Clare Chapman reports on a user-friendly system being pioneered in Germany that puts lectures on the net
A simplified system that enables students to access university lectures through the internet has been developed, meaning days of sitting in over-crowded lecture halls will be a thing of the past.
The system, called Tele-TaSK (Tele-Teaching anywhere Solution Kit), has been developed by the Institute for Telematics in Germany, the country's top research and development centre for the internet, and it has already been put to use at the University of Trier in Rheinland-Pfalz.
Earlier systems had software that users found difficult to install and complicated methods of accessing the lectures. Now the only thing interested parties need is a compatible ISDN or DSL internet connection with Real Player software. This means that anybody can listen to the seminars - not just students - from anywhere in the world.
The new technique went into action last month. It has so far been a huge success at Trier, with about 2,000 people accessing the lectures via the internet.
The first lecture to be transmitted live via the internet was conducted by Christoph Meinel, director at the Institute for Telematics. The subject under observation from lecture-hall attenders and e-learners alike was information security on the internet. Professor Meinel said that only a basic knowledge of informatics was required for his audience to be able to follow the lesson.
Those participating in the lectures from home or in the office have access to the lesson contents and can also hear and see the lecturers. The new system makes life easier and looks to the future, too. All lectures broadcast over the internet are recorded and archived for future use. This has two advantages: those who for one reason or another could not attend or listen to the lecture live can access it at a later date; and the archives could be useful for students facing exams who want to study more intensively.
Lectures on the topic are being conducted twice weekly at Trier, but Professor Meinel is planning to expand the timetable.
According to Volker Schillings, a researcher on the project at Trier, it should not be long before the system is in other German and European universities. He said that it should also be possible to use it in a variety of subjects, rather than just computing, and that it would be very useful for further education institutes.
According to Professor Meinel, the Institute for Telematics wants to "widely promote knowledge about the internet" and has previously offered online lectures to students. He said the response to the system had already been "considerable".
Professor Meinel said students from 18 countries, including the UK and the US, clicked on to the lecture and so far more than 1,000 people have accessed the archive material.
Details: www.tele-task.uni-trier.de