Even though this column has appeared in Connect since its inception, many people may not have given much thought to what videoconferences are, and how useful a tool they can be for academics and administrators alike. Simply put, a videoconference is a satellite-delivered program, viewable only with satellite downlink equipment. The format of the program, the content, and the length, vary with each individual event.
Any topic can be and has been addressed in a videoconference, and a multitude of formats are used.
Programs can be but are by no means limited to training-oriented or academically oriented audiences. Special interest and public service programs are also common. These might address such topics as alcoholism on campus, medical breakthroughs, popular culture, and social issues such as homelessness, life choices, and race and ethnicity. Multi-part series, with focuses on different aspects of a larger topic, are also available. While most ad hoc programming is designed for live viewing, series programming is often designed for delayed viewing on videotape.