Standards to Support National Cooperation in Applying Technology to VET
Whether in classrooms, the workplace or in the home, learners will be communicating and using a variety of software, both general-purpose and education-specific. These activities depend entirely on a personal computer, its operating system and network connections. The appropriate configuration in some cases will be specific to the nature of the particular training course.
VET educational uses of PCs and Internet communications will concentrate on email, Web access , and 'groupware' communicative functions, including running Java applications within a Web browser. Non-Internet applications include word-processing, running specialised educational applications and CPU-intensive applications such as MPEG video playback from CD-ROM, CD-R, DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) or the Local Area Network.
Each year, software generally requires a higher level of CPU speed, memory and disk storage, and specialised peripherals such as MPEG video decoders and sound cards. Because this is a rapidly evolving and demanding field (in terms of bandwidth and the ability to run complex software at sufficient speed), there are strong arguments for investing in reasonably powerful computer systems which will remain productive for several years.
The aim of the VET sector is to provide a flexible computing platform which is reasonably easy to use in a classroom or library setting, in a Registered Training Organisation.
Broadly speaking, VET educational uses will include some audio and visual functions - for instance MPEG-1 video playback from CD-ROM or the LAN - but will not involve the games which are an important driver of consumer demand.
In the VET sector PCs are generally considered to have an overall life of about 5 years - although this is continually shortening and the time of deployment to particular groups is less, as will be seen below. The practice is generally to deploy newly purchased PCs in the classroom. After about 3 years their performance is no longer adequate for use in the classroom, and they are typically moved into the administrative sector. After a further 2 years, they are moved on further to the typing pool where they are used for text input. Ultimately they find their way to the hardware laboratory, where they are used to instruct students in hardware assembly and upgrading.
Of the total number of PCs in a typical institute, the distribution is as follows:
By a small margin, therefore, classroom PCs are the major category in VET institutes. They are used primarily for:
In a minority of cases, they are also required to stream audio and video.
The 'Multimedia PC' is now an established, but rapidly evolving, consumer and business item. A typical 'mid-range' Windows/Intel system in August 1998 might comprise:
The full retail price of such a hardware system is currently around $1300 to $1900 including tax - no higher than that of last year's mid-range system, although many aspects are 50 to 100% faster or more capacious than the most common system a year ago. Software costs will be significant, but less than hardware costs.
During 1999 it is likely that the CD-ROM drive will be replaced or supplemented by a CD-R drive which can read CD-ROMs and write the write-once CD-R discs. Another variation is CD-W - which can write both CD-R discs and rewriteable CD-W discs. As DVD drives drop in cost, they will also increasingly be used in place of CD-ROM drives.
Typically the other items to be purchased with such a system would be the Windows 98 operating system, a modem for around $130 and a colour inkjet printer for around $400.
Other popular items include flat-bed colour scanners and 100 Megabyte Zip drives for backup and data interchange between machines.
The above domestic 'Multimedia PC' is capable of performing almost any Internet communication function - including Internet "phone" applications, subject to the bandwidth limitations of its link to the net. With the addition of a small video camera - and, if necessary, a plug-in board - the system is capable of desktop video conferencing if it has an ISDN link or a high-speed Ethernet connection to the LAN or the Internet. ( The Videoconferencing Workshop has recommended Standard H.323 as the preferred standard for LAN videoconferencing)
In accordance with the PC population distribution above and the typical lifetime history of PCs within institutes, the most appropriate course is to specify the parameters of the PC for classroom use.
Two types of PC are considered for the purpose of identifying preferred standards: a Standard PC and an Advanced PC. Their characteristics are defined in the following table:
| Type | Applications | Interoperability | Proportion of PC Population, 1999. |
| Standard | Office Suites Encarta |
WAN Internet |
90%, decreasing |
| Advanced | Animation Multimedia Development |
LAN | 10%, increasing |
There are three primary goals in setting technical standards for PCs in the VET sector:
Other goals include:
Internet communications and associated standards such as HTML, Java, and MPEG audio/video are increasingly the basis of software likely to be used by VET. While Computer Managed Learning software historically was based on hard-disk and CD-ROM, possibly without a network connection, current development in this field is on systems which operate using the Internet's TCP/IP protocols - via a LAN and/or a dial-up connection.
