The SDM Distance-Learning Experience at MIT

SDM’s distance experience is important for all SDM fellows, whether they are enrolled in SDM’s on-campus, distance or commuter options, because all class assignments are designed to replicate today’s reality of geographically disparate teams in the workplace.

Teams of SDM fellows use state-of-the-art videoconferencing equipment to enhance their skills in innovating, collaborating and leading across organizational boundaries, international time zones and differences in work-family-school balance to complete successful projects on budget and on time.

Classes

The SDM program office will provide distance students and/or their internal conference/university program centers with a clear spreadsheet of information about each class (including dates and times) before the start of term.

Class participation

All students are expected to attend each class and to participate. Professors will call on students by site and personally. Students who need a closer look at the materials, or who have obtained prior permission from the professor to be excused from a particular class, will have access to the video streams that are produced for each session for review purposes.

A teaching assistant (TA) is assigned to most courses. The TA will be the main contact person for grading and feedback as well as for assistance with the web tool chosen for course delivery.

The SDM program office at MIT has integrated course management into existing MIT course support tools (SloanSpace and Stellar). After registering for courses, students may register independently for course-management access.

Distance course schedule

Below is a sample schedule of distance course offerings from fall 2010

Videoconference equipment and connections

SDM uses a video-collaboration-services provider to connect multiple distance sites to the MIT classroom. This provides each distance student the opportunity to participate fully in each class.

Connecting to the MIT bridge

There are two ways to connect to the videoconferencing bridge:

1. Via Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN – H.320 protocol) telephone lines
2. Via desktop VTC equipment that is connected over the Internet (IP based – H.323 protocol)

Videoconferencing considerations

Speed: Currently, the MIT benchmark speed is at 384 kbps (kilobytes per second). Students may "speed match" through our bridge at lower digitizing speeds, according to individual equipment choice and ISDN or IP service, down to 128 kbps. Quality of service is degraded for speeds below 384k, however, and we highly recommend equipment that supports the 384k benchmark.

Equipment and environment: Choose either desktop or conference/classroom. Most students choose to videoconference from their desktop PC or Mac, over IP. Desktop videoconferencing is recommended for sites with only one student and/or if there is no dedicated room at the sponsoring company. Sponsoring companies may have dedicated VTC rooms (ISDN). Sponsored students will need to work with their company to secure dedicated VTC rooms, if available.

All VTC equipment must be certified through our video services provider prior to participating in classes. Certification involves testing equipment and connections by dialing into the bridge, using your equipment (PC or Mac, webcam, and a headset, or videoconference-dedicated room at sponsor company). Contact William Foley to begin the process.

Videoconference fees

Course-site fee: A "course-site" is defined as any site used for taking an SDM class that uses a port on the bridging service, whether it’s a full-featured videoconference room for multiple participants or a single PC/Mac connection used by an individual student. The current fee is $800 per course-site for a full-term course, or $400 per course-site for a half-term course or equivalent. The fee will be charged to sponsoring companies or self-sponsored students by the MIT SDM program at the end of each term. As a minimum, this fee structure will be reassessed on an annual basis. If a course-site withdraws from a course during the term, assessments will be based on the MIT Tuition Proration Table.

Network charges: The video bridge is compatible with both IP (Internet-based) and ISDN (phone-line based) videoconferencing. The method of connection is left up to the sponsoring company or individual, although IP is most common.

For IP videoconferencing, there is no additional network charge from your network provider. For ISDN (phone-based) videoconferencing, the sponsoring company network provider rates will apply, and the connection speed determines these rates. The course-site fee does not cover the ISDN network provider rates, which will be billed by the network provider directly.

Contact

William Foley
SDM Distance Learning Coordinator
Phone: 617.258.0291
Email: wfoley@mit.edu