Who are the Intended Readers?

• Members of the higher education academic and research communities
• K-12 educators and technologists
• Workplace technology integrators

Required Background Knowledge

The intended audience level ranges from the beginning user of videoconferencing to the intermediate/advanced user of videoconferencing to the new organizational integrator. It is expected that the beginning user will have operational skills on a Windows type of workstation, including general software installation skills. It is expected that the new integrator will have knowledge and skills relating to their local and extended networks as well as general server-asset support. The Cookbook is a rich potpourri with a little something for everyone from the beginning user to the seasoned veteran.

In attempting to analyze the attitudes of these audiences toward videoconferencing, it is acknowledged that feelings will range from excitement and abandon to caution and order to even skepticism and apprehension. The expectations of videoconferencing are also likely to range from top end audio and video ("Why, it's like you're right across the table!") down to good audio with passable video ("Is that a new hair-do or is your camera malfunctioning?")

For the beginning user, our objective is to familiarize you with the concept and uses of videoconferencing. To that end we will lay out a potential strategy for selecting and purchasing a videoconferencing product, suggest steps to follow in learning the use of the product, and share ideas about how to introduce the product into your professional life.

For the intermediate user the objective is to bring out new ideas for your use of videoconferencing and to familiarize you with some advanced features, enhanced components and emerging developments for videoconferencing.

For the new integrator the objective is to familiarize you with potential uses of videoconferencing at your site, to introduce the different components and services that will be required to support those uses, and to share experiences and shortcuts for such support.

Focus for Academic and Research Communities

This videoconferencing cookbook has been prepared for academic and research users on advanced IP networks around the world. We feel that the span of that topography and experience will make the cookbook valuable to any academic institution desiring to implement videoconferencing for local, state, regional, national, and international communications.

The application examples here are targeted towards the academic and research community in particular and include meetings (one-on-one to many-on-many), classroom use, and collaboration.

Focus for K-12 Communities

For the K-12 and other teaching communities the objective is to address your specific needs for the planning, implementation, and utilization of videoconferencing in teaching and learning. In addition to the main body of the cookbook, the chapter on K-12 and classroom-specific needs is intended to be a rich source of information that can be used equally by teachers, administrators, paraprofessionals, as well as the technical staff in K-12 environments.