JISC

Coleg Powys Newtown using the JANET Videoconferencing Service was able to reach learners across a large rural area.

Remote connections

Coleg Powys Newtown lies within Powys, which is the largest rural area in Wales. Organising staff and management meetings at the various college sites was becoming difficult and time consuming. One of the challenges was to be able to organise high quality ‘virtual’ team, management, curriculum and verification meetings that met the needs of the individuals and groups involved. The college also wanted to reduce their ‘carbon footprint’ and using the videoconferencing resources was one way of reducing the need to travel between sites.

The other challenge facing the college was to improve the support offered to learners on multiple sites, in particular students on the degree courses, franchised with, and supported ‘virtually’ by, the University of Wales Lampeter.

About JANET

JANET provides a wide range of services and support to higher/further education and schools. Over 18 million users rely on JANET(UK) and it is one of Europe's largest computer networks, connecting UK universities, colleges and schools.

It has become a well-established service providing the common digital infrastructure for the UK's world class research and education network on behalf of four government departments, the Research Councils and the Welsh Assembly across the whole UK.
This case study focuses on one aspect of the JANET service, videoconferencing.

The JANET Videoconferencing Service (JVCS) is available to all UK Further and Higher Education establishments enabling the scheduling, secure operation, and support of videoconferences . The video communications network also provides  bridging between both IP & ISDN technologies and commercial networks in the UK and abroad.

By using Internet Protocol (IP) the cost of videoconferencing is greatly reduced, whilst at the same time improving the quality and reliability. Additionally, JANET provides ISDN lines (when required) at very preferential rates as a result of aggregated purchasing power. Better video and audio quality improves the experience for all participants. Reducing the cost of videoconferencing makes it more accessible and a viable option for colleges to use.

The Welsh Video Network involves the distribution and support of videoconferencing studios and other video facilities to all Further Education and Higher Education Institutions throughout Wales. The Welsh Video Network Support Centre is based at Swansea University and the University of Wales, Aberystwyth and supports all of the 35 Further and Higher Education Institutions across Wales.

Challenge

The college has a number of different sites throughout Powys and as this is the largest rural area in Wales organising staff and management meetings was becoming difficult and time consuming. The challenge was to be able to organise high quality ‘virtual’ team, management, curriculum and verification meetings that met the needs of the individuals and groups involved.

The other challenge facing the college was how, within such a large rural area, to improve the support offered to learners on multiple sites, in particular the support of Higher Education learners who undertake degree courses that are franchised with, and supported by, the University of Wales Lampeter.

One important consideration for the college was to reduce its ‘carbon footprint’ and it was hoped that by using the videoconferencing resource this would drastically reduce the amount of travelling between college sites.

Solution

The solution was to use the JANET network to deliver high quality videoconferencing between all of the college sites throughout Powys. The main objectives being to improve the learning experience of students on all sites and provide good quality virtual meetings for staff.

Impact on the learning provider

The use of videoconferencing has improved the support offered to Higher Education learners and teaching and learning is commonly delivered using the video conference equipment.

Weekly staff, management and IT services meetings are now conducted using the videoconferencing equipment. This has cut down on the need to travel between sites and reduced the carbon footprint of the college. Prior to using the videoconferencing resource members of staff had to travel for up to half a day to attend meetings and the meetings themselves were infrequent due to the cost.

The videoconferencing resource is extremely cost effective and is so valued that the first of three systems at the campus was completely upgraded in March/April 2009 as part of the WVN refresh project, funded by DCELLS & HEFCW. The college has received a great deal of helpful advice and guidance regarding the use in a teaching & learning environment from the JANET Welsh Video Network.

The systems being installed are provided as a result EU procurement run by JANET in 2007 which delivered a standard studio design for rollout across all the sites in Wales being refreshed, at the most economical cost to the two funding bodies.

'I was extremely impressed with the help and advice given to us by the Welsh Video Network’ Anne Jones

Impact on the learner

All of the students using the videoconferencing resources receive training on how to use it effectively.

For the past two years the Health studies students have been in communication annually with a school in America and this forms part of their course project. They therefore communicate regularly via the videoconferencing equipment and this has given them a different perspective of the topics under discussion.

As part of the national year of reading in December 2008 a large, multisite, videoconference throughout Wales was arranged for students by the Welsh Video Network (WVN) to have an audience, reading and questions and answer session with Rachel Trezise, a Welsh author. The event was well attended and the feedback from participants extremely positive (see quotes). It highlighted the effective use of videoconferencing as many of those taking part would never have been able to have a ‘private’ audience with such a successful author.

The videoconferencing resource has opened up new support and communications processes and learners can now build up relationships between college sites and Lampeter University. A number of lectures take place using the videoconferencing equipment and some of the degree courses could not be delivered without it.

The videoconferencing equipment is also used for internal campus communications and networking. Due to the rural nature of the area it is important that all students feel part of the college. The videoconferencing equipment connects the college campuses together and develops a sense of community. The learning resource staff also use the equipment to link up with staff at Llandrillo College to undertake continual professional development training.

‘The multi-screen video conference was really interesting in as much as we were exposed to the questions of other organisations and not just from our perspective’ Student who took part in the Rachel Trezise videoconferencing

Key messages

1. The videoconferencing equipment saves time and money by cutting down travel times and increasing efficiency
2. We are now able to hold regular meetings on all sites which would be impossible any other way
3. Moderation meetings are held by staff to ensure the quality of provision, support and assessment is the same across all the college sites. External moderator meetings have also taken place using the videoconferencing equipment
4. The Welsh Video Network provides and excellent service and are always willing to help us develop the videoconferencing network

Further information

JANET

The Welsh Video Network

Coleg Powys Newtown