Anyone have much experience with moving audio and sound files through school internet connections? I liked VoiceThread (even if getting a smooth product might take some more practice) and could see how it could be useful, but I started seeing lag times to load and upload it with DSL connections. I was getting slow speed with PDF files of slides. What would it be like if I were commenting about a video? I know most schools use something faster, like a T1 line, but I did have reason to be cautious when reading FAQ about VoiceThread. One section said that if 20 computers were connected to VoiceThread at a school, there might be problems.
My students who were also video production students never turned in an assignment they chose to make into a video using computer to computer connections. They always gave me a DVD. Were they really telling me about limitations in the big system or just the system as it manifests itself in my school?
Is one aspect of the promise of Web 2.0 interactivity, especially in the sharing of voice/visual tools, limited by the connection speeds available in homes and schools? I don't use wireless connections very much and wonder do they have more or less bandwidth than say DSL or T1 lines?
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I have used my cell phone as a modem this summer and even though it is technically dial-up, it's still fairly fast. I have no trouble watching Youtube videos. I can say the same about my wireless network at home. There's enough speed that I don't have to get a cup of coffee every time I load a page like I used to 10 years ago.
ReplyDeleteI can see bandwidth problems with a whole class trying to do the same thing, in fact, I've had that problem many, many times. If I know I'm going to be using something like that, I often just project it from my computer and we work through it as a class. I also have a drawer full of thumb drives if necessary.
ReplyDeleteI have found that it depends on the availability in your location.
ReplyDeleteUrban schools (St. Louis) I was at did not have strong networks, but often I could pick up the wireless from the nearby industry. No problems.
Rural schools (Columbus, Mississippi) I was at were acclaimed by the community for having the best networks, but still lag behind my standards for "hard-line" systems.
I have also used many a public system and found that seems to have everything to do with fiber optics and satellite capabilities. F1 systems can be set up in a school district, but they run with the equivalent speed of dial-up when not set up properly.
Also each school district seems to have its own IT company which has promised certain features (like virus protection, child locks) and the IT company completes those features in the easiest way possible. This usually means that teachers are stuck "applying" to get their computer locks removed.
On a different note, being aware of how your schools computers/network is set up can be helpful in deciding how much and what kind of technology to utilize. Intranet is different from Internet. These provide different firewalls, restrictions, etc.
I cannot say for sure whether your wireless connections have more or less bandwidth than a DSL line in your area. Best way is to try them out; when you are on the internet go to your "network connections" under "My Computer" and look for the Mbps. Compare those numbers and see what looks better to you.
In Ohio I had better "hard-wire" service; In St. Louis I had better "wireless" service; and in Mississippi I have neither! :)