Abstract: Breakthrough, the crossing of a significant barrier, is a descriptor reserved for truly major advances. InterActiveMedia is such an event, no question. InterActiveMedia is the first system ever to deliver the full spectrum of digital multimedia--including full-screen, full-motion video-- within the flamework of curriculum-based courseware over a standard network. Notice the key words: full-motion video; standard network; courseware; first. InterActiveMedia achieves this in real time, transparently to students, and in a seamless and interactive fashion. Extending its reach into the world, the system can also capture cable and satellite TV broadcasts for delivery over the network. Most significantly, it does all of this without necessarily requiring all new computers or cabling. Such are the trademarks of this breakthrough product from Jostens Learning Corp. * Accessible Platform InterActiveMedia is what all ILSs really wanted to be when they grew up. The design is simple--a file server, a teacher's station, student stations and a network. What's new is a trio of highly integrated hardware and software components: MediaServer, The Hub and The Card. To summarize, the MediaServer stores and manages delivery of multimedia data; The Card enables stations to receive and manipulate that data; and The Hub sits in the center, intelligently connecting the file server and MediaServer to stations via a LAN. The technology is based on current, relatively low-cost standards that education may rely upon for longevity: Microsoft Windows or System 7 and 10BaseT twisted-pair Ethernet. An open architecture accommodates future developments. It can be configured for DOS or Macintosh platforms. And it works with and alongside existing systems. * Curriculum Still Paramount Razzie-dazzle notwithstanding, the system merely serves as the medium for the message, which is curriculum. Jostens Learning never loses sight of that fact. The new courseware and teacher tools provided for InterActiveMedia are designed to exploit its strengths. Lessons literally come to life with full-motion video and sound, 3D animated characters and relevant situations. Onscreen actors even speak directly to students. Further, with the object-oriented authoring system and presentation tools supplied, teachers can customize or create courseware using material from many sources, such as VCRs, cable and satellite TV, projectors, printed matter and more. In addition, all of Jostens' existing curriculum products are compatible with the new system, as are many third-party courseware packages. Plus Jostens' Renaissance Integrated Management System, which monitors student progress, provides teachers with the means for a folio assessment. Finally, the modules' open-ended design enables teachers to fit the courseware to their needs and styles instead of vice versa. Individual, cooperative, small-group, distributed and large-group learning settings are all supported. The end result is an undeniably dynamic curriculum that is easy for teachers to use and hard for students to ignore. * Tech Specs: MediaServer Some slick engineering is evident in this new system. To create it, Jostens Learning brought together leading firms in hardware, software and networking. Fluent, MediaShare, Starlight Networks and LANNET were development partners; technical advances can be found in every component. For example, the MediaServer stores and manages the distribution of compressed audio/video streams over the LAN. It achieves this via an Intel i486DX processor and an intelligent drive array of as many as ten 1.2GB hard disks managed by multiple SCSI II controllers. Unique system software is built in. In addition, cable and satellite TV broadcast feeds are stored directly on the MediaServer. All of the audio/video applications coexist with the more familiar computer applications without performance degradation to either. …
Publication Year: 1992
Publication Date: 1992-10-01
Language: en
Type: article
Access and Citation
Cited By Count: 1
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