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by Bob Fulton, Brad Onasch,
and John Maio
Are camps ready for the twenty-first century? Ready or not - it's here!
Computers, e-mail, and the Internet have all found their way to camp. "Streaming
video" is one of the latest technological advances that allows parents
and families to actually view their children participating in camp activities
and others to view facilities and take part in training sessions from
hundreds of miles away to across the globe.
Why Use Video?
In the past few years, people from England, Ireland, Scotland, Canada,
and India have contacted Universal Bridges asking for advice and help
on designing and operating universally accessible ropes courses. However,
disseminating information in an efficient and economical way has been
problematic. Text and static images don't seem to quite convey the power
of the concept and nuances necessary. Videotapes are too labor intensive
and expensive.
Then in the summer of 1999, the Greater Long Beach YMCA hired us to
film several days of camp activities. We were inspired by their High
Teen Adventure Program and felt compelled to find an efficient and cost-effective
way to share the camp's program and Bridge's work with accessibility
with the world.
Enter the Internet
"The teen years are the time to develop character and discipline,
form values, explore interests and possibilities, and learn about ways
to give back to society," says Brad Onasch, creator of the Camp
Oakes Teen High Adventure Program. "Camp does all that and more.
Technology can connect it all together and bring the family and the world
families more intimately closer."
This past year, streaming videos on the Internet connected the families
of Camp Oakes's campers with their children even while they were at camp,
sometimes on the same day and sometimes half way around the world over
the Internet. Overnight horseback trips, rock climbing at the Joshua
Tree National Park, zip line runs on the universal high ropes course,
and mountain bike rides were all seen in streaming video on the World
Wide Web. In the coming years, Camp Oakes hopes to provide teens with
progressive new programs to help them successfully develop their futures
and provide access to technology to help them connect their experiences
at camp with their families, peers, and society at large.
Improving Technology
Streaming video technology has made rapid progress in the past three
years, and it seems the perfect solution for keeping campers, parents,
and others connected. Last winter, we filmed YMCA programs and started
experimenting with the Real Producer program. In a very short time we
were able to e-mail short film clips to families who participated in
the program. The content quality was very primitive, but the response
was overwhelming. Parents and campers just loved it.
Fast forward over the last nine months of experimenting, the advances
in the Real Producer program and Internet speeds, and now we're in the
twenty-first century. This summer, we used a video camera to film the
Camp Oakes Teen High Adventure programs as well as the YMCA's Ranger
program and posted the videos on a Web site. One of the groups of Rangers
was from Japan, and through streaming videos, their families were able
to see their children as they participated in exciting programs at camp.
Equipment Required
We are looking forward to 2001 when we will have the potential to have
live mobile Web cams that will provide same time experiences via the
Internet. Participants can wear helmet cameras, which will be as close
as possible to seeing an experience through the camper's eyes. Camping
is going public, very public. Character development, values clarification,
personal growth, and service to others will be live on the Internet for
all to see. Web sites and videos can also be password protected so that
the only people who can view videos are campers' families and friends.
We use a High8 Sony video camera to film the original content. The quality
is very acceptable, but a digital camera would provide even better resolution.
We use the Real Producer 8 program to create the videos posted on the
Web sites. A video capture card and at least a Pentium II computer are
also needed. Real Networks suggests the Osprey 100 as a capture card
which costs about $200. Viewers need Real Player 8 to view the videos.
It and Real Producer are available in a free version on the Real Networks
Web site (www.realnetworks.com).
New developments
By the end of this year, Microsoft and the Gilat Satellite Company plan to
offer "Gilat-to-Home" satellite Internet service with prices comparable
to existing line service costs. This technology will provide the potential
to download and upload video to satellite and reach audiences anywhere in
the world - live. Camp Oakes is discussing ways to take advantage of this
opportunity next summer by perhaps having video relay stations around camp
or using the satellite service to stream videos live to families of campers.
Think of it! By following campers on some of their outback teen adventure
programs with a portable unit, we can upload live video as it happens.
Connecting the World
In the next few months, the problem of sending videos and training to
people around the world will be gone. We will have the capability to
post techniques and equipment used in the universal ropes programs on
the Internet in streaming video. People from anywhere in the world will
be able to view, learn, and apply these ideas in their camps.
The applications of these technological wonders is amazing. Parents
can now see their children at camp either live or archived. Educational
ideas can be shared with other camps and organizations around the world.
And with the introduction of new technology, the quality of these images
is superb.
Originally published in the 2000 November/December
issue of Camping
Magazine.
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