This trend means that the underlying operating system of the PC is becoming less important than in the past. The choice of hardware/operating system is discrete - with a clear distinction, for instance, between Mac and Wintel (Windows/Intel) PC for instance. The choice of CPU speed, memory etc. is incremental. The choice between peripherals may be incremental - such as hard disks of various capacities - or it may be fundamental such as between a CD-ROM, CD-R or CD-W drive.
Ideally standards would specify capabilities rather than the methods of achieving these outcomes - however it is difficult to specify how fast, for instance, computer programs should run. It is difficult for a benchmark program to properly measure all the factors which affect a system's performance in real applications, and the range of applications and their rapid evolution makes the task of accurately specifying performance targets for PCs even more problematic.
A formal VET standard (or standards) for PCs will be a guide for purchasing new equipment - especially to replace systems as little as two or three years old. Three-year replacement cycles are unusual for capital items, but the following points constitute a powerful argument for such a strategy:
With performance of PCs increasing by around 70% per annum, and with the most sophisticated applications requiring "this year's mid-range consumer PC" hardware standards and performance, it follows that after three years, a PC's performance is only 20% of the current baseline. The costs, per year, of being unable to run up-to-date software, and of time lost to learners and teachers in trying to coax older equipment to do what they want, are likely to exceed the cost of a new PC. It is vital that many VET learners gain experience with the latest software and hardware - as they will be using in the workplace. The arguments for keeping all computing hardware up-to-date also apply to equipment, infrastructure and services such as LANs, WANs and Internet access.
Because of the rapid advances in technology - whereby the functionality is increasing but the cost is constant or even decreasing in real terms - and applications, the validity of any detailed standards below will diminish significantly over the course of time. The focus should be on the capital intensive hardware since software is changing rapidly.
The standards recommended below are therefore deemed to apply to the purchase or upgrade of a PC at the beginning of 1999.
The aim is to arrive at a specification for purchasing Standard and Advanced PCs which are capable of supporting Internet communications and both Internet and CD-ROM based 'Multimedia' applications, as specified above.
In addition to the most common Wintel configuration, two other architectures are significant or predominant in certain fields in which VET learners may be working.
Because of the variety of tasks which are addressed in the VET sector, the range of equipment already deployed and the Whole of Government mandates applying in some States/Territories, no recommendation will be made concerning system architecture. Most of the standardisation choices relate to questions of RAM, hard-disk capacity, CPU speed etc. These are generally choices within a range of capacities and performance levels - and the chosen value in one year is likely to be 50 to 100% higher than what was optimal a year earlier.
In the longer term, thin client developments could provide options relevant to the VET sector. Similarly, for the purchase date targeted above, the widely touted 'Net PC' is not suitable for VET because such systems are experimental and will not provide the wide range of functions which are required.
The level of functionality required will be determined by the influence of the two key players in the VET sector, viz.:
In general, clients are becomingly increasingly aware of the latest developments in personal computers. They are purchasing advanced systems - in the home or in the workplace - according to the following scenarios:
The net result is that clients - be they learners or companies - expect top end PC technology to be available in the classroom because that is the level of capability to which they are accustomed in the home or in the workplace. Consequently, in order to implement the client focussed approach which is the ANTA objective for flexible delivery, the choice of standards for the classroom PC must provide clients with the functionality which is comparable and consistent with the level they expect.
The increasing decentralisation of the VET sector is resulting in the entry of new, private training providers. These entrants tend to deploy a high level of technological resources - including top end PCs for their clients. To remain competitive, other providers must therefore match this level of technology deployment.
Computers and Internet communications require significant skills and concentration on the part of the user, but can greatly extend their ability to communicate, research and learn. Barriers to computer usage, such as poor ergonomics, slow performance and difficulties with printing and disc storage need to be minimised - because they seriously disrupt the learner's and teachers ability to concentrate on the task in-hand.
In particular, the mouse, while being intuitively easy to use, has well recognised ergonomic problems because it involves precise and stressful movements of hand, arm and shoulder. In addition it requires a clear space on the desk, has cord-tangling problems and very often becomes unusable due to dust build-up on the rollers.
There are several designs of trackball which are ergonomically problematic as well. Trackballs in general involve rollers which become clogged with dust like mice. However one design, used by Logitech and perhaps other manufacturers is far superior to mice and most other trackballs. The Logitech Marble has no rollers - it uses optical sensing and is unaffected by dust and other contaminants.
