re7:amnlns ec lo0

Improves Student Achievement

Study shows the use of standards-based Video content,
powered by a new Internet technology aipplication,
increases student achievement.

By Ron Reed
(rreed@united1earning.corn)
President, United Learning

TIN ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ILLIONS
OF DOLLARS HAVE
been invested in connecting
schools across the nation to
th e p nter e wteh aid of t-R at -

aco ml ishedas
btudeetforeac ing texpgocs.

fumndin vutingo coremputer ind class

n tima,e t integr ch no
6 pi6mise and imp erovi
its ha~~~roo ngbu ingtucionfa-

demi and -bsdvideostea ing ando thess

n

proi se bit asstrooma neachers.

fAccordia
l v to f lReportnon thexEffest
omeunitedstr,aming
Ci Application on
BosEcateonal Performancen (Boster etal.
__rst-oftskd2002) students who received instruc-
incorpod atino" the video-on-
Atin
demand unitedstreaming application

14 T.H.E. journal * February 2003

Special Report: Streaming Technology

showed dramatic improvement in Bandwidth limitations. Bandwidth
achievement. The unitedstreaming refers to the amount of data that can be
application is a browser-based Internet transmitted over the Internet in a fixed
delivery System with a comprehensive amount of time. For digital devices,
content management system developed bandwidth is usually expressed in bits
by United Learning. It consists of an per second or bytes per second. Some
extensive collection of more than 1,500 common examples of Internet connec-
videos and 15,000 chaptered clips of tion speeds include dial-up modems at
standards-based, core-curriculum edu- 56 Kilobits per second (Kbps); DSL,
cational video, teacher's guides, student which can range from 128 Kbps to 8
activities, quizzes and teacher resources. Megabits per second (Mbps); and T-1
The control-group study of more than lines at 1.544 Mbps. The broader the
1,400 elementary and middle school bandwidth, the better quality the
students in three Virginia school streaming, Many schools, libraries and
districts showed an average increase of other places of learning currently don't
12.6% by students exposed to united- have sufficient bandwidth to support
streaming compared to students who dpenpdable video streaming; though the
received traditional instruction alone. rechnology is coming.
Where banfdwidth is an issue, down-
Overcoming Barriers loading the video file is a viable option.
While there are currently many "The quality of Internet access is crit-
barriers to overcome regarding the ical. Broadband access will be the new
adoption of streaming video tech- standard. Slow, unreliable connections
nology; there are also ways around these that cannot support interactivity or
barriers. Consider the following: right multimedia content will no longer
be sufficient" (Riley, Holleman and
Roberts 1999). In addition, the Web-
Based Education Commission recom-
mends making "powerful new Internet
resources, especially broadband access,
widely and equitably available and
affordable for all learners. We call on
federal and state governments to make
the extension ofbroadband access for all
learners a central goal of telecommuni-
cations policy" (Kerrey and Isakson
2000).
Content challenges andissues.The
callenge of content providers, as well as
the users of content, is to select content
that has been cleared for digital rights
anfd meets the highest standards of
educational excellence. The "Web-
Based Education Commission Report"
Calls on us to 'continue and expand
efforts to digitize rich educational mate-
rials consistent with copyright laws"
(Kerrey and Isakson 2000). Selecting
content that meets the needs of
students, is standards-based and is avail-

Background on Video Streaming Tecn olog

.......
,.i~~~~~~
E.E.,
:E
EEF
,EEEE.,
E
.............
sde50 streming is the shoingi of video over theInen
t. ing eduatio ."The.latest research andevaluatio studies
..tre.aming meia technoloIy enablesthe re-time or on-: idenonstaepthachool nt pr gimprve
m that employ
de....
mandS tIr on of .adio, vcdeo and .ultimedia via the t technology
glea
for teaching...
ad rning eld post elsfo
.:~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~p
Interne. StreamiWng .....
meda d simultaneou tr feof diia
is 0the s,j .,,
ji
tuet ndtahr. GFiveta t 11is
,,,7E. ,,. ,,, i ,,,
1manyi.eL..vd
Oss an:d:
cols;
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;a.,
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ont u real-tme stram. Streamed datais transmitted :by;

a t:learning,the positiSveoutcoesofnthese studieeugge:sta
,.,sevrapplicatio n;, and received ad displayedin real time by fuur fo edcaio tha col eqiebih ftento
.,...'l.Wient.plicoln,s,,on" the. view s workatlThese applica- maintainsits commitment to harnessing technology .or.e.uca-

tin gisplainvikde or paIn bhack audi's

a str sooQn as.: tonWt'(Ritley,Holleman8 nd Roberts 1999s).::0:t:::i0i:0;:g;ftS;CEFi

