Educational Technology
Videoconferencing
Videoconferencing
Contact: Marc Menhart
Videoconferencing
The Educational Technologies unit provides videoconferencing support to faculty, staff, and students in the Fisher College Business for educational and administrative purposes.
Capabilities
Ed Tech operates and administers videoconferences in several different ways:
- 2 state-of-the-art videoconferencing teaching facilities
- Mason Hall 015
- Converse Hall
- Portable Videoconferencing
Currently, with the use of portable videoconferencing equipment, Ed Tech can provide support to almost any room in the Fisher complex.
Videoconferencing can be site-to-site or to multiple sites.
Types of Videconferencing Supported
IP (internet protocol, H.323) — this is the primary way in which Ed Tech connects with other videoconferencing sites and uses the internet. If you are connecting to Ohio State University sites, the fees are nominal. Connecting to external sites, fees can vary.
ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network, H.320) — works over regular phones lines and provides dedicated bandwidth for a high quality of service, but does require a per minute charge per site included in the call.
Current Focus
Ed Tech is currently working with the General Business program to provide videoconferencing support with videoconferencing
Policies and Procedures
Hours of Operation
Ed Tech primarily offers support for videoconferencing from 7:30 AM to 9:00 PM. Events needing support outside those hours of operation should make arrangements well in advance to ensure that support personnel and facilities are available.
Notification
Educational for-credit courses — to ensure that your course has proper support and facilities access, it is suggested that a lead time of no less than 60 days be employed.
Ad Hoc Events — to connect to campus sites, lead times should be 10-14 days
To connect to external sites, 30 days notice is required. Those wanting to connect to external sites should be able to provide a technical contact with the site they wish to connect to. Test connections will need to be set-up and executed prior to the event.
Fees
Fees vary and are assessed on an event by event basis. To aid in planning your event please contact Educational Technologies well in advance to retrieve an estimate for your event or class. In general, most events directly in support of a Fisher College numbered course are done free based on staff availability and depending upon the far end transmission requirements. Educational Technologies does not pay line use fees for H.320 dialed events so be prepared to pay these charges even for a numbered course.
Non specific course related events are charged equipment, labor and connection fees and are also provided based upon staff and resource availability so once again, please plan early.
Disclaimers
IP videoconferencing, while offering a cost effective way to communicate, is still in its early stages of development and deployment. Quality of Service and reliability has steadily improved, but we still encourage you to have a back-up plan. These could include having a speaker phone available in combination with web conferencing technology in case you encounter high traffic or connectivity related difficulties.
Best Practice
You can find some documents on best practices here