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May 1, 2000
Videoconferencing in the Nationıs Fifth-Largest Public School System
by Dr. MaryAnn Butler Pearson
Broward County, Florida, uses videoconferencing to bring academic classes and programs, field trips, and
special events to the thousands of students in its elementary, middle, and high schools and to bring unique
projects to adults and children in educational and special-needs centers. In 1997, videoconferencing was
introduced to Broward County as one method of providing equitable educational opportunities to the
students in this geographically large and culturally and economically diverse school system. Teachers and
administrators have also benefited from this format, through staff development opportunities and
informational meetings. The videoconferenced programs have become so popular that the district has
purchased a videobridge for multipoint conferences.
The videoconferencing initiative is called Dimensions, because of the many current and future facets
involved in distance learning. BECON, the districtıs educational communication network, is the hub of the
videoconferencing initiative. Several district offices and all of the districtıs 25 high schools, 6 middle
schools, 8 elementary schools, and 6 adult and special-needs centers are equipped with group
videoconferencing units that communicate at 384 Kbps.
Academics Classes and Programs
Academics in the elementary and middle schools consists of weekly interactive programs that motivate the
students and demonstrate model lessons for the teachers. The program Reading Rascals is designed to
increase studentsı interest in reading by presenting books about the many cultures that influence American
society and using guest readers who discuss their careers and invite the children to ask questions about their
work. Windows on the World brings native people from many countries and cultures to visit with the
children. The students ask questions about the countries the guests represent and learn first hand about their
culture. Writing with a Florida Flair teaches students the correct format for writing narratives, which are
similar to those that will be assessed on the stateıs competency exams. Another program that works with
teachers and students in their preparation for standardized tests is Math with Mr. G. That program
introduces geometry to children in the fifth grade, and it reviews math skills to promote higher success
rates on the state exams. Science is made fun with Science Explorers. Students and their teachers explore
the Earth and beyond. Those programs have become so popular that, to maintain the desired amount of
interactivity, some are repeated each week so the number of participating schools can be limited to five or
six for each program.
The scope of courses available in the high schools varies because of the nature and size of the student
populations and the expertise and certifications of the teachers.
In addition to providing classes for students who are unable to attend school, videoconferencing provides
opportunities for teachers. For example, when the facilitating teacher at a remote site is certified in a
subject area but lacks the experience or confidence to teach at the advanced placement (AP) level, he or she
is able to mentor under a highly successful AP teacher at the instructional school. In this way, the district is
building a cadre of teachers for high-level classes. To date, district teachers have taught 16 courses to high-
school students in regular-level, dual-enrollment, and AP classes. Some of the districtıs most successful AP
teachers design and lead review sessions for the national AP exams.
Field Trips
Students at all levels have been given the opportunity to travel to various parts of the United States, Europe,
and Asia. Broward County shares with Nova Southeastern University and New Yorkıs BOCES an
enterprise called Students All over the World Exchanging over the Phone, or the SAXOphone Project. The
SAXOphone Project has brought together students and teachers from Broward County, other states,
England, Sweden, Norway, Germany, and Japan. These field trips take students to such places as the
Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas; the Broward Center for Performing Arts, the Mote Marine
Science Institute in Sarasota, Florida; and the Urayasu Folk Museum in Chiba, Japan.
Special Events
Students at various schools have participated in debates on such hot topics as violence in our schools and
the death penalty. Students have interviewed a producer-director in California, a survivor of the Holocaust,
players for one of the professional sports teams in South Florida, and others. One of the most exciting
recent events was an informal concert given by a world-renowned Japanese Shakuhachi musician from his
studio outside of Tokyo. A jazz musician of Japanese decent who lives in Florida played the vibraphone at
the BECON facility. Each musician played separately and then, as musicians often do, began to jam, which
thrilled the audience.
Unique Projects
Using grant funding, one of the vocational and technical centers in the district placed videoconferencing
units in the homes of six people whose physical handicaps prevent them from taking classes at school. By
connecting to a microcomputer lab at the school, they learned an office administration program, along with
students on-site. Each participant earned certification from the vocational center that will help them to be
gainfully employed from home.
Through videoconferencing, a center for students with severe emotional problems offered a class in
Spanish to its students. More innovative uses for the technology are planned for the next school year.
Staff Development and Administrative Use
Conducting curriculum department and principalsı meetings and other administrative activities through
videoconferencing has saved the school district money and has saved the participants precious time away
from their offices and schools. Over 1,200 teachers have participated in the required orientation program
for new district teachers. School-to-Career staff, teachers of the gifted, and area advisory councils are just
some of the groups who have used the technology to meet interactively, in real time.
The future for videoconferencing in Broward County schools is limitless! Successful pilot programs that
have integrated videoconferencing with other electronic media such as the Internet, microwave
transmission, and regular broadcast television, are paving the way to enhanced learning opportunities for
the teachers and students in the community.
Email:MaryAnn Butler-Pearson
This article was originally published in Information Technology and Post-Secondary Education (ITPE) III, no. 6 (2000): 6-7.
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