Interactive Video

interactive video is a term that describes any kind of video technology allowing users to have some level of interaction. For example, the video may offer the user choices so that he can change outcomes in future parts of the footage, or the video could use technology so that Internet users could click on areas of the picture and open links. The idea of interactive videooriginated with early videodisc technologies and was eventually applied to everything from computer systems to video game machines. One of the main purposes of interactive video is educational. These videos are sometimes used in a way thats similar to books in terms of basic teaching methods. For example, a book may have a passage that a student must read followed by a questionnaire to determine if the student understood the passage. Similarly, an educational interactive video can be broken up into sections that viewers can watch, and then it can ask the viewer to answer questions by clicking a remote control or picking a choice by directly clicking the video through a computer. Another major use of interactive video is through interactive stories. Some people have explored the idea of creating films that allow the audience to make choices for the characters. These choices could potentially lead to different branching outcomes so that everyones experience with the film would be different. This would also create more reasons to watch a film repeatedly.

Video games on both computers and console systems have also taken advantage of interactivevideo. In some cases, gamers werent entirely pleased with the results of these games because they werent considered interactive enough. Many of the games were designed in a similar way to the interactive film concept, but they usually implemented more interactivefunctionality than simply making choices. These games became particularly popular right after the development of compact disc technology, and eventually, their popularity waned due to user dissatisfaction. Some experts think that advertising can be revolutionized through interactive videotechnology. Most of these schemes revolve around creating links inside videos that people can click through a computer. For example, one area of a video could change when people moved their mouse over it, and then if the person clicked it, a webpage could open. Many marketing executives see a wide variety of ways that interaction can be mixed with advertising to generate more consumer interest in products.

What is interactive video (IV)? Interactive Video (IV) is an effective method of delivering information to remote distance educational settings. Interactive video supports two-way video and audio communication between multiple locations. Most IV systems utilize compressed digital video for the transmission of motion images over data networks. The video compression process decreases the amount of data transmitted over the lines by transmitting only the changes in the picture. By minimizing the bandwidth required to transmit the images, video compression also reduces the transmission cost (Woodruff & Mosby, 1996.)

Interactive video courses are often transmitted on dedicated T-1 phone lines, which are high speed lines which are typically leased with an expensive monthly cost. The monthly charge is usually based on distance, not usage. Therefore, the cost effectiveness of IV systems increases with use. Interactive Video systems can operate at different data rates enabling multiple simultaneous video courses/conferences over the same T-1 circuit. An IV system can also share a T-1 circuit with other digital data uses such as Internet transmissions or file transfers (Woodruff & Mosby, 1996.)

Interactive video is commonly used to connect two locations using sophisticated computer technology. The core of IV is the codec (coder/decoder.) This electronic device transmits and receives the video signals that the class members will see on their television monitors (Galbreth, 1995.) Other types of equipment, such as television monitors, are needed to make IV successful. In addition, various forms of instructional technology can be incorporated into IV, including video cassette recorders/players, microphones, cameras, and computers (Reed & Woodruff, 1996.) Some systems, including the ones used at Florida State University and Tallahassee Community College, are also capable of simultaneously connecting more than two sites through the use of a multi-point control unit, or MCU (Woodruff. & Mosby, 1996.)

Advantages of Interactive Video

Interactive video is attractive to administrators for several reasons. IV provides access to education to those who live in remote locations and cannot travel to the university; it can provide access to at-risk or special needs students (Woodruff and Mosby, 1996); it enables large numbers of students to be taught simultaneously by one instructor; outside speakers can be involved who would not otherwise be available, and students can become linked with others from different communities, backgrounds and cultures (Willis, 1992.)

For the instructor, interactive video can be effective because it allows for "real time" or synchronous visual contact between students and the instructor or among students at different sites. Furthermore, it supports the use of diverse media (Reed & Woodruff, 1996.) Thus, many things common in the traditional classroom can be used in the interactive classroom, such as blackboards, documents, videos and transparencies.

