Bandwidth

[Karen C. Seddon]

In a previous discussion in our Professional Learning Community, Ana posted this amazing Discovery Channel site http://video.discovery.com/ that delivers incredible quality video from the most recent issues of Dirty Jobs, Mythbusters, Meerkat Manor and more. What an age we live in! Can you imagine how amazing it would be to design a unit around a topic on the Mythbusters or Meerkat Manor and then be able to show it to your students?

For many districts, bandwidth is the issue that would stand in the way of using tools such as this Discovery site. How can we help teachers utilize this tool as a once in a while enhancement to a unit of study?

Try the player. You won't be believe the quality and you don't even have to wait for it to buffer! How did Discovery do it?

K

[Stephanie Middleton]

Bandwidth is a huge issue that is MEGA frustrating to those of us trying to integrate technology. It IS so frustrating when you have great ideas that are cut off due to that little word...bandwidth.

On one hand I DO understand the issue at hand that if everyone tries to stream it all gets clogged up and bursts. So I understand the need for lockdowns on streaming, BUT I think different parameters or rules could/should be utilized so that everyone can "win".

For example, right now (at my school at least) we are not allowed to stream ever, but can only download before and after school (and sometimes the after school time period isn't even open until AFTER we're gone for the day). What if we were allowed access to download (not stream but download) not only before and after school hours, but on our plan period? THen we could find the episodes that we need (from places like discovery.com) and download them at a more convenient time.

I don't know about everyone elses tech access, but I know on my FDE laptop, the "real player" on it gives me access to download videos I'm watching online....

I guess what I"m saying is that more convenient access is a key to helping teachers. And also giving them the programs that would allow them to download the video and have it on hand.

Why is it that most all of our discussions on how to get teachers to better utilize technolgoy come down at some point to convenience? It seems like with our profession we're expected to put in 110% at school all day and then are expected to put almost the same effort in every night at home to keep on the edge of what we do... (some would say 'well you don't HAVE to', but we know that if we don't...our output would not be what we desire). So for me at least, convenience is the key.