Text Exchange. The project encourages asynchronous communication between faculty and students from around the world–email exchange and "threaded discussion" by posting messages and feedback to others about human rights topics on an electronic bulletin board. Information about www.Nicenet.org and other free software is provided in the section on accessible technology.
Project THRO also promotes synchronous exchange when students meet online for a text chat at a prearranged hour. U.C. human rights classes have conducted three role playing exercises with students in Ankara Turkey.
Video Conferencing. In the not too distant future, internet videoconferencing should enable students around the world to participate in educational simulations. Internet videoconferencing software can be downloaded at www.ivisit.com. In 1998 THRO conducted a pilot video simulation of the world court for students in Cincinnati, Ohio and Fargo, North Dakota. The host universities had high tech Distance Learning Centers described in the section on accessible technology. Multi-point videoconferences are now possible within Ohio at much less expense among institutions connected to SONIC, a statewide network for simultaneous audio and video transmission.
Project THRO will test internet videoconferencing with the wide bandwidth connections at Internet2 institutions. Personal computer mini cameras and conferencing software should enable instructors with an LCD projector to bring individuals from other institutions into their classroom discussions. Rather than dehumanize learning, new technology should mediate direct communication.
Faculty can use THRO-Net to exchange invitations and provide announcements about upcoming chat or video conference simulations online.
THRO in Class/Online Simulations/
Professional Development/Bibliography/Request Form
