Here videoconference means communication both in video and sound,
partially together with user files, for teaching purposes via technical
equipment between two or more distant places.
Camera and microphone serve for input, monitor and speaker/headset for
output.
Videoconference is associated with the idea, that teaching becomes
possible at a wider distance, more frequently, at more times easier to
arrange, keeping social contact, for more pupils, while still
affordable.
Organisation in the Bavarian hospital schools causes high priority to
these aims. Videoconference meantime is ruled by Bavarian school law
(BayEuG Art.23 Abs.3) as an applicable way of teaching.
The hospital school Munic serves 12 sites at a distance up to 10 miles
with a staff of 22 teachers to pupils of all school-types.
In the hospitals special rooms such as for physics or chemistry aren't
present. The first installed type of videconference allows observation
of lessons in physics and chemistry held in a partner-school by a fixed
installation.
Teachers with special know how such as for foreign languages save
travel-time between the sites by using another more flexible system
running on notebooks with webcam and headset via internet.
In a governmantal trial workgroup of the Bayerisches Staatsministerium
für Unterricht und Kultus (ministry of education) teaching in smaller
groups via browserbased internet-video-teaching software is proved.
The workshop partially demonstrates the engines. The concepts,
advantages and disadvantages in the practice are discussed.