Participating colleges can select from a variety of options that will allow them to see, talk to, and work with colleagues who may be off-campus or at partner institutions and organizations. Our Multipoint Interactive Videoconferencing (MIV) services offer "seats" in a virtual room--or multiple rooms--reserved for the enrolled institution's use. Using MIV, individuals connect with each other directly from their computer desktops, using web-based video and audio, a shared whiteboard, chat, and application-sharing to communicate, interact, and collaborate across distance. Find out more about MIV below, review available training options, or go directly to our online enrollment forms for our Basic MIV Service or Enhanced MIV Service.
Why MIV?
When a campus enrolls in our MIV service, members of its faculty and staff can use the service to foster collaboration that is rich and sustainable. MIV allows individuals to use their time efficiently and their travel dollars judiciously; in general, it's a less resource-intensive way of reaching out across distance to share and work with colleagues and to develop and sustain relationships with distant peers and partners.
Some examples:
- Campus-based mentors can use MIV to stay in touch with students studying abroad or to facilitate sharing and learning between students engaging in international study.
- Faculty members can learn and collaborate with peers at other institutions, identifying and creating curricular materials or exploring developments in disciplinary or inter-disciplinary fields. They can also use MIV to bring guest lecturers into class or connect their students with peers at other institutions.
- Staff members from multiple institutions can use MIV to engage in cross-training, sharing their strengths for mutual benefit and developing professional networks.
- Admissions officers can connect with prospective students via MIV, both getting to know them better and giving them a richer sense of the campus community, the unique value it offers, and its shared mission. (Departments and units recruiting new members to the faculty or staff can do the same.)
- Development or alumni relations staff can reach out to alumni and other friends, building a broader community of support for the campus.
What services are available?
- Basic MIV Service: One 10-seat MIV room, included with participation in the NITLE Network
- Enhanced MIV Service: Additional seats and/or rooms, with seats available in 5-, 10-, and 15-seat increments. Set-up fees apply for additional rooms and for reconfiguration of existing rooms.
- MIV Auditorium access: Reserved time in the auditorium for up to 50 users at a time, available in 1-hour increments.
Is training available?
Yes. NITLE offers a full curriculum on the effective use of Multipoint Interactive Videoconferencing (MIV).
- A collaborative website that allows MIV users to engage in peer-to-peer exchange about using MIV and to build a MIV User Community. NITLE's "Do-It-Yourself" MIV training module, regularly updated FAQs, technical specifications, and other information to help campuses make the best use of their MIV Services are available on this site; please contact Karen Davis for access.
- "Collaborate with MIV" (1 program unit), an introductory session for new users of MIV. Participants learn how to participate and contribute successfully in the MIV environment. See our program calendar for available sessions.
- "Foster MIV" (1 program unit), which helps enrolled campuses learn how to develop and support campus services based on MIV. See our program calendar for available sessions.
- "Lead and Teach with MIV" (1 program unit), an advanced option for more experienced users of MIV. Participants learn how to lead MIV sessions effectively as teachers and/or coaches and how to apply best practices that make the most of participants' video feeds, slideshow presentations, the collaborative whiteboard space, group and private chat, and application sharing. See our program calendar for available sessions.
- "Web-Based Video-Conferencing," a Workshop-to-Go that is available upon request. (Find out more about our Workshops-to-Go program.)
How does MIV work?
Users of MIV interact in a rich communications environment. MIV's combination of video, audio, and collaborative tools such as the shared whiteboard, group and private chat, and application-sharing allows users to communicate and interact verbally, in writing, and via the exchange of non-verbal and contextual information. By giving users multiple modes for sending and receiving information, MIV creates an environment that users can truly share interactively. Used well, MIV can enable lively discussion, creative flow, and substantial collaborative activity. In particular, the service can provide significant support to campuses pursuing inter-institutional collaborative work.
What kind of equipment is needed?
To use MIV, each "seat" must be accessed from a computer manufactured in or after 2005. The computer should be equipped with
- a desktop or laptop web video camera
- a hands-free, echo-free computer audio system: we recommend a USB headset or speaker-phone
- a high-speed Internet connection
What else must the enrolled campus provide?
Campuses enrolled in our MIV services must provide:
- Scheduling/resource management of their MIV rooms and seats
- A local MIV Coordinator. The coordinator serves as the local resource for service-related questions, communicates with NITLE about the service, and acts as campus coach.
- A local technical contact. When important information of a technical nature must be communicated to campuses enrolled in the service, NITLE will contact the technical contact.
What is the base technology?
NITLE's MIV services are based on the Marratech videoconference system. Marratech is a proven cross-platform system that NITLE staff members have successfully used to deliver professional development programs to our participants and to support communication and collaboration more generally.
How was the service developed?
NITLE thanks the colleges and universities whose pioneering participation in the Multipoint Interactive Videoconferencing Pilot Service allowed NITLE to explore--in collaboration with participating colleges--the benefits and potential uses of this shared system and how to deliver it to participants as a managed service. We especially thank the institutions that participated in our original feasibility study for a multipoint interactive videoconferencing service.
Whom should I contact with questions?
To enroll in or ask questions about our MIV Services or to share your ideas for other similar services that would be useful to your campus, please contact Karen Lee Davis.
