Effects of satellite communications in the world's largest classroom

Satellite communications recently replaced the two-way radio at the School of the Air classrooms throughout Northern Territory and New South Wales in Australia. The evaluators of this massive technology innovation surveyed all the participants in the programs. The surveys indicate that the students, parents, teachers and associated people were pleased with the improvements in sound quality and being able to see the teachers. The respondents were very impressed with the improvements in most aspects of the educational communications and by the new opportunities presented by the new satellite-based facilities, the training and access to Internet. A number of areas for improvement of the systems and their operations were also identified, e.g. desired improvements in student and parent training in the equipment use, the sharing of innovative teaching techniques among teachers, exploring the possibility of providing secondary education in the remote areas via this system.