Professional Growth
Internet Teleconferencing Module

	Module Description Objectives Materials and Resources Module Activities

Module Description

    Conferencing has long been a valuable tool for bringing people together. Conferences allows people to share their experiences, knowledge, and expertise by meeting and talking face-to-face. The Internet provides new ways of connecting people through videoconferencing and teleconferencing. Videoconferencing uses video over the Internet to support moving images of people in remote locations. Teleconferencing uses a "whiteboard" or some other shared medium for conversations and collaborations over the Internet. This module introduces these facilities, along with the tools to support their use in the classroom, and provides access to resources on the Internet where these tools can be downloaded and used.
Objectives

• Learn how the Internet can support videoconferencing and teleconferencing.
• Learn how to find software and hardware for Internet conferencing.
• Learn how to use videoconferencing and teleconferencing in your classroom.

    In developing our lessons and activities, we made some assumptions about the hardware and software that would be available in the classroom for teachers who visit the LETSNet Website. We assume that teachers using our Internet-based lessons or activities have a computer (PC or Macintosh) with the necessary hardware components (mouse, keyboard, and monitor) as well as software (operating system, TCP/IP software, networking or dial-up software, e-mail and a World Wide Web client program, preferably Netscape, but perhaps Mosaic or Lynx). In the section below, we specify any "special" hardware or software requirements for a lesson or activity (in addition to those described above) and the level of Internet access required to do the activity.

1. Special hardware requirements: none.
2. Special software requirements: none.
3. Internet access: High-speed (greater than 1 MBPS via network).

1. Conferencing on the Internet. Exactly what is videoconferencing? What is teleconferencing? How can these forms of electronic conferencing be used in K-12 classrooms? Answers to these and other questions about Internet conferencing are found within this activity, along with links to additional information.

2. Using CU-SeeMe for Internet Videoconferencing. This activity provides a specific workshop for setting up and using CU-SeeMe, from Cornell University, for videoconferencing over the Internet. Included are links to classroom activities that have used videoconferencing.

3. Using PowWow for Internet Teleconferencing. PowWow is a free teleconferencing product from Tribal Voices, that supports shared whiteboard, chat window, and Web tours for PC/Windows computers. This activity describes how to download PowWow and use it for classroom teleconferencing.