Bruce Wright

The use of interactive video in teaching about cell division

This article describes an optically-based technology, barcoded videodisc, being used innovatively to augment the teaching and learning of a biological process. Mitosis was chosen as the example to illustrate the interactive video system at work because it is often difficult to demonstrate clearly and in its entirety in a school laboratory. An interactive worksheet is presented as a means of using sequences moving pictures from the videodisc for teaching the topic. A procedure for writing such supporting teaching material is described, and an evaluation, by undergraduate biology education students, of the worksheet exemplar is presented and discussed.

Pedagogy and Protocols for Collaborative Teaching and Research Through Super JANET and ISDN in Higher Education

SUMMARY The increasing bandwidth on the Internet between universities in the UK has potential for multimedia communications in higher education, for both teaching and research purposes. This article reports on a project which developed person‐to‐person protocols for such communication and the pedagogic styles employed in a set of eight case studies. The project transferred previous experience with multimedia communications, using ISDN2, between a university and partner schools into higher education. It also transferred experience with the 128K dedicated bandwidth of ISDN2 to the distributed architecture of 10 megabyte communications employed in SuperJANET service. Additional new styles of pedagogy, consultation and collaborative development became the most prominent modes. Styles such as these should assist staff to integrate IT into teaching and learning in higher education.

Telematics Applied to the Training of Teachers: a survey via video‐conferencing across Europe

Summary In January 1996 the European Union funded three projects within the Telematics Programme DG XIII_c to focus on Telematics in Teacher Training. One project with the same title, T3, will apply telematics within teacher training for over 4000 teachers in seven European countries over three years. Part of the work within 1996 performed a needs analysis for multimedia communications across the partner teacher training institutions in seven European countries using enhanced desk top video conferencing. Teacher educators were informed of case studies already developed in the UK and aspects were demonstrated to them. Their views on the transferability of such activities to their courses and countries are documented in this paper. This research took place using the medium of enhanced desk top video conferencing. This application of Telematics is seen as an extension of the common practice of interviewing by telephone, permitting more information to be shared between teacher trainers in the seven teacher tr...

Some Applications of Interactive Video in Initial Teacher Training.

This paper describes disc‐based interactive video applications in initial teacher training which have arisen out of materials developed under the Interactive Video in Schools Project and Interactive Video in Education Awareness Scheme, sponsored by the Department of Trade and Industry. Interactive video is examined in the context of applications in five types of learning environment; as a presentation system for conventional lecturing or small‐group teaching, as a vehicle for independent student learning, as a resource for students on teaching practice, as an information source and as a surrogate tutor. In each case development work is described and future possibilities are discussed.

Tutoring in School Biology by Computer Conference.

Simultaneous transfer of voice and data is now possible via the new digital telephone network. This opens up many educational possibilities: one is described here This paper describes an exploration of the use of digitized images in teaching biology to school students via the new digital communications channel, the Integrated Services Digital Network, (ISDN), which will form part of the emerging Information Superhighway. A series of ‘on-line’ tutorials were given to a small group of sixth-form (Yl 2) students in their school by a lecturer working from a University Department. Outcomes of these sessions are described as a short case study.