Improving the Study of Political Communication Through the Use of High-band with Networked Multimedia Technology

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Electronic communication has transformed the way politicians communicate with citizens. Guaranteed high-bandwith networked multimedia communication is being adapted for use in undergraduate education to significantly improve the educational experience in a branch of Political Science that studies political communication. Adaptation of this technology is enabling access by students and faculty to video course materials that are central to this field, and facilitating collaborative learning. This technology is being adapted to a set of three courses, ranging from introductory to advanced. The advanced course is taught jointly with the University of Colorado. Students study political communication through electronic media such as TV. They must be able to view hundreds of political segments and to create their own videos and test them on each other. Because one course involves students at two universities, they need networked communication capabilities to work together. High speed networks on and between campuses provide the infrastructure to allow students to work together and to share experiments and experiences, and new video technology is providing the tools necessary for these kinds of activitiesThis project is building on the robust networks already in place on and between both campuses. The equipment is allowing students to view streaming video independently and together, and to create their own videos for experiments. Students are able to work together easily, regardless of location, and through this joint work are gaining better understanding of political communications techniques. This application of technology, an Internet 2 application, is being thoroughly evaluated and should serve as a model for other disciplines at the University of Iowa and at other institutions.