Closed-Circuit TV Is Ready for You

Author(s): Phillip Lewis

Source: The Phi Delta Kappan , Nov., 1953, Vol. 35, No. 2 (Nov., 1953), pp. 117-119
Published by: Phi Delta Kappa International

Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/20332391

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 Closed-Circuit TV Is Ready for You
By PHILLIP LEWIS*
CLOSED-cmcuiT TV offers an immediate and Definite teaching procedures, meeting at least
wonderful challenge to all concerned with some of the criteria proposed by Schreiber (see
effective instructional procedures. It was
April, 1953, Phi Delta Kappan), are described
not possible to make this statement a few years
ago although camera chains were available then. in this article, procedures quite different from
Prices discouraged a second look. Commercial general telecasting. It is now evident that closed
television cameras now cost somewhat less than circuit TV presents educators with a powerful,
half of the $25,000 which formerly was the ask supplemental teaching device.
ing price. However, a revolution has taken place
in this field with the perfection of small but
highly sensitive cameras and other electronic
several different rooms or locations. This distance
tubes. This advance made practical the produc
tion of lightweight and compact cameras weigh limit may be extended through the use of inex
ing approximately 20 pounds and costing but a pensive booster units. The connecting coaxial
small fraction of the price of the larger prototype. cable is of the garden variety, ordinarily used as
The appreciable reduction in cost gives the "tele antenna lead-in, and carries signals of such a
vision eye" a place in the kit of teaching tools. nature that conduit and special housings are un
necessary even for permanent installations and
Unusual Equipment Employed will not conflict with electrical code restrictions.
Chicago Teachers College, in implementing Because of the ingenious design and the re
plans to investigate the potentialities of captive sulting sensitivity of the electronic circuits, it is
television for teacher-training purposes as well possible to use the camera to pick up images in
as general education applications, selected the locations having as little as 50-foot candles of
Dage Television Camera for the experiments. illumination. Optimum reproduction, however, is
This product was chosen because of its physical obtained where the light level is as high as 100
size (slightly larger than a shoebox), its light foot candles. Significantly, it is unnecessary to
weight, the fact that all of the synchronizing use floodlighting or other special sources if ordi
generator circuits are built into the same cavity narily good classroom illumination is available.
occupied by the camera unit, the circuits are Sound originating at the camera location can
compatible with existing standards of television be transmitted over the same coaxial cable de
transmission, with the added convenience of hav scribed previously through the use of an Audio
ing a built-in kinescope for monitoring and fram Mixer Unit. This item has the same physical
ing the image. Some of these features are usually dimensions as the camera and is mounted con
found only on the more expensive models. This veniently on the dolly base supporting the camera
TV camera is also equipped with a revolving tur tripod. The camera output cable and the micro
ret accommodating closeup, medium and tele phone cable are both plugged into the Mixer as
photo lenses. Even an interchangable zoomar well as the long connecting cable from the re
ceiver(s). Thus the video and audio signals are
type lens is available for special applications. All
of these optical attachments have adjustments for combined for transmission to the terminating
both focus and light control. sources where they are translated into sight and
It is possible for the camera to be cable-con sound as in conventional television programs.
nected to as many as ten conventional television For specialized video applications, involving
receivers for the simultaneous reproduction of the necessity of two-way communication between
images. Receivers can be located as far away as the camera location and the classroom in which
500 feet from the camera and can be placed in the receiver is placed, an intercommunication
* Phillip Lewis (Beta 2723) is Chairman, Department of Edu system substitutes for the Audio-Mixer Unit. This
cation, Chicago Teachers College, Chicago, Illinois. allows members of a class observing a video pick
117

