IRON MOUNTAIN - Through its new ITV Smart Classroom technology, Bay West in Iron Mountain can offer students a wider selection of courses at a location close to home.
Dr. Patrick Kennedy, vice president at Bay West, said that the college has been utilizing distance-learning technology for some time. Distance learning allows for instructors to physically be at either the Escanaba or Iron Mountain campus and appear on a screen to students at the other campus. The instructor can also see the students at the other campus through a monitor at the back of his or her classroom.
However, Kennedy noted that the new ITV system, which went live last fall, is a great improvement over past systems.
"It really feels like the instructor is in the room," he added. "Live instructors are best, but this is the next best thing."
With the new setup, the camera moves with the instructor via sensor pads on the floor. This feature comes in handy when the instructor writes a long formula on the blackboard or constantly moves between different areas on the blackboard.
Kari Divine, academic support services coordinator at Bay West, explained that some instructors are still getting used to the technology, so for now, they require that someone be in the remote classroom to make sure the cameras move accurately. Other instructors are more comfortable with the technology and can operate the system themselves, she added.
Additional features of the ITV Smart Classroom include: a document camera, which allows students in Iron Mountain to send their homework to their instructor in Escanaba; a Smart Board, on which students can write out math problems or other information that will then appear on a Smart Board in Escanaba; and plenty of microphones and speakers that facilitate communication between the two locations.
This advanced technology has several positive consequences for the college and its students.
First, ITV lets Bay West offer classes even if only a few students enroll.
"Maybe we only have five students here who need to take a certain class - that's not enough," said Kennedy. "But, if we combine with students in Escanaba, then we have a viable program."
Second, ITV saves students both time and money, since they do not have to drive back and forth to the Escanaba campus in order to take classes that otherwise would not be offered at Bay West.
This semester, Bay West offers general chemistry, engineering physics, and calculus as ITV classes. There are plans to offer these classes, as well as two biology classes and another physics class, next year.
Divine pointed out that all of these classes are cornerstone courses for students in pre-engineering, pre-medical, and pre-natural resources programs.
Bay West was able to purchase the new ITV Smart Classroom equipment through community donations and a federal grant.
Nikki Younk's e-mail address is nyounk@ironmountaindailynews.com
