beacon: can digital terrestrial television lead to an inclusive society?
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Experiences from the BEACON t-learning pilots in Sao Paulo - Brazil. http://www.beacon-dtt.comTRANSCRIPT
Can Digital Terrestrial Television lead to an inclusive society?
Experiences from the BEACON t-learning pilots in Sao Paulo -Brazil
Helena Bijnens @ Diverse 2 July 2008
EuroPACE ivzw
• European non-profit assocation
of universities, educational organisations
and their networks
• Hosted by the University of Leuven (K.U.Leuven)
• “Fostering collaboration in e-learning”
Interests & Activities
• Innovation
• New Educational
Technologies
• Virtual Mobility
• Quality in e-learning
expert advise, EC projects, networking,
Training, publications, events
Agenda
• BEACON project data – partnership – aims
• The combination of DTT and eLearning – advantages
• Conditions for success
• BEACON status – Where are we now?
• Next steps
• Some pictures
• Challenges of working in Brazil
BEACON Project Data
• BEACON: Brazilian-European Consortium for Digital Terrestrial
Television Services
• Sixth Framework Programme Priority IST (FP6)
• Launch data: 1 January 2007
• Planned duration: 40 months
• Role EuroPACE: pilot evaluation and dissemination
Project Partnership
Aims
• Development of interoperability between the European
(DVB) and the Brazilian (SBTVD) Digital Terrestrial
Television standards
• The definition of a didactic model for distance learning
through digital television, a t-learning methodology
• develop innovative t-learning pilot services for social
inclusion in the State of Sao Paulo (Brazil)
Interoperability
Didactic Model
Social inclusion
Agenda
• BEACON project data – partnership – aims
• The combination of DTT and eLearning – advantages
• Conditions for success
• BEACON status – Where are we now?
• Next steps
• Some pictures ...
Why combining Digital Terrestrial Television with Learning?
Advantages: Technology
• Everything is available
• No traffic or bandwidth limitations
• Interactivity
Advantages: Accessibility
• Brazil: 95% households – TV
20% households – PC and Internet
• DTT = enhancement of existing TV sets
• Low cost
• Familiarity with the technology – No ICT skills needed!
Widest possible audience through t-learning
Advantages: Learning
• Training possibilities for the “have-nots”
• Government services directly to the home
“e-government”
Agenda
• BEACON project data – partnership – aims
• The combination of DTT and eLearning – advantages
• Conditions for success
• BEACON status – Where are we now?
• Next steps
• Some pictures ...
Succes ~ Effectiveness & Reliability
• Consumer devices ( Set-Top Box) affordable and easy-to-use
• Technology ready
• Appropriate didactic model:
~ Domestic environment: Design and content fit the way people learn
at home?
~ Limitations of the medium
~ Target group characteristics
Success ~ interoperability
• If interoperability between the different standards for DTT
worldwide then
• Deeper market penetration
• Adequate Return on Investment
More production of content
Agenda
• BEACON project data – partnership – aims
• The combination of DTT and eLearning – advantages
• Conditions for success
• BEACON status – Where are we now?
• Next steps
• Some pictures ...
Status: Where are we now?
• Definition of target groups
• User needs analysis - Guidelines for the design of t-learning
• DTT service centre installation
• Platform design and development
Definition of target groups
• higher education school students -Sao Paulo area
• Teachers of people with special needs -Paraiba
area
Guidelines for designing t-learning services
User Needs Analysis and Context Analysis:
• Interactivity such as simulations, exercises, self-evaluation.
• User interface
• Remote controll menu options
• Text editing
• Accessible language
• Speed of content
• Modularity of content
• Tutoring model: motivational aspect, guidance, support mechanisms
Design of common user interface- Course access
DTT Service Centre Installation
• Service centre system installation (Generation and Transmission
Centres) aimed at designing, developing and broadcasting of t-
learning service in the state of Sao Paulo (Brazil)
• infrastructure, telecommunications, hardware, basic software
• complementary set up of digital radio system, RF filters, combinator
and antenna
Service Centre – General Architecture
Transmission Centre
Modulator, Up converter and HPA (Digital
Transmitter) installed and running.
Transmission Centre
Multi Channel Hi Power RF Combiner – final adjusts
Transmission Centre
Antenna system installation – Critical lifting activities.
Transmission CentreDigital antenna system installed and running in Paulista
Avenue Tower – Sao Paulo
Transmission CentreSpectrum Analyser showing the real output from Fatima Foundation – BEACON – DTV channel (47 UHF) strictly under Brazilian frequency
standards and governmental radio interference limits
Generation CentreGeneral view after installing BEACON servers
Generation CentreBEACON DTV Multiplexer and Carousel Console Configuration Screen
Generation CentreBEACON DTV audio and video player console – playlist control screen
Generation Centre
Digital radio Link rack
to connect the Generation Centre with Transmission Centre.
Agenda
• BEACON project data – partnership – aims
• The combination of DTT and eLearning – advantages
• Conditions for success
• BEACON status – Where are we now?
• Next steps
• Some pictures ...
Next steps
• Interoperability aspect of the platform design ...
• Pilot evaluation
• Establishment of Brazilian-European Consortium on DTT
• Dissemination and exploitation, focussed on government
Platform Design and Development
• interoperability for Digital Terrestrial Televison between Europe
(DVB-MHP) and Brasil (ISDTV-T) through a GEM-based solution
(Globally Executable MHP).
Interoperability has not been reached yet! Brazilian government may
not adopt GEM ...
Pilot evaluation – Target Groups
• tLearning pilot 1: training for the Vestibular ( in the State of Sao
Paulo)
• tLearning pilot 2 : Training for teachers involved with people with
special needs (i.e. disability) (in Paraiba)
According to “user-centered design approach”
Pilot Evaluation – Approach
1. Usability Testing
“measuring how well a sample group of future users can use
the prototypes of the designed t-learning services.”
2. Instructional Design Evaluation
“measuring how well the materials, in this case vestibular
through iDTV, achieve the desired goals of instruction.”
Challenges of working in Brazil...
• Government
• Customs – equipment being held due to wrong documentation ...
• Communication
• Dress code
• Meeting behaviour
• Transport to work
More information - website
www.beacon-dtt.com
Helena Bijnens
EuroPACE ivzw
Kapeldreef 62
B-3001 Heverlee
Belgium, Europe
Email:[email protected]
Website: http://www.europace.org