On August 1st. 1996, Stephen Giles, a lecturer in the Computer Technology Department at Caulfield campus gave his presentation on “An Electronic Whiteboard in the Lecture Theatre”.
Stephen outlined the topics to be covered as:

What is it?
Why use it?
and the User in Distance Education.

He explained how the device connects to the standard serial port on the computer, using a standard RS-232 serial cable supplied with the whiteboard. The actual unit resolution is 600 bp sq inch. This is a high resolution in terms of sharpness of image. The infrared lasers are extremely accurate. Two infrared lasers mounted at the top of the whiteboard are used to track the pens as they move across the writing surface. The laser scanners pick up reflections from special collars mounted on the pens, picking up the colour and triangulate to determine the exact position of the pens. The eraser is also detectable at any point on the surface. In the demonstration we saw the whiteboard output being projected at the front of the lecture theatre and beside this, the Powerpoint presentation shown simultaneously.

At this point Stephen discussed why he uses the electronic whiteboard. Even though there is a large range of facilities to use, these are limited. Something extra is still needed. In the new teaching environment, interactive facilities have developed, but camera operators and audio people are required to complete sending to remote areas. With the whiteboard, writing does not need to be within narrow limits as on an overhead projector. He also found that keeping eye contact with the student audience, even though boardwork is required, meant he communicated more effectively, and the mobility and size of the whiteboard allowed him to almost continuously face the students.

With a camera mounted on the terminal, audio facilities, Powerpoint and whiteboard, the lecture could easily be packaged to the student at a distance. A CD could be viewed in the windows environment. The screen would display one window for the Powerpoint presentation, one for the whiteboard work and another, the video of the lecturer (“talking head”). The computer could utilise its own audio devices. All this would proceed simultaneously in close to real time in replay, or at a slower or faster time frame.

An interesting discussion followed on costs and the whiteboard menu’s editing and file export facilities.

For further information please contact Stephen Giles
Ph: 990 32293
Monash University
Computer Technology Dept.
PO. Box 197 Caulfield East 3145