The New York State Distance Learning Consortium
Meeting Minutes
For
January 9 and 10, 2003
Rochester, NY
The following is a summary of our most recent meeting. Please let Steve Smith know as soon as possible if anything has been omitted or reported in error.
A. We went around the table and introduced ourselves for all of our new participants at this meeting.
B. Agenda Review—We did a quick review of the agenda for the 9th and 10th .
C. Review of October 2002 Meeting Minutes—After review of the October minutes, a motion was made by Rita Wissinger to approve the minutes and was seconded by Barb Buonanno. All were in favor.
· ID Solutions www.ideasdirectory.com – Several BOCES are considering using this video conferencing service. Evaluations of the service are just starting. We may want to invite them to our May meeting.
· Resource for future meetings – We should try to have an Internet connection available during meetings.
· Portals – There was considerable discussion regarding SED Portals being established to aid in providing and obtaining data. It sounds like some links will be up in June. We discussed what our role might be in Portal use. Bonnie Nizamis handed out Portal site documentation. The RIC’s will play a pivotal role in supporting the Portal approach.
Roundtable
Discussion-(continued)
· Budgets – There was considerable discussion regarding school district budgets for 2003-04. Funds may not be available for equipment upgrades or access to new resources. To that end, we should be showing districts how DL can save them money or even generate revenue.
· D.L. courses – We need to collect data on what courses are currently available over D.L. by BOCES around the state and what courses are needed and not available over D.L. Comments were made that some courses had been dropped due to lack of interest. Others commented that their course offerings had increased.
· College tuition – questions were asked on how high school student tuition for college courses was paid for. There seems to be a mix, in some cases the home school pays the tuition while in other locations the student pays for the tuition.
· NYSDLC website – We are continually supposed to look at our website for items out of date. It is the responsibility of each of us to do this. There currently are several outdated sections of the website. Changes should be forwarded to Steve Smith.
· Digital bridges – Paul Rubeo indicated he has a video on this topic or if you want to know more go to www.netc.org .
· Diffusion project – Fiber optic connections from Verizon will soon be operational from Elmira to Binghamton to Albany. The Elmira to Binghamton leg is operational for data and will soon be tested for D.L.. The RIC Directors for BT BOCES, SCT BOCES and Albany BOCES plan to have D.L. classes this fall. ONC BOCES will also be a part of this network as connections become available. It is hoped that connections to other BOCES around the state via non-ISDN networks in the near future.
· Technical issues –There was considerable discussion on broadband issues.
1. I/P, traditional D.L. codec, ISDN
2. It was requested that the technical subcommittee meet at least once before our May meeting to discuss these issues further and report out.
3. Conference
Discussions-
A great deal of work goes into having a presence at these conferences. More of us need to get involved so that the same few are not relied on to carry the ball. It is to all of our benefit to pitch in wherever possible.
NYSSBA- 10/23 -10/26/03 Rochester
· Do we want to do presentations as well as a booth? After considerable discussion of pros and cons, it was decided to table the discussion for the May meeting.
· Steve Smith will look into the time frame for submitting presentation proposals and inform the listserv.
NYSCATE Conference-11/03 Albany?
· It will be important to do a lot of planning at the May meeting. Will we continue to do a booth and presentations? Need to come to closure in May.
Video Conferencing -
It appears that two of the three planned went off successfully. May have more in the spring. Contact Bonnie Nizamis if interested.
4. I/P video demo at Monroe 1 BOCES –
Holly Sharp and Bonnie Nizamis provided a demonstration of I/P video, ISDN and traditional Codec functioning over the same network. It was very impressive and provoked much thought on the right approach to merging these transport methods. There are pros and cons to consider. Thanks also to Dana Bowers and John Poland of Monroe 1 BOCES for running the actual demo and follow up technical over view.
5. Break out
sessions
The Programming/Communicating and Technical group’s breakout session summaries.
· Programming/Communicating group –
1. Discussed the logistics of providing services like ISDN.
2. Working to create collaborative projects. Bonnie Nizamis and Shelley
Rossitto are doing a project overview on the Erie Canal for the May meeting.
3. Blackboard discussion and similar projects. Jennifer DelVillano indicated that
Blackboard is quite popular in the Broome region.
Break
out sessions continued
· Technical group –
1. This group will meet on Feb. 24, 2003 from 10:00 A.M.- 2:00 P.M.. The
meeting will be via video conferencing. Holly offered the Monroe 1 bridge
for this meeting. Anyone interested in participating can go to one of the
following locations for the meeting.
Monroe 1 BOCES, Jefferson/Lewis BOCES, ONC BOCES, Orange-Ulster BOCES.
2. Topics are as follows -
10:00 A.M. – 12:00 P.M.
- Inter-connectivity ( who are the carriers, define standards ((Rodger
Oesterle offered to collect data from the BOCES on their standards))
- NERIC’s conversion status report, Mike Sylofski
Cost benefit – Own vs. lease and ERATE
12:45 P.M. – 2:00 P.M.
- Consider a statewide problem solving database
- Technical training on Crestron and AMX
- Review available local and state equipment and network bids
- Review new and discontinued products
6. Schedules and Data- From last meeting
We decided to include schedules, student numbers, and RWADA information in the distance learning “Report Card” that we are creating. Everyone was asked to send their information to Steve Smith last December, but failed to do so. It was determined that a template is needed to provide such information. Steve will develop the template and email it to everyone in February.
7. Our Next Meeting -
May 15 & 16, 2003 Albany/Saratoga area – Mike Sylofski to work on
this with Steve Smith.
Please submit agenda items to Steve by April 1, 2003.
8. According to the sign in sheet, the following individuals
attended this meeting.
NAME SCHOOL/AGENCY
Abbatiello, Tony Cayuga-Onondaga BOCES
Bayba, Mike Erie 2 BOCES
Biazzo, Kris Jefferson-Lewis BOCES
Buonanno, Barbara Buffalo University
Carver, Rene SCT BOCES/Spencer Van Ettan
Clark, Tracy Madison Oneida BOCES
Conners, David N. Rose-Wolcott
DelVillano, Jennifer Broome-Tioga BOCES
Elliott, Jeffrey Questar II
Ford, Kenneth Oneida-Herkimer BOCES
Fraley, Bob Orange Ulster BOCES
Manvell, Robert Dutchess BOCES
Nizamis, Bonnie Monroe #1 BOCES
Oesterle, Rodger ONC BOCES
Preston, Rich SCT BOCES
Rossitto, Shelly Orange Ulster BOCES
Rubeo, Paul Ulster BOCES
Sharp, Holly Monroe #1 BOCES
Smith, Steve Broome-Tioga BOCES
Verdon, Andy Dutchess BOCES
Warren, Roxanne Genesee Valley BOCES
Wissinger, Rita Cattaraugus Allegany
Zampardi, D. Herkimer
Oneida BOCES