INTERACTIVE TELEVISION NETWORK

The Interactive Television Network, ITN, provides a unique way of learning and video services for the Arizona Western College campus. The main service provided by ITN is interactive television instruction for off campus centers. Other services include providing an area for teleconference down links, recording telecourses for playback on cable and recording instructors and students for special video projects.

Arizona Western College uses its ITN to expand course offerings at its satellite campuses. Implementing both microwave and IP technology, ITN is fully interactive, which allows students on one campus to communicate with their instructor and classmates on another campus as if they were all in the same classroom. Students are able to take courses in many subject areas such as administrative justice, business management, general education and more.

Arizona Western College in partnership with Northern Arizona University can also use the ITN system to connect with other universities and community college campuses throughout and beyond the state of Arizona.

Student Information

ITN is a great tool to help you balance your college life. ITN offers the AWC Main Campus student a wider selection of courses, and the satellite campus student courses closer to home. The Network has several Locations throughout Yuma and La Paz Counties. With ITN students can expand their knowledge through general education courses such as, Geology, Math & Philosophy. Students are also able to pursue careers through specialized courses in subjects like, Administration Justice, Education, and Psychology.

Student Support

ITN Staff - The friendly and knowledgeable staff operating the Interactive Television Network is available during regular business hours to help with your technical needs.

Instructors

The ITN Instructors are available during officer hours to assist you with your educational needs. Instructors are responsible for outlining their office hour time in the class syllabus. If the Instructor or Student wishes to meet on the interactive network, the Instructor must notify ITN staff in advance.

Support Services

The Student Success Center is available to all AWC students for academic tutoring in almost every subject area.

Location: Learning Resources (LR) Building 80
Hours of operation:

Monday - Thursday: 8:00am - 10:00pm
Fridays: 10:00am - 5:00pm
Saturdays: 12noon - 5:00pm
Sundays: 5:00pm - 8:00pm

Students can just stop over.

Turning in Papers

If you are a student where the instructor teaches the class papers will be turned in to the instructor. If a paper needs to be delivered early or late to the instructor the student should turn the paper in to instructor not ITN.

If you are a student where the class is being delivered to you through the Interactive Television Network papers will be turned in to you class operation, unless otherwise arranged by instructor. Papers which need to be turned in early or late should be given to the ITN staff a your campus. Please be sure to have you name, the course number, the instructor's name and your campuses name on the first page of any papers to be given to your instructor.

John Doe
AJS 123
Ken Barnes
San Luis

Papers may take up to 4 days to travel by courier from one site to another please allow for this delay in time when expecting papers returned to you from your instructor. After a course has ended ITN mailrooms will hold class papers for one week before returning them to instructors. Please see ITN operators if you wish to collect your returned papers.

Viewing Classes

Classes are held at the time and place listed in the schedule, these class sessions are recorded to videotape and kept for two weeks at each participating site. At AWC-Main Campus tapes are available to view but not checkout in the Library. Students at satellite locations can refer to the ITN operators to view their class tapes. Instructors may or may not accept viewing the class tape as make up for an absence; this is up to the instructor's discretion not ITN staff.

Interactive Television Tips for using ITN

Learning over ITN can be a different type of experience and requires thought and preparation that varies from the traditional classroom. The tips are listed to help you create a classroom environment that utilizes the technology to enhance your own learning. The ITN staff is available to help you in any way needed to make this experience successful for you and your peers.

Remember, the five keys to success ITN classes are to be:

Prepared
Flexible
Interactive
Seen
Heard

Eye Contact

Research indicated that sixty percent of any message is nonverbal. Eye contact, especially with students at remote sites, is extremely important. Be certain to:

Look ath the monitor/camera in the front of the room when speaking with other students in remote sites
Speak regularly to the students at the remote location(s) and call them by name
Use a slight or look down with your eyes when using an overhead presenter (pad camera) to prevent seeing only the top of your head.
Leave room in a corner of your presentations in order for the operator to place your face next to the presentation.

Dress

Remember that anything that distracts the viewer distracts from your message. Clothing made of non-reflective, solid color material is best. Avoid:

Loud, bold, vibrant patterns such as herringbone or small checks
Dangling or shiny jewelry
Pure white, black, dark blue, or charcoal colors

Speech

Speak in a conversational manner using your normal tone of voice. Your words must be clear and distinct. It is helpful if you:

Identify yourself and your location each time your speak (this not only helps in learning names but also makes other students feel recognized as individuals rather than items on a TV screen)
Face the front when talking, speak directly into the microphone
Do not interrupt the instructor or other students while they are speaking

Movement

Movement around the classroom should be relaxed and natural. Sit at the desk (slightly forward to nonverbally show you are interested). Do NOT:

Touch the microphones, shuffle books and papers or hold non-class related conversations directly in front of them. Any slight movement or noise will be heard by the microphones and thus heard by the rest of the class.
Move too quickly as the camera speed is limited
Spread out in the classroom. Try to add yourself to a group of other students (the cameras are limited in their ability to see the whole class)

Student Involvement

Student participation and involvement are extremely important in the distance education classroom. To develop class unity and a sense of belonging, you may find it helpful to:

Encourage discussion groups
Develop study groups through the exchange of telephone numbers and/or email addresses

Technician Teamwork

Sites where the instructor is not present will have to rely on their operator heavily. To ensure this level of open communication:

Introduce yourself to the operator
Notify the technician in advance of any presentations that will take place at your site so that the needed preparations can be made to make the presentation run smoothly
Be respectful of your operator and the equipment

Don't Forget...