A step towards the Smart Campus: a venture project based on distance learning by a hybrid video conferencing system

Abstract

We have evaluated the effectiveness of project based distance learning (PBDL) as a means of expanding the number of business persons who take post-graduate courses, particularly in entrepreneurial studies. We established that for learning based on entrepreneurial projects, the two-way distribution of text and still images via the IP network, and of audio-visual transmissions at 64 kbps speeds via low-cost ISDN or ADSL lines, are practical for communications between users. Again, the audio-visual information made a major contribution to the mutual trust between business persons and university people, who had had little or no previous contact with each other, which is necessary in carrying out such an entrepreneurial project. In entrepreneurial project based real time distance learning, the hybrid video conference system proved effective as a low cost network environment for the stable distribution of audio-visual information and documents. On the other hand, for non-real time distance learning, there is an urgent need to develop an expert exchange system that will make it possible to exchange information with experts possessing advanced entrepreneurial information and to access a database formed from this advanced information.