way, fully active, full-motion video and audio system connecting specially designed classrooms at participating institutions.

Using the telecommunications technology enables an instructor and students in distance learning classrooms at either institution to hear, see, and talk to others in comparably equipped classrooms at other locations. The simultaneously interactive environment means that an instructor and students remain in visual and verbal communication at all times during a class. JCC has two state-of-the-art video classrooms.

How do videoconferences work?

The classroom in which the instructor is located is the host site. The classrooms to which a host site transmits are called remote or receiving sites. Each classroom contains equipment which may be similar to the following:

A document camera to display visual material and serve as an “electronic chalkboard”
A camera in the back of the room, focused on the instructor
A camera in the front of the room, focused on the students
Ceiling or desktop microphones to transmit audio
Monitors in the front of the room for student viewing of remote sites and any material displayed by means of the document camera or VCR tape
A VCR to play recorded tapes or record lessons or activity at either site
A phone, fax, and copy machine to transmit hard copy between sites (quizzes, homework, instructions, etc.)
Control station used by facilitator to select specific cameras