There are a variety of alternatives to a standard CD-ROM: CD-R, CD-W and DVD. If it is clear that these offer immediate performance benefits, then their extra expense may be justified. However, since it is relatively easy to install such devices at a later date, and since their prices are still declining, it seems reasonable to purchase PCs with standard CD-ROM drives now and add a new drive if and when the need arises.
ZIP drives or some other form of high-capacity storage are likely to be essential for learners who are working with large sets of data - such as in the graphic design and pre-press fields. There are significant interoperability issues here, since the storage medium should be compatible with that used at work and on their home computer. Given the rapid development of removable hard-discs, and the CD-R and especially the CD-W drives which will arguably replace them (except where rapid writing and reading is a necessity), it is fortunate that a PC can easily be upgraded with one of these peripherals when the need arises.
All PCs need to be connected to a reasonably fast laser printer. The usefulness of a computer system is greatly enhanced by the ease of creating hard-copy. If printing is cumbersome or discouraged, then many valuable learning opportunities arising from hard-copy - for reading immediately or later and for hand-written annotation - will be lost.
It is likely that black and white print-out will suffice for most educational purposes, but the usefulness of colour hard-copy cannot be ruled out. The cost-effective approach to colour in low volumes is an ink-jet, because of the low cost of the new generation of colour ink-jet printers, but this should be separate from the higher volume black and white laser printer. The latter printer needs, however, to be capable of handling all the graphics and fonts which are used by the operating system and application programs. Other considerations rule out ink-jet printers (too slow, expensive and difficult to operate) and dot-matrix printers (too slow and lacking in resolution) for the main black and white printer.
The USB (Universal Serial Bus) is a new, open, standard for connecting a wide range of peripheral devices to a PC. It is standard equipment on most new PCs and is supported by Windows 98 - but devices which use it are yet to emerge in quantity. Since USB may add little to the cost of a PC, but will make it significantly easy to use and upgrade in the future, it probably should be included in any VET standard for PCs.
For the Standard PC, which covers a large population of classroom PCs, the maximisation of value is the criterion for the choice of standards.
Value is defined in this case as the benefits to the players in the online delivery value chain minus the cost. The players in the delivery chain comprise particularly
Benefits and costs applicable to these players are given in the Report cited.
To determine the best combination of value and interoperability, the value diagram shown below is used. In this diagram, the benefits and costs are semi-quantitatively plotted against the inclined axes. The value, being the difference between them, is proportional to the vertical distance above the origin.
As an example of maximising value, the addition of extra memory to the Standard PC, adds benefits greater than the additional cost - and thus increases value. Increasing the size of the monitor, on the other hand, significantly increases the cost, for a relatively small increase in benefits - and thus may subtract value. The former course is therefore preferred.
The diagram also shows the notional relationship between the Standard and the Advanced PCs.
The preferred standards for classroom PCs are as given in the table below. For ease of description, Wintel parameters are specified, but equivalent non-Intel specifications are equally acceptable.
| Component | Standard PC | Advanced PC |
| Motherboard: | BX Chipset or equivalent | BX Chipset or equivalent |
| CPU Speed: | >= 300 MHz. | >= 400 MHz. |
| Memory SDRAM: | >= 64 Mbyte | >= 128 Mbyte |
| Hard disk: | 4 Gbyte | 9 Gbyte |
| Floppy disk: | 1.44 Mbyte | 1.44 Mbyte |
| CD ROM: | Yes | Yes |
| Video display: | 15", 800 x 600, 0.28 micron pixel` | >= 17", 1240 x 1024 |
| Graphics card: | 2 MB, 64 bit | 4MB, 128 bit |
| Network card: | 10/100 Mb/s combo, UTP compatible or N/W Std, PCI Std | 10/100 Mb/s combo, UTP compatible or N/W Std, PCI Std |
| Sound card: | 32 bit, 44.1 KHz., PCI | 32 bit, 44.1 KHz., PCI |
| Video Capture | - | MPEG-1 hardware & software |
| Printer | - | Colour Printer |
| Common Device Tower | CD-R, CD-W, DVD B/W Laser Printer Scanner |
CD-R, CD-W, DVD B/W Laser Printer Scanner Digitiser |
The technology for realising transportable storage greater than that available from a floppy disk , for the Advanced PC is to be reviewed in 3 months.
The following technology is to be investigated in order to determine whether it is appropriate to set particular standards:
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Last modified on May 05, 1999.