An integrated approach to distance learning with digital video in the French-speaking Virtual Medical University

• Published in: International journal of medical informatics (Shannon, Ireland) Vol. 76; no. 5; pp. 369 - 376
• Main Authors: Dufour, J.C., Cuggia, M., Soula, G., Spector, M., Kohler, F.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Ireland Elsevier Ireland Ltd 01.05.2007
• Subjects: Computer-Assisted Instruction; Curriculum; Distance learning; Education, Distance; Education, Medical; France; Humans; Internal Medicine; Internet; Learning; Other; Satellite; Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; Telemedicine; Virtual classrooms; Web TV; France; Virtual classrooms; LOMFr; Distance learning; ISDN (H320); LDAP; CNES; DTV; Satellite; MeSH; Vod; MPEG2; UMVF; DBV/RCS; DVB; RSS; Telemedicine; QoS; CDNS; Internet2; ICT; LAMP; H323 (IP); Web TV; Digital TV is the umbrella term encompassing High-definition Television and several other applications, including Standard Definition Television, datacasting, multicasting and interactivity; CNES's Satellite Digital Broadcasting Channel; H.323 is an umbrella recommendation from the ITU-T, that defines the protocols to provide audio-visual communication sessions on any packet network; French-speaking Virtual Medical University project; Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales-the French space agency; refers to a set of free software programs commonly used together to run dynamic Web sites or servers: Linux, the operating system, Apache, the Web server, MySQL, the database management system (or database server), Perl, PHP, and/or Python, scripting languages; Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) is a protocol for accessing on-line directory services; On the Internet and in other networks, Quality of Service (QoS) is the idea that transmission rates, error rates, and other characteristics can be measured, improved, and, to some extent, guaranteed in advance; Information and Communication Technology; Medical Subject Headings; Video On Demand. A service allowing many users to request the same video at the same time; Digital video broadcasting-Return channel by satellite; Digital Video Broadcasting Group. A group of over 200 organisations from 23 countries which developed system specifications for the transmission of MPEG-2 digital signals by satellite, cable and terrestrial links; a consortium being led by 206 universities working in partnership with industry and government to develop and deploy advanced network applications and technologies, accelerating the creation of tomorrow's Internet; RDF Site Summary or Rich Site Summary or Really Simple Syndication – A lightweight XML format for distributing news headlines and other content on the Web; MPEG-2 is the designation for a group of audio and video coding standards agreed upon by MPEG (Moving Pictures Experts Group) and published as the ISO/IEC 13818 international standard. MPEG-2 is typically used to encode audio and video for broadcast signals including direct broadcast satellite and Cable TV. MPEG-2, is also the coding format used by standard commercial DVD movies. Podcastinga portmanteau of Apple's “iPod” and “broadcasting” is a method of publishing files to the Internet allowing users to subscribe to a feed and receive new files automatically by subscription usually at no cost; French Learning Object Model; Integrated Services Digital Network. A set of CCITT/ITU standards for digital transmission over ordinary telephone copper wire as well as over other media
• ISSN: 1386-5056; 1872-8243
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2007.01.011

The aim of the French-speaking Virtual Medical University project (UMVF) is to share common resources and specific tools in order to improve medical training. Digital video on IP is an attractive tool for higher education but there are a number of obstacles to widespread implementation. This paper describes the UMVF approach to integrating digital video technologies and services in educational projects.