"enhancing, expanding, even transforming  teaching and learning..." Winter Winds, 2002

Interactive Video Although distance learning predates the Pony Express, it is just now coming of age with advances in digital technology. Today, teaching and learning opportunities can occur in a variety of contexts including face-to-face, web-based, interactive video, and blended environments. These contexts increase access by defeating traditional barriers of space and time. After having success with web-based content like NovaNet or United Streaming and web-based curriculum like Apex Learning, Carteret County Public Schools is poised to add interactive video as another option for delivering education. Two high schools, Croatan and West Carteret, will serve as testbeds for distance learning facilities provided by Global Systems, Inc.

This technology promises to deliver content inherent to the North Carolina Information Highway (NCIH). Such content includes collaborations, courses, and enrichment classes from the North Carolina School for Science and Mathematics; over 100 scheduled sessions per day from other NCIH sites; and specialized content from the NC Museum of Natural Science and the NC Museum of History.

Aside from gleaning the riches of the NCIH, interactive video will allow students at remote sites to access classes that may be unavailable at their schools.   For example, one Latin teacher could teach students from all three high schools—at the same time. Meetings can occur without all parties having to travel to a central location. The possibilities are endless; the realities are upon us.

Today in Carteret County Public Schools, West Carteret French teacher Brenda Gregson is delivering the first interactive video class.  She has 16 French III students at West and 4 at Croatan.

Postscript:  This evaluation testbed was suspended on 3/02 due to repeated technical problems.