Videoconferencing.org---Interviews---Dr. Dan Paul

Dr. Dan Paul

Videoconferencing.org would like to thank Dr.Dan Paul for taking the time to do this interview.

Q. What does your job entail?

A. I serve as the Executive Director for a national distance learning consortium. In regard to total membership, the “Partners in Distance Learning” (PDL) may be the largest interactive distance learning network in the world, involving over 325 members. Partners include (K-12) public and private schools, colleges and universities, museums, and state agencies. While the vast majority of members are from Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey, the consortium has members across the United States and in several different nations. But more significantly then member numbers, we are not aware of any comparable distance learning network that involves more students and more teachers in educational activities on a daily basis.

Q. How long have you been using videoconferencing?

A. While working as a superintendent of schools in Towanda, Pennsylvania, I became familiar with videoconferencing in 1992. In the following year, I established a distance learning network involving six very remote rural schools with financial assistance under the Rural Utilities Service Distance Learning Grant Program (US Department of Agriculture). In two years, based on the effectiveness of that grant program, the US Department of Education provided nearly $3,000,000 to expand the project over a three state area. In 1997 the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania provided another $1,000,000 to enable more rural schools and museums to participate in this videoconferencing-based network. In addition to federal and state support, local schools districts invested over $6,000,000 for the necessary equipment, ISDN line access, and staff development to support the goals of this project.

Q. What kind of equipment do you use/ recommend?

A. From 1993 to 1998, we only supported the purchase of PictureTel equipment, but the overall comparability and quality of videoconferencing equipment from other vendors has made it difficult to recommend a specific manufacturer. I feel PictureTel, Tandberg, and Polycom have reliable and high quality units. Over 90 percent of all PDL members use PictureTel, but new members tend to be divided in respect to the systems they have 50/50 between PictureTel and other manufacturers. Nearly all video bridging units used within the PDL were purchased through PictureTel. Our recommendation of equipment was linked to the fact that without our federal and state grant programs, the PDL would provide a percentage of grant funds (averaging 40 percent cost) to assist schools become involved with distance learning. To ensure the smooth operation of the grant program, we established guidelines as to what the PDL would support with federal and state grant moneys.

Q. If possible please give us an example of some applications you have used?

A. Formal (K-12) School to School Long Term Sharing:

This involves using videoconferencing to allow schools to share high school courses between members. These programs are shared freely between member schools. One school offering algebra might offer that course to another high school in exchange for a Latin course. Formal long term refers to courses which equal or exceed a full semester in duration and involve course work considered as credit toward high school graduation. See attachment for a listing of courses offered, listing of subject areas, listing of courses actually shared, and number of students involved. An additional report will soon be added showing grade scores comparisons between students at the remote and home site. Also, visit the PDL WEB site for updated information. This data will show (based on the final grade scored given by the teacher) that student performance at the remote site (without the direct presence of a teacher is equal to or slightly better then the performance of students at the home site).

Informal (K-12) School to School Short Term Sharing:

This involves using videoconferencing to allow schools (all grade levels) to share short term educational programs. Short term programs may involve a single educational activity between two or more schools, or a series of weekly programs schedule over a school year. These activities are generally viewed as enrichment and motivational by educators. In 1999 over 20,000 students (elementary to high school were involved in a short term educational exchange). This is not included in the attachment, but will be added shortly.

College to High School Credit Course Sharing:

Another significant advantage through videoconferencing is that capacity to allow exceptional advanced high school students to enroll in college level courses, earning college credit while still enrolled in high school. See attachment for a listing of courses offered, listing of courses actually selected, and the number of students involved. An additional report will be shortly developed showing student grade scores. That data will show that high school students average a “B” grade score. They actually out perform the college freshmen and sophomores enrolled on site.

Museum/School Connection/ The Videoconferencing Field Trip Experience:

One of the tremendous new learning opportunities that videoconferencing has opened is the ability of schools to access both the material and human resources from museums, zoos, science centers, and art galleries. The PDL became increasingly active from 1998 in helping certain museums which agreed to our educational goals to become active members with our schools in sharing programs.

Staff Development Over Videoconferencing:

Videoconferencing can make possible wide-regional delivery of professional staff development programs for educators. This naturally requires the capacity of a consortium to use video bridging. In 1999/00 the PDL was able to involve over 16,000 teachers across most of Pennsylvania in a series of workshops in one of the most cost effective and broad-based staff development programs ever offered in the United States through a federal grant program. The attachment provides a listing of workshops by subject area and the number of schools and teachers involved. Over 5,000 educators were involved in regional workshop and professional development activities, see short term programs to be added shortly to the attachment.

International/Local School Connection

Videoconferencing allows schools, regardless of local wealth, to connect to schools and people around the world. Perhaps one of the most dynamic potentials of videoconferencing is its capacity to create the “global learning classroom.” The PDL has been effective in establishing relations with the United Nations and a non-profit educational organization (GEM) to open international learning opportunities for our schools. See in our attachment, under International, a listing of programs offered, see under Museum/Field Trips the number of students and school who participated with GEM.

Q. How do you use videoconferencing?

A. We use videoconferencing to charge the very dynamics of what learning can be. We use it to enable schools, regardless of local budget or geographic limitations, to access programs and services never dreamed as possible a few years earlier. Every school PDL member, regardless of location, has the ability to access every program listed within our attachment.

Q. In what ways have video helped you in your career?

A. I probably would have been better financially if I stayed as a school superintendent, but assuming as a full time job, the management of the PDL Videoconferencing Network was more fun, more exciting, and more creatively challenging.

Q. How do your end-users feel about videoconferencing?

A. Student and teacher reactions are amazing. Essentially, 75 to 80 percent of all high school students involved in a long term distance learning class (course exchange) see the experience as positive, indicating they would like to participate in additional DL classes in the future. Nearly 95 percent of high school students involved in a college course see it as positive, nearly 98 percent of teachers involved in videoconferencing staff development programs view it as positive. The museum/field trip activities and the International Learning Activities have nearly a 100 percent positive teacher/student reaction.

Q. How has the world of video changed since you started using it?

A. Well, systems became more affordable. The SwiftSite type units alone allowed schools to purchase numerous systems; this low cost model was essential in developing certain program components like field trips and enabling museums the ability to afford videoconferencing equipment. Also, models between various manufacturers are virtually fully compatible, permitting easier universal access. Still, ISDN and line access is a problem particularly on a global level.

Q. What do you see in the future in regards to videoconferencing?

A. I believe there will be a merging of Internet with high quality videoconferencing capability, virtually “free” access lines. I believe every teacher will see distance learning as a basic educational tool.