Video-conferencing links Fairview College campuses

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New system will allow students in three communities to learn simultaneously

Virtual classmates. They take the same Fairview College course, from the same instructor,at exactly the same time each day. They've shared notes, jokes and anecdotes.

But they've never been in the same room or even had the opportunity to shake hands.

How is this possible?

Through the modern miracle of video-conferencing. And even though the scenario outlined above never really happened, it will become a common occurrence at Fairview College campuses in the weeks and months ahead. The college has recently installed a video-conferencing system, called Picture Tel, that will allow an instructor or presenter to interact with students in specific classrooms in Alberta in Fairview, Peace River and High Level. It consists of two 32-inch television monitors, two cameras and a sound system in each of the locations.

Now an instructor can have the attention of students in each of those locations at the same time. And the instructor can see and hear all of the students.

It's a user-friendly system that distance education coordinator, Bill DeWeert, believes instructors and students will actually enjoy. "It adds another dimension to classroom work that is really quite exciting," he explained.

"Not only does it broaden and enrich our instructor and student network but it also gives them direct experience in a technology that is rapidly becoming the standard."

Traditional classroom mechanisms and routines are easily integrated in to the system. Program handouts can be sent by fax, as can completed assignments. Everyone can see the traditional chalkboard behind the

instructor. Other visuals, such as graphs or photos, can simply be placed on the document camera and displayed on one of the large monitors.

Zoom in on a flip-chart. Zoom back out for a show of hands. All at

the touch of a button. And a computer, with all of is capabilities, can be added to the mix with little fuss.

Students still take notes and raise a hand to ask a question but the new technology virtually eliminates the vast distance between some students and the available program.

In fact, Fairview College's business administration diploma program is now offered in Peace River and High Level as a result. Students will no longer be required to travel to Fairview to access the second year of the program. And students in Fairview will have the benefit of the instructors in those other locations.

Academic upgrading courses no longer need to be duplicated in each location. Six to 12 students can attend the same lecture at the same time at each of three different campuses.

Local businesses will also be invited to rent the system after hours. Face-to-face meetings that in the past may have required hours of travel can now be done 'virtually face-to-face' as easily as making a phone call.

The video-conferencing system, already in place at Lakeland College, Red Deer College and Kayas Cultural College, was to be unveiled at a

three-way joint open house, called Campus Link '95 on April 20. The official ribbon-cutting was to take place in succession at Fairview, Peace River and High Level via video-conference. Demonstrations of the systems capability were scheduled to continue throughout the afternoon. For more information on video-conferencing or Campus Link '95, contact Bill DeWeert in Fairview at 835-6622; Dave McLaughlin in Peace River at 624-4616; or Norman Champagne in High Level at 926-2573.