Interactive learning channel gets a R12m face-lift

The pioneering Interactive Learning, Communication and Management (iCAM) project – an interactive distance-learning solution – was initiated in 2000 by the Free State Provincial Department of Health (DoH) to assist in the training of health workers across the province. It has since won a number of awards, and has just received a R12-million face lift.

A brand new turnkey iCAM studio has been implemented at Bophelo House, the Free State DoH headquarters, by Jasco ICT Broadcast Solutions.

Says Louis Barnard, who heads up the iCAM project for the Free State DoH: “The new studios, will allow us to more efficiently and effectively create content, edit it and repurpose it for different audiences. This solution sees us move from outdated technology and infrastructure to a standard definition digital system that will serve us more than adequately over the next three to five years. With this setup, we will be able to easily move to HD [high-definition] technologies in a couple of years if we feel it necessary.”

The new iCAM facilities at Bophelo House are housed on the fifth floor, an addition to the building that was specifically built to accommodate the studio. The iCAM facilities include three control rooms, one main and two smaller broadcasting studios, two editing rooms with voiceover booths, and one central apparatus room. The auditorium at Bophelo House can serve as a broadcasting studio as well. There is editing equipment and central storage with server-based play-out.

The studios are used for content creation by DoH trainers and officials, as well as University of the Free State lecturers and professors who have entered a partnership with the provincial department. Traditional tutor-led training using teaching aids such as projectors, videos and slides is recorded, as are announcements and ‘magazine’ show interviews and debates on topical issues. Content is then broadcast via a dedicated 24-hour satellite channel leased from Telkom to the 40 iCAM-enabled classrooms at clinics, hospitals and other DoH facilities dotted around the province. Content is decoded at these sites, using set top boxes.

In the majority of instances, the tuition is interactive, with facilitators standing by to respond to live questions from learners around the country. iCAM is used for managerial meetings and corporate communication as well.

Explains Barnard: “Almost 16 000 DoH students – from administrative to nursing staff, emergency services personnel, doctors and pharmacy staff -- pass annually through the 40 iCAM-enabled classrooms dotted around the province. The iCAM system is vital to the Free State DoH and its benefits are enormous. It not only allows us to inexpensively enhance skills levels of different personnel groups, but ensures new methods, approaches and information are disseminated to the correct groups timeously.

“With a full schedule for content creation and delivery, equipment that had reached end of life and studio space we had outgrown, we needed to refresh our infrastructure to enhance the efficiency, volume and quality of our outputs. Jasco ICT Broadcast Solutions won the tender bid against eight other contenders, with a solution custom-made to suit our needs.”

Notes Steven Lauter, sales manager at Jasco ICT Broadcast Solutions: “The Free State DoH studios are on par with any commercial studio. Among others, the main studio is fully kitted out with four Sony cameras, while the two smaller studios make use of ‘hands-free’ pan, tilt, zoom solutions that do not need a cameraman.

“Leading brand products used include Sony cameras, Autocue teleprompters, Clearcom intercom systems, Ross vision mixers, Miller tripods, Avid Deko Character Generators, and Avid post-production editing and storage solutions.”

The Free State DoH came up against a number of challenges in completing and commissioning the studios. Says Barnard: “There was a budgetary challenge that delayed implementation for two years, and then there was a two-year delay in getting the necessary satellite link at Bophela House. We stopped broadcasting for a single week to get our 25-person iCAM team, which includes trainers and technicians, up and running at the new studios.”

Notes Barnard: “Jasco ICT Broadcast Solutions assisted us throughout this period, remaining highly accessible – and not only delivering a first-class installation, but finding real solutions to our unique challenges.”

Since, the Free State DoH has increased its broadcasting training, particularly for its Aids, HIV and antiretroviral programme. It has trained approximately 650 employees through this programme.

Speed of training has been enhanced significantly, and is evident with about 350 employees trained in three days through its transport programme. The DoH is facilitating more conference meetings – reducing the requirement for travel, and providing the opportunity to host more frequent discussions.

Adds Barnard, “We are extending the benefits of the iCAM interactive distance-learning solution to other departments in the Free State, including the Sports, Arts and Culture Department for their fraud and corruption programme.

“iCAM is also assisting us to reach our goal of increasing our target of training 1 000 nurses over the year to include an additional 25%.”

The DoH will be including new software shortly, which will assist them in obtaining statistics regarding who has participated in the training. This will be achieved by acquiring IP addresses of the participants, allowing for more accurate feedback.

For more information, visit Jasco Broadcast Solutions at www.jasco.co.za.