Getting ready for day 2

Hello colleagues.  I'm sorry for my "radio silence" since the first class.  I had a very interesting trip to Tokyo though.  We are working to open a brand new private school in an exclusive neighborhood by the fall of 2012.  Business moves slowly in Japan. 

I had the opportunity to view a presentation of cutting edge video conferencing systems at the Cisco/Tandberg offices in Tokyo.  They have some amazing technology and service options that virtually put the teacher into the classroom anyplace on earth.  We had real time interactions with individuals in Hong Kong and Norway.  I was duly impressed with the full immersion conference room that included six chairs, 3 giant monitors and multiple cameras, microphones and speakers that make you feel that the other participants are sitting right across from you.  The multiple speakers, microphones and cameras make it so when someone on the screen talks and you turn your head to look at them, you actually make eye contact while thousands of miles apart.  This room was impressive, but costs about half a million dollars to build (and the folks on the other end need the same set up).  Not too feasible for a school. Click here to see one of these rooms

On the other hand, they also have small portable HD web cameras that can be plugged into your laptop and the software is all web based, so a teacher can be sitting in her kitchen in Toledo doing a science lab in front of the students in Tokyo, Dubai and Singapore.  The hand held camera can be used as a document camera or overhead camera, or left on the counter for "face to face" instruction.  The user at the receiving end can even zoom the camera in or out and pan around if the teacher is moving around her "classroom". 

The technology is fascinating and I am excited to see how we will connect students around the world in ways that will support community as well as enhance academic achievement.