Staff
Since the last Project
Update was published, there have been a few changes to the
personnel at the WVN Support Centre. Steve Williams, who
managed the team from the start of the project, has moved on to
a position at UKERNA, and Ian Jones, one of the Support Officers
at Aberystwyth, has left to join Mudiad Ysgolion Meithrin, the
Welsh Pre-school Playgroups Association. Philip Davison from
the Swansea Support Centre office was promoted to replace Steve,
and is now providing day-to-day management for the WVN Support
Centre. In February, Aled Morris joined the team at Swansea,
and in April, Mark Burden joined the team at Aberyswyth. I
should like to take this opportunity to thank Steve and Ian for
their commitment to the WVN project and to wish them well in the
future, and to welcome Aled and Mark to the team. Contact
details for all members of staff can be found at
www.wvn.ac.uk/contact or
www.rhfc.ac.uk/cyswllt.
WVN Advisory Group
The WVN Advisory Group meets three times a
year, by videoconference, and is made up of representatives from
Further and Higher Education.
The remit of the Advisory Group is:
- to provide input and
recommendations on the development and enhancement of the
standard specification for WVN studios;
- to provide a forum
for the discussion of issues associated with the Welsh Video
Network; and
- to provide input and
recommendations on the activities of the WVN Support Centre.
Further information
about the Advisory Group can be found at
www.wvn.ac.uk/advisorygroup.
WVN RhI (WVN Rhwydiaith)
WVN RhI simultaneous
interpretation equipment has been installed in one studio at
each Institution. This equipment will support the
interpretation of videoconferences into a second language. In
most cases it is envisaged that this will be either Welsh or
English. Work continues at the WVN Support Centre to bring WVN
RhI into full service. A Welsh – English interpreter has been
appointed to the WVN Advisory Group, specifically to provide
advice and input to the WVN RhI Service.
CYDAG
During 2004,
six new studios were added to the Welsh Video Network. Working
with Cymdeithas Ysgolion Dros Addysg Gymraeg (CYDAG - the
Society of Schools for Welsh Medium Education), the WVN
installed videoconferencing equipment in six bilingual and Welsh
Medium schools across Wales enabling them to offer a greater
choice to sixth form pupils. The equipment enables the schools
to share expertise and resources and develop skills in flexible
teaching. All the studios include simultaneous interpretation
kit, which will become operational once the studios are IP
enabled.
Initially, the
studios were installed to operate over ISDN. Work by the
Support Centre staff to IP enable the six studios is now
underway.
Content Providers
As part of the
project to encourage multipoint videoconferencing to schools in
England, Content Providers are being given access to the JVCS
Booking Service. This is likely to be of particular benefit to
FE Colleges in Wales, as it will become easier to make contact
with galleries, museums and other archives with
videoconferencing facilities.
WVN Marketing
Leaflet
A bilingual marketing
leaflet was printed in April, and copies of this have been
distributed to each WVN Institution. The WVN Support Centre
holds copies of this leaflet, which will be distributed at
relevant events. UKERNA also holds supplies of the leaflet.
The leaflet can also be viewed online at
www.wvn.ac.uk/leaflet/index.
Training
A training course has
been developed under the auspices of the WVN, designed for both
technical support personnel and prospective users of WVN
studios. The day long course can be provided either at an
Institution that is part of the WVN, or at the Swansea offices
of the WVN Support Centre. Feedback from the courses held so
far has been very positive. Further information about the
training offered can be viewed at
www.wvn.ac.uk/training/index.
Videoconferencing Statistics
The number of
videoconferences involving WVN studios is increasing annually,
with peak usage occurring in March each year, which is a trend
repeated nationally. The use of ISDN for videoconferencing is
decreasing, with a corresponding rise in IP videoconferences.
This means that videoconferencing is becoming more cost
effective for WVN member Institutions. There have been 2778
videoconferences involving WVN studios during the academic year
to date (September 2004 – June 2005). More detailed statistics
of videoconferencing involving WVN studios can be seen at
www.wvn.ac.uk/usagestats/vcstats04_05.
Forward Look
The present contract to
run the WVN Support Centre expires on 30 November 2005. On 25
April, UKERNA announced the procurement of the WVN Support
Centre to the European Journal and the Invitation to Tender was
published a couple of days later. The deadline for the
submission of bids was 15 June. It is anticipated that it will
be possible to complete all the necessary arrangements in time
for the new contract to start on 1 December 2005.
Karen
Perrins
Video Services Manager
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