The Communications Research Centre Canada (CRC) is fine-tuning its broadband technology tools in an effort to improve the video and audio quality of its real-time VirtualClassroom sessions.

On June 12, CRC’s Broadband Applications and Demonstration Laboratory (BADLAB) in Ottawa tested the Broadband Virtual Camera (BVCam) tool while enabling students from a music academy in Finland to receive violin instruction from Pinchas Zukerman, Music Director for Canada’s National Arts Centre (NAC) Orchestra.

Zukerman, who is arguably the world’s top violinist, gave virtual, one-on-one instruction to senior-level students using the BADLAB’s high-definition video conferencing screens. As the students performed complex concertos from renowned composers such as Mozart and Brahms, Zukerman studied their technique and provided detailed comments for improvement. He also performed exemplary passages for the students on his own violin.

The week after the live session, the BVCam was used to enable follow-up, asynchronous sessions between Zukerman and the violin students in Finland. The students posted videos on a BVCam server for Zukerman to view, and he then posted his instructional response to the musical problems presented by the students. The one-minute video responses by Zukerman served as either reinforcement of instruction provided in the earlier synchronous session, or addressed new musical challenges identified by the students. Video requests and responses can be stored in a video repository for future student and teacher reference and reflection.

In addition to music education, the asynchronous BVCam application is being tested as a tool to provide expert mentoring in support of health education and medical services in developing countries.

The VirtualClassroom program has been co-managed by CRC and the National Research Council (NRC) for over 10 years. Using high-speed (10 MB to 1 GB) fibre optic and bidirectional satellite connections (500 kb to 1 MB) as well as broadband visual communications tools, the VirtualClassroom offers media-interactive learning environments to students within Canada and around the world.

A group of music educators attended the June 12 VirtualClassroom violin session alongside the students in Finland. They are working to put together a proposal for an ongoing broadband music program.