Z on the vewes
vZwd bt leae behn no physica fle a; support teachers will b able;to better :he thleZir studets|200
:l00nd
tp
Ids:0*e
fh:
........si$:
sfiD!
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i:~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
e:.
fIng
Mh
tts
tM. ....
Vde . ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,p,,
,ta,, provides inant
sreaing s o videred,t hg, ts
onten I s;e tach
. engaged in learningl Usin :ideo treamingtechnool v
that can be usedin I sion plansi student projects and research. llarnlso, be:abos tourov
e es
theirs
of t wh a ess to nf-
g gOn-d4emnld or dwnlode:d video contentfrom a:streaming:mation
eresuces. f anid; as well as b rme th n
s. ite offers a t.echnoogy tool that holds the promise of ipro- individual nees.:

16 T.H.E.journal * February 2003

Special Report: Streaming Technology
able in clips of various lengths will
contribute to a rich digital resource tool.
The report also suggests that we
select "content that is easy to find and
access, easy for students and teachers to
use and accessible to people with disabil-
ities" Kerrey and lsakson 2000). For
example, the unitedstreaming applica-
tion consists of an expanding digital
video library from a variety of
publishers. All such content is chaptered
and correlated to state and national stan-
dards. In addition, local school content,
with appropriate copyright clearance,
can be uploaded to the United Learning
servers and used by teachers and
studentswithin theschool district.
Teacher training. "Professional
development - for preK-12 teachers,
higher education faculty, and school
administrators - is the critical ingre-
dient for effective use of technology in
the classroom" (Kerrey and Isakson
2000). Teacher training that addresses
the technical and practical application
aspects of using video streaming in a
variety of settings issuggsted. Ways for
teachers to incorporate content clips
into their existing lesson plans, method-
ology for creating new lesson plans, and
ways for students to use video streaming
in electronic reports and for research are
but a few topics to be addressed in
teacher training. Consider a "train-the-
trainer" model with each trainerrespon-
sible for several sites.
Security issues. "In2000, almost all
public schools with Internet access
(98%) had 'acceptable use policies' and
used various technologies or procedures
to control access to inappropriate mate-
rial" (Cattagni and Farris 2001).
Security should not be a problem if
administrative tools are included in the
video streaming strategy. Adminis-
trative tools will enable the user to block
18 T.H.E.journal . February 2003
content that is not age appropriate,
create user accounts, assign security
profiles, set the number of users, enable
permnission to download, and assign
access to reporting functions. In addi-
tion, a protectedsitewith user name and
password requirements is always recom-
mended.
Funding. E-based learning is expen-
sive, so schools must sustain funding
through traditional and new sources.
"To realize the goal ofuniversal access to
educational technology for students and
teachers, we should ensure sustained
and predictable funding for technology;
ensure that technology plans reflect the
educational needs of students and are
regularly updated; improve the afford-
ability, reliability and ease-of-use of
educational technology; ensure that
school buildings and facilities are
modern; strengthen our commitment to
eliminating the digital divide; and
ensure that all students have equal
opportunities to access and use tech-
nology" (Riley, Holleman and Roberts
1999).
Education Technology Goals
The No Child Left Behind Act
requires schools to use instructional
approaches that work. This is both a
challenge and an opportunity for the
educational publishing industry. The
challenge will be to develop instruc-
tional materials, then subject them to
scientifically based research. The oppor-
tunity comes with an unprecedented
level of technology that is available to
publishers and the learning environ-
ments within which learning can take
place. Coometrika, using the united-
streamning onlline education delivery
systemm has provided the first such study
that complies with the requirements of
the NCLB Act. "The United Learning
standards-based application, united-
streaming, is a great example of how
technology can be used to further
student achievement," said U.S. Rep.
Johnny Isakson, vice chair of the Web-
Based Education Commission.
According to the U.S. Education
Department, the use ofvideo streaming
technology can help accomplish the
following National Educational Tech-
nologygoals:
1. All students and teachers will have
access to information technology in
their classrooms, schools, communi-
ties and homes.
2. All teacherswill use technology effec-
tively to help students achieve high
academic standards.
3. All studentswill have technologyand
information literacy skills.
4. Research and evaluation will
improve the next generation of tech-
nology applications for teaching
and learning.
5. Digital content and networked
applications will transform teaching
and learning.
"The use of educational technology
in Illinois public schools has had 'a small
but significant impact' on student
performance, according to a statistical
analysis. The Illinois State Board of
tEducation commissioned Westat, a
research firm based in Rockville, Md., to
find out how the state's classrooms use
technology and what affect computers
ant the Internet have had on student
performance" (Branigan 2000). This
study reports that "students' scores on
certain subjects tended to be higher."
Longitudinal science-based research
and evaluation, which includes video
streaming for content delivery, needs to
be conducted over the next several years.
Special Report: Streaming Technoi ogy

