A course exchange using television

In the Spring semester of 1994, faculty members in the Department of Electrical Engineering at the University of Iowa, located in Iowa City, and in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Iowa State University, located in Ames, participated in an exchange of two courses using two-way television as the medium. Two graduate courses were selected. The equipment was: a compressed video system developed by Compression Laboratories, Inc., (CLI) connected via a T-l grade line that was implemented over the new Iowa Communications Network. In addition to the cameras provided in the CLI equipment, local studio classroom cameras and microphones were used in the activity. In this exchange, students from both campuses participated in the classes and were able to ask questions as they arose. Additional contact through electronic mail, telephone, and facsimile facilitated the learning. "Help" sessions were also implemented over the two-way system.