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 118 THE PHI DELTA KAPPAN November, 1953
laboratories where demonstrations of operations
or processes are presented which involve tiny
parts or objects. Ordinarily the instructor must
repeat the activity several times to small seg
ments of the class, or attempt to put over the
lesson in a single, optimistic presentation, hoping
that other than those students in the front row
will get full benefit from his efforts. Internal
carving in plastic, throwing ceramic shapes on
the potters wheel, dissection of hearts, lungs, or
other vitals, explanation of small-scale models and
specimens are but a few of the many items dif
ficult to show to sizable groups. However, with
a large-screen television receiver strategically
placed in the classroom, students can watch elec
tronically enlarged and brilliant images which
the camera eye picks up from a ringside position.
An essential facet of a teacher s preparation is
good grounding in counseling and guidance tech
niques. Background material can be dealt with in
the classroom, but actual implementation of these
Trainees Learn to Tell Stories Before the TV Camera.
approaches is almost impossible to demonstrate
before large class groups. With the TV camera
up to ask questions and have them answered and microphone placed inconspicuously in a cor
while the transmission is in progress. ner of the counseling office, trainees stationed be
A simple screw adjustment inside the camera fore a TV receiver in a nearby room can watch
housing determines the channel setting of the the specialist in action. Thus, rapport is not dis
signals to be transmitted on the coaxial cable. turbed and a valuable experience is available for
A channel frequency is selected from among sharing by as large an audience as desired.
those not used by telecasters in a given locality. A related area of teacher preparation is con
If, for example, channel 3 is designated, then it cerned with the observation of children at work
is necessary to manipulate the channel selector and at play. This permits the application of some
switch on the receiver to setting 3 to tune in the of the sociometric techniques and the making of
captive signal. This feature provides an inexpen firsthand anecdotal records of behavior and inter
sive arrangement for using two cameras simul action patterns. Here the television camera can
taneously without the necessity of purchasing be pointed out of a window overlooking a play
separate video switching units. The cameras are area, positioned in a room where the student
positioned to pick up images from different van council meets, or in any other pertinent locale
tage points and once adjusted, can be left unat to suit such purposes.
tended for as long as is necessary. Camera 1 is
set to channel 3 while Camera 2 is tuned to chan
nel 5. At the receiving end the transmissions can
be alternated on the viewing screen by changing
the setting of the channel selector switch.
Utilization Potentialities
It is still too soon to say with certainty which
closed-circuit techniques are valid for educational
purposes and this report attempts to do no such
thing. Widespread and intensive inquiry and
trials over a prolonged period will give these
answers. However, a recital of the experiments
attempted as well as the new ideas and avenues
opened up by these initial trials may be of help
in widening the scope of thinking and endeavor
in this area. Industrial Arts Instructor Does Internal Carving in
Many occasions arise in the shops and in the Plastic While Class Watches From TV Screen.

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November, 1953 CLOSED-CIRCUIT TV IS READY FOR YOU 119

TV Camera Is Directed to Give Close-up of Type Held in Composing Stick During

Printing Demonstration, for the Benefit of Those in the Back Rows.

While many principles apply in general to all With the rapidly expanding construction of
teaching-learning situations, there are certain new educational television stations, it becomes
special areas requiring highly specialized tech even more essential that schools learn to deal
niques. Superior teachers observed in action in with the programming end of video. A simple
regular school situations by the television camera closed-circuit chain with one or two cameras can
makes it possible for the teacher-trainees to ob be used for effective orientation to production
serve theory applied in practice. Conversely, the procedures as well as for rehearsal equipment
novice teacher facing a class for the first time in connection with actual programs to be aired
can be observed by counselors as well as by the at a later time.
rest of the trainees with less tension and strain re The employment of a double-ended shadowbox
sulting through closed-circuit television. containing a pane of finely frosted glass (9" x
Projection television receivers are now reason 12") provides an additional TV facility. The
able in cost and capable of throwing large pic images from a filmstrip, opaque, or overhead pro
tures on conventional motion picture screens. jector may be focused to fill the glass surface
This makes it convenient for hundreds of viewers exposed on one side of the shadowbox. The TV
to follow the action on a single screen. The tele camera is adjusted to pick up the image as trans
vision camera can just as easily be connected to mitted through the glass to the other side of the
this type of receiver to effect a closed-circuit pane. In this way mounted pictures, slides, trans
chain. In some schools the auditoriums are not parencies or filmstrips can be sent out over a
sufficiently large to accommodate the parents and television chain. A special motion picture pro
friends who would like to attend graduations and jector is also available for this application, but
similar important functions. It is possible now to its cost is roughly twice that of an ordinary ma
seat overflow crowds in gymnasiums or study chine. However, the possibilities open up new
halls. With the TV camera following the action, vistas of investigation.
the extra guests may watch the proceedings on Closed-circuit television is practical for instruc
projected television. This technique can be ap tional purposes. It will not necessarily revolu
plied during swimming meets, diving and first tionize teaching, but it must be considered as
aid demonstrations, athletic contests, music festi another valid aid to be utilized where it can be
vals, etc., to gain the facility of wired television. found to do a job better than other means.

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