A multimedia teleteaching system using an electronic whiteboard for two-way communication of motion videos and chalkboards

Abstract

In current teleteaching systems, video conferencing systems have been used to transmit a motion video from a teacher's site. A motion video that captures a teacher or his chalkboard is transmitted to a remote school through a communication channel. Since the resolution of the motion video is not very high, a camera captures either a teacher or a chalkboard, but not both at the same time. In addition, remote students cannot draw on a teacher's chalkboard.Another approach to realizing teleteacliing is to use a computer-based desktop conferencing system that supports a motion video and a computer-based shared chalkboard. But in this approach, a teacher lias to use a mouse or a handwriting tablet for input, and therefore cannot use a real chalkboard.In this paper, we present a multimedia teleteacliing system that integrates an electronic whiteboard with our multimedia conferencing system that supports a motion video and a shared chalkboard. The teleteacliing system uses personal computers that contain a motion video CODEC, and transmits data through the ISDN basic interface (128 kbps). An electronic whiteboard is attached to the personal computer for direct input by the teacher and display of that input. With this systcm, a teacher can use the electronic whiteboard as a rcal chalkboard. He can directly write test and draw figrircs in the area of the shared clialkboard by using a pcn provided for the electronic whiteboard, because tlic wliitcboard has a digitizer in it. When lic draws something in the shared chalkboard, it is automatically traiismitted to tlic students' site and displayed in their shared clialkboard using the functions of multimedia conferencing system. The teacher's gestures and the contents of the whiteboard arc captured by a video camera and transmitted to tlie students' computer. Conversely, a niotioii video of tlie students is transmitted from their site to tlie teacher's sitc.