Hi, I am about to recollect an amazing experience which I had during a particular course here at MIT. I was so amazed by the spectacular display of science and technology about which I have only read so far. Not that it was too much much technical, and indeed I am not going to delve into technical aspect of it as well, but it was just happening in front of my eyes. The concept of distant learning. At MIT, the MIT college and National Technical University (NTU), Singapore have formed an alliance called Singapore-MIT alliance (SMA). Under which some set of courses are offered together for both MIT and NTU students simulataneously over video conferencing, I am going to narrate the experience as I found it.
The day I realised that my class 15.094 (read note at the end) System Optimization : Models and Computation is held at 7:00 PM, I was thinking nothing more than one of many idiosyncracy of the tech-savy MITian. However, As soon as I entered into my class room, I realised that I am live telecasted to Singapore. Ha...Ha..., well, not only me, of course, but whole class. And my god, what a beautiful and equipped class it was. Of course, more surprised were waiting for me. First I saw great set of chairs and tables for me. Cushioned, hand-rest all that, but also plug-points for laptops, microphone for speaking etc. Super stuff, huh? All walls had embeded microphones so that any voice in the room is recorded. And there were multiple cameras, operator operated movable camera covering most of the room. Yeah, most of the room, but not all, since supposedly MIT has this privacy policy so that if you don't want to be recorded you can sit in those "hidden" place. I wonder who wouldn't like to be filmed, at least I do, but you know, rules are rules. So it is. But unfortunately there is no privacy policy for your voice. After all you can't block microphones all over. So if you dont want to be recorded, better shut up. I am not saying to you, of course, so continue. Well so here was all description of room for yes. Now the professor's stuff. Well, first, there are two screens in front - one showing what professor want to show (includes computer and "black"board) and other showing students at Singapore. They have a similar arrangement like us. Now professor works with his presentation on computer and it appears on one screen here and there. But he wants to write on "black"board - which is white - he uses marker pan and somehow using 'ebeam' software it appears on computer screen. Like magic, if you were to see only ebeam output, which exactly what NTU people see. Like you take a video of professor writing on white board from front and then remove professor from it. All writing/words appearing in real time, like some invisible hand is writing. Looks great, and then when he erases it, it disappear suddenly. There is a button as well where he can erase is automatically from computer, but from board he has to erase it himself manually. And he has a microphone in his collar, which he can switch on/off.
Now the hidden but important man. The operator. Who monitors all the cameras, moves them to cover the class room, zooming in and out to the person who is speaking - including the student who ask questions (and silly questions and answer included). He operate more than 5-6 camras at a time and in in constant touch with faculty here and at Singapore.
Arrangements halfway round the world ! Students at NTU have 2 screens similar to us, except that they see computer and us. and each has a separate microphone to answer the question professor ask. Of course, interaction is as good as you are sitting right in front. And professor here has list of all students attending there with their position in the class, so that he can direct a question to any student there. Also student can raise his hand professor can see on screen.
Now the issue of assignments and exams and notes. Thats hardly any problem with internet. All problemsets/homeworks are uploaded on a website and you can email your answers to the teacher here. Everything fine. Huh?