Access Grid Improves Collaborative Research
and Professional Development Possibilities
This fall, York University joins a number of
other Canadian universities and institutions in establishing
an Access Grid Node.
What is Access Grid?
An Access Grid node is an installation for real
time communication that features easily maintainable, "always
on" links to any other node on the system that is operating.
An Access Grid node connects to other nodes through a venue
server, and the number of connections that can be supported
is limited only by the bandwidth available at the receiving
site and the processing power of the computers that make up
the node. Running on CANARIE's CA*net 4 research network in
Canada, Access Grid allows groups to collaborate in real time,
despite geographical distance. Over fifteen nodes from post-secondary
institutions and research groups make up the Canadian Access
Grid, but there are at least 150 other grids worldwide on
most continents including North and South America, Europe
and Asia.
Access Grid Setup
In order to collaborate, each node must reside
in a "room" or "lobby". Rooms (lobbies)
are provided as a service either by one of the collaborating
entities or by a third party. Sites can share information
and even equipment in specific cases. Although the technology
and setup can vary from one institution to another, each Access
Grid node can scale its connection down or up, depending on
available bandwidth, or calibrate its equipment to another
university's specifications, thereby allowing real time collaboration,
such as sharing ongoing research experiments in remote laboratories.
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One major difference between the Access Grid setup
and standard video and audio conferencing is that Access
Grid involves a larger number of devices - cameras,
microphones, screens etc, making it more natural for
groups to collaborate with other groups. At York, two
Windows-based nodes - one in the ABEL (Advanced Broadband
Enabled Learning) studio in the TEL Building, and the
other in Stedman's Studio A (Lecture Hall 120E), each
control four cameras (to profile different parts of
each room), three computers and three presentation screens.
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Given the complexity of the environment and the number
of devices involved, an operating technician is usually
required.
The operator's panel has an audio screen, video screen,
and three display screens which allow drag and drop
of display possibilities such as a document camera,
whiteboard, live objects, video streaming, and so on.
Because the system can be always on, there is no repeated
set up and take down of equipment.
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Access Grid Uses
To date, and because there are a significant
number of sites in Canada and the U.S., the Access Grid has
been used mainly in the sciences for collaborative research.
Using Access Grid researchers can share any data, whether
by file transfer to another grid node, or viewing and discussing
data collaboratively using shared resources such as internet
browsers, PowerPoint, spreadsheet, electronic whiteboard,
and so on.
This year, York's ABEL program will also be
using Access Grid to further its interactive, collaborative
approach to teacher and faculty professional development and
education delivery. ABEL now interconnects Acadia University
in Halifax, York University - Faculty of Education, the University
of Alberta, Seneca, Edmonton Public Schools, Toronto District
School Board, and York Region District School Board. They
will explore using the Access Grid in locations which can
be left always on to facilitate the provision of impromptu,
yet rich, collaborative environments. These environments will
be used for a range of activities in one or a number of modalities
involving students, academicians and experts. The Access Grid
will enhance professional development for teachers by giving
them access to enhanced technologies and enabling information
sharing between teachers and experts, students and experts,
and between students themselves.
More Information
- For other Canadian Access Grid nodes, see http://www.accessgrid.ca.
- For Access Grid nodes worldwide, see http://www.accessgrid.org.
- For more information on Access Grid or on using Access
Grid, contact Obadiah George at ABEL (obadiah@yorku.ca),
Jim Poole at ITC (jpoole@yorku.ca)
or Susan Spence in Computing and Network Services (suspence@yorku.ca).
- For more on ABEL, visit http://www.abelearn.ca.
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