From Promise to Practice
The on-demand feature of video
streaming embraces anytme, anywhere,
any pace and anyplace learning. Since
January 2001, thousands of schools and
classrooms have made video streaming
available to students. Teachers are
learning to prepare lesson plans and
student activities in print, graphic,
sound and video formats to give teachers
and students multiple paths for under-
standing and retaining content.
Largely as the result of E-Rate
programs, which provide discounts on
telecommunication services to schools
and libraries, 98% of schools and 77%
of classrooms are connected to the
Initernet. Upgrading Internet connec-
tions to robust broadband availability is
becoming a reality. By 2000, "schools
..............
.. . Mey
....... G.KC
d A IJ :Ed
unite-streamin ,,,,,ppUCaVQWQn:, UcAti
.. . . ..11 .......
tu WcWow oom:sta 'entlp
rani n M2000 "NeWS, d 7Tk hn I
tended to use faster ledicated-line over the, time it takes to prepare
Internet connections" (Cattagni and Internet-based lessons. In addition to
Farris 2001). shared lessons, more student projects
Cuirrently, downlc )ading video and cooperative learning activities that
streamied clips can ovei -oeexisting are studeiit-centered can be developed.
bandwidth limitations iniithe classroom. "Students assume greater control over
Downloaded clips can be built into the materials, making the learning
Microsoft PowerPoint presentations, process proactive. As a consequence,
electroniic reports, as wel I as other tradi- Thculty gain more time in and out of class
tional and nontraditic )nal forms of anid can concentrate on further
education. The on-demLand feature of imiprovements to the learning process"
video streaniing fits wel I with Internet (Miltenoff 2000).
use at school byvstudents Ibeforeandafter Various forms of electronic lesson
regular school hours. "IJf the 54%/ of planners that involve Internet content
schools mnaking the Inter net available to are now a'vrailable to assist teachers. In
students outside of regzuk-it school hours, addition, many organizations, includ-
98%mrade itaqvaiable afi erschool, 84% ing the Institute for Teaching Through
before school and 16% on weekends" Technology and Innovative Practices in
(Cattagni and Farris 200 1). South Boston, Va., are providing
Several teacher survey 'sshow concern training and building model lessons and
activities for teachers to use. During the
2002-03 school year, video streaming
. .. ....... .. .... .. .. .. ..... will move from promise to practice at
1 -20021,11 ct ofthe
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According to Scott H-uggins, director
rtnanct
Bd of technology for Geneva Area City
."echo

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Once downloaded, the video is
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20 T.H.E. Journal *February 2003

COPYRIGHT INFORMATION

TITLE: Streaming Technology Improves Student Achievement

SOURCE: T.H.E. J 30 no7 F 2003
WN: 0303200462002

The magazine publisher is the copyright holder of this article and it

is reproduced with permission. Further reproduction of this article in
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