Disadvantages
As with any technology, interactive video is not without limitations. IV is expensive, especially the initial cost. Since it involves sophisticated technology there can be audio and visual difficulties, which cannot be resolved by the professor (Galbreth, 1995.) While compressed video holds great promise for expanding the classroom, it also amplifies poor teaching styles and strategies. Instructors must devote greater than normal effort toward preparation and development of instructional strategies that actively encourage learning. Instructors typically spend more time initially preparing for the interactive class, paying special attention to the development and production of visual material (Woodruff & Mosby, 1996.) Additionally, the instructor

must be vigilant in making sure the students remain involved in the course, a task more difficult when classes are taught at a distance.

Frequently instructors are given insufficient time and resources in which to prepare for the course and insufficient compensation for the development and delivery of the course. The planning process and learning curve may seem excessive at first, but the shift from "knowledge disseminator" to "learning facilitator" is likely to enhance learning for both local and remote students (Reed & Woodruff, 1996.)
Somehow it just happened. We went from casual conversations with our coworkers by the watercooler to communicating almost entirely via emails, status updates, and text messages--even when those coworkers are in the very next cubicle. As technology allowed us to become more social, face-to-face communication inadvertently took a backseat to typed words on a screen. Emoticons replaced facial expressions. But they were still no substitute for the real thing. Historically, interactive video only existed in a silo, forcing you to rely on solutions such as GoToMeeting, webex, or Skype. That also meant you had to send all of your users to other sites--less than ideal when youre trying to build your business. Then Facebook and Google hopped onboard the video train, and that began the movement toward mainstreaming interactive video communication for the masses. After winning this seasons American Idol, Scotty McCreery hosted a Facebook video chat using TokBoxs OpenTok Video Platform. In one hour, he was able to engage and interact with 1,433 fans face-to-face. 90% of the fans connected via Facebook; 10% came directly from McCreery's site.

The interactive chat allowed him to have meaningful connections with a broad swath of his audience. "Video chat more easily offers the ability to create backstage moments and engage one -to-one or one-to-many, whether fans visit the virtual stage and ask the artist a question directly, or observe passively as part of the audience," said Chris Garnett, CMO of CKX, Inc., the parent company of 19 Entertainment, the folks who manage the American Idol contestants. "In either instance, it can feel personal and special." McCreery was also able to easily scale the event, on his own site. When people are talking around a focused topic, conversations are more robust and last longer. That increases the amount time visitors spend on your site and drives engagement, said Ian Small, CEO of TokBox.com. Fans arent the only ones benefiting from the rise in video chat. Causes, the worlds largest platform for activism and philanthropy, is using TokBoxs OpenTok platform to integrate seamless, one-click video creation into their site. Through their Create a Causes Wish campaign, 400,000 people have been able to raise more than $13 million for charity by using short video clips to encourage peer-to-peer donations.

Were all about lowering barriers to participation, and video is a big part of that. Technology is making it possible to put powerful tools in the hands of people who want to get things done said Matt Mahan, VP of Social Impact. With one click theyre able to create a message with their own voice and facial expressions, all in high definition. Not surprisingly, much of the uptick in interactive video demand is being driven by smartphone, iPad, and tablet users. According to a recent study by Juniper Networks, nearly two-thirds of smartphone owners and 86% of tablet owners have

watched video on their device. By 2015, In-Stat forecasts mobile video consumption to surpass 693 billion minutes (thats billion). Mobile is changing what video is. Were now able to document our lives and interact with each other in new ways. Everyone has mobile, said Alain Rossmann, cofounder of Klip.com, a mobile video app that topped 100,000 downloads in its first six days. Its hard to tell stories through tweets and pictures. Its much easier to use videos. Interactive video stands to mark the triumphant return to face-to-face interactions, becoming an incredibly powerful tool for businesses, brands, and nonprofits and reducing reliance on static status updates and still pictures to communicate with our audiences.