Video conferencing can address shortage of quality teachers

Academicians and information technology experts yesterday said this at a seminar on "Video Conferencing: Solutions for Bangladesh" jointly organised by American Institute of Bangladesh Studies (AIBS), City University and BRAC University at BRAC Centre Inn in the city.

Video conferencing is an internet device that transmit verbal and image expression simultaneously.

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It is a device through which people can get together and transfer information live despite being away from each other, Bangladesh Telecommunications Regulatory Commission Chairman Syed Marghub Morshed said.

"We would like to encourage such technology that brings people closure, despite technological and economic constraints," he said.

BRAC University teacher Syeed Salam said that video conferencing allow people located geographically apart to hold live meeting, facilitate distance learning and corporate affairs.

"It's a system that utilises high speed data connection to receive voice and image simultaneously to transfer information with eye-to-eye contact of the participants at two different ends," said Aaron Gotwalt, a member of students' group from Pennsylvania State University currently visiting Bangladesh.

About 93 per cent of communication is transmitted non-verbally, Aaron said.

The video conferencing technology could be cost-effective for Bangladesh in joint courses with prospective universities worldwide.

"But the hurdles for installing the device in Bangladesh are expensive equipment, inadequacy of higher bandwidth internet connections, lack of Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) and paradigms for video conferencing," Aaron said.

City University Vice Chancellor Prof. M Shamsul Haque said, "Video conferencing would be extremely useful in a situation of tremendous shortage of qualified teachers for higher education in the country."

Presided by AIBS overseas director Mizanur Rahman Shelley, a number BRAC University and City University teachers, IT experts, and the visiting students from Pennsylvania were present.