Real-time Long Distance Teaching: An Overview of Two Years of Tele-teaching between Texas and Germany

This paper presents the experience gained while using a very simple and efficient tele-teaching technique based on available systems integrated in Windows packages. In contrast to expensive, time-intensive systems that use high-end technologies, our system incorporates ordinary webcams on laptop computers, Microsoft NetMeeting online conferencing software, and remote control of a distant computer. We show the advantages of these simple resources and the student response to the teaching process for a highly sophisticated petroleum engineering class delivered to students in Clausthal-Zellerfeld, Germany from offices in College Station, Texas. The experience over two years of tele-teaching using easily available standard internet messengers and MS Windows-integrated meeting packages has resulted in enthusiastic student acceptance and preference for our low-cost system over more expensive, complex approaches to distance learning. We include our recommendations for building a system that works efficiently yet minimizes the costs