Videoconferencing offers an alternative to expensive travel

HSPH students in last fall’s “Foundations in Public Health” course didn’t just turn in papers to their professor. They presented their work about recommendations for curbing childhood obesity in California to the very people trying to address the problem. Through classroom videoconferencing, HSPH students were able to meet remotely with representatives of the California Department of Public Health and receive immediate feedback on their ideas.

“One of the key purposes of this new course is to more directly prepare students for their future professional roles. It is invaluable for them to have contact with senior public health professionals,” said Marc Roberts, HSPH professor of political economy and health policy.

Videoconferencing has been available for a while in Kresge 502, 213, G-1, G-2, and G-3. And now there is a new space in the Kresge Building Lower Level Conference Room that makes the option even more attractive. Part of a multi-use computer lab opened in August, the conference room is equipped with a camera and two flat-screen televisions. Presenters have access to a wireless microphone, and can easily hook up their laptops to show slides. With a simple remote, users can change the display on the screens to show one or more callers, their slides, or even themselves as they deliver their presentation. Instructors teaching a class can transmit their written notes to students through a touchscreen tablet PC, which allows users to handwrite on the screen using a stylus. Or, instructors can simply write on a whiteboard while on camera.

Given the country’s financial climate, more faculty members and administrators will likely take advantage of videoconferencing as an alternative to expensive travel, predicted Deane Eastwood, manager for instructional computing and application development at HSPH. Because the conferences are over the Internet, there is no cost for users.

Eastwood’s team has facilitated eight events in the new space in Kresge, and demonstrated the system to approximately 20 faculty members.

“We’ve done more videoconferencing events in the last two months than we did all last year,” he said.

Career Services is exploring videoconferencing for student interviews with potential employers. An HSPH professor recently used the technology to deliver a keynote address to a conference in Atlanta. Information Technology recently conducted a single business meeting with representatives of vendors working in two states.

Better bandwidth is broadening the availability of videoconferencing overseas, even in previously inaccessible areas, such as some countries in Africa, Eastwood said. His team will work with the site at the other end of an HSPH videoconference to ensure the best result. While dedicated videoconferencing equipment is ideal, there is software that allows lower quality videoconferencing on desktop computers, he added.  

To arrange a videoconference, fill out the online form.

The Media Services staff will host informal sessions on video and web conferencing in Kresge LL-17 on Friday, March 20th, 10:30am-12:30pm, and Monday, March 23rd, 2:30pm-4:30pm. Bring your questions and test drive the new equipment.

-- Amy Roeder. Image from iStockphoto.com/VectorPro