T-Learning - Empowering India through Interactive ...

T-Learning: Empowering India through Interactive Digital Television Shubhanshu Gupta1, Sayali Godbole2, Yogesh Angadi3, Hemant Desai4 Graphics and Intelligence based Script Technology Centre for Development of Advanced Computing Pune, India [email protected] 1, [email protected] 2, [email protected] 3, [email protected] 4

Abstract— Indian Television viewers are witnessing digitalization that is set to enhance their viewing experience. With the terrestrial digitalization deadline already set to 2017 and Cable Digitization Mandate to complete by 2014. This will bring a new form of television that has much more to offer than traditional TV. One such potential offering is an enriched learning service alias T-Learning. In this paper we will talk about a multilingual interactive TV application to enhance the learning experience on educational television. Keywords— Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB), Multimedia Home Platform (MHP), Interactive TV (iTV), Integrated Digital Television (IDTV), Educational Broadcasting, Educational Television, Digital Switchover, Analogue Switch Off (ASO), Television Digitalization.

I.

INTRODUCTION

Television plays a vital role in 148 million [1] Indian homes as a medium for infotainment, edutainment and entertainment. It is also a source of Educational TV (ETV) programs available as a public service to nurture India. ETV programming in India first started in the year 1961 as “Secondary School television project” since then there has been continuous efforts on this front. Ministry of Human Resources (MHRD) with Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and various national \ regional agencies have contributed to the idea of setting-up a virtual university on TV popularly known as Gyandarshan ETV broadcasts. Efforts have also been made to harness FM radio for imparting education popularly known as Gyanvani. Govt. of India has a major focus on the "Technology Enhanced Learning" in its 12th Five Year Plan (2012-2017) as it provides universal access to information and services to the public in their own language [2]. At Present MHRD with Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) as the nodal agency is running a bouquet of four satellite based ETV channels that provide round the clock service aiming at primary, secondary, higher and technical education, telecounselling, tele-lecturing dedicated to educational and developmental needs of the country [3].

1. Gyan-Darshan-1 Educational Channel [3]. 2. Gyan-Darshan-2 Educational Channel [4]. 3. Gyan-Darshan-3 Eklavya Technological Channel [5]. 4. Gyan-Darshan-4 VYAS Higher Education Channel [5]. 5. Gyan Vani Educational FM Radio on DTH [6]. MHRD has also ambitiously envisioned 1000 educational DTH channels to cater to the educational needs of new knowledge based Indian economy. In the first phase, the launch of 50 Educational DTH channels has been commissioned [4]. A. Advantages over web based learning: With 150 million total Internet users in India, the Internet penetration is merely 12% [7] as compared to TV penetration at 65% [8] and that of mobile at 26% [9]. The upfront infrastructure cost incurred for computer and internet are high for an average income family in India, while Television is affordable and accessible in every corner of the country. Moreover a learner must be computer literate for web-based learning while there are no such constraints for Television based learning. The simple interface of remote control for interactivity does not require computer knowledge. On the other side M-Learning learners face several technical challenges like connectivity, battery life, multiple content formats, multiple mobile operating systems, limited memory etc. These constraints don’t limit the learning through Television and educational contents like quiz, information on particular topic, summary of lectures are best delivered through Television. B. Need for interactive TV learning service: Learning process always involves an active mind, demands learner’s attention and curiosity but Television has always been perceived as a passive medium. Modern digital television offering interactivity rich multimedia experience answers to this essential problem of delivering Distance Learning through Television medium. It encourages viewers to more and more interact with the TV to participate in the active learning environment that too in their local language. Dissemination of

knowledge in local languages is an important requirement for a linguistically and geographically diverse country like India. II.

DIGITAL TELEVISION

A. What is Digital Television DTV refers to the new television broadcasting technology in which the programme data is broadcasted in digitized packets to the viewer’s set-top-boxes or Integrated TV sets (IDTV). Compared to analogue television digital television offer greater number of channels, better quality of picture and sound, subtitles, Teletext and interactive services. The packetized DTV programme data is delivered via Cable TV (DVB-C \ C2), Terrestrial (DVB-T \ T2), Satellite (DVB-S \ S2) and other DTV standards. With digitalization set-top-box will become a general purpose ubiquitous device. B. Digital Television in India DTV in India is based on the European Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB) Standards and is available in the form of Direct-to-home (DTH), Digital Cable TV and in future will also be available in form of Digital Terrestrial from Doordarshan (DD) the National Public Service TV Broadcaster of India. DD has also adopted DVB-T \ T2 in its planned digitalization. DD also operates Free-To-Air (FTA) DTH service having nationwide coverage with a gamut of 59 [10] high quality channels that includes ETV channels.

Broadcast only applications that allows user to interact with but does not initiated communication from the set-top-box, such as Interactive Games. 2) Unidirectional Interactive: Unidirectional interactive applications are that make use of return channel as simplex communication from the set-top-box to the backend server, such as submission of Quiz score. 3) Bi-Directional Interactive\ Internet: Bi-directional interactive applications are that make use of return channel as full-duplex communication often allow unrestricted access to the Internet from the set-top-box to the RMS such as online gaming, Virtual Classroom etc. D. Methods of delivering interactive applications 1) Broadcast The application and its meta-data are broadcasted in Digital Storage Media Command and Control [15] Object Carousel with Signaling Tables encapsulated in a MPEG-2 compliant Transport Stream [14]. The set-top-box is notified of the incoming application through the signaling information that is delivered by an Application Information Table (AIT). AIT contains all the necessary information required by the receiver to run the applications and notify the viewer of available applications in meaningful way.

C. What is Interactive TV and Middleware Interactive TV describes a number of techniques that allow viewers to interact with television content as they view it [11]. This is achieved by a software layer that sits on top of the settop-box hardware layer and manages the interactive services called the set-top-box Middleware. Middleware gives the settop-box the GUI look and feel that differentiates two boxes of same hardware platform from different service provider. There are many middleware from different vendors that offer innovative features like MediaHighway, Liberate, Open TV etc. Few middleware are also based on open standards. Open standards gives an opportunity to manufacturers to offer solution for multiple broadcasters rather than developing products to the specification of a particular broadcaster. Open Standard based applications can be developed for multiple service providers ranging from Cable TV, DTH and Terrestrial enabling a huge market in that area [12]. Multimedia Home Platform (MHP) [13] is an open standard for Interactive Digital Television defined by the DVB consortium. It defines generic interfaces between interactive applications and the set-top-box hardware. It enables broadcasters to deliver engaging forms of television programming and interactive content while maintaining high availability and reliability. MHP standard broadly classifies applications as follows: 1) Enhanced Broadcasting:

Fig. 1. Broadcast Carousel encapsulated in MPEG-2 Transport Stream

The dynamic updates to the applications are delivered through a mechanism of Stream Events. Stream Events are also used to synchronize the application with the programme. 2) Internet Protocol (IP) Interactive Applications signaled in AIT but not broadcasted in carousels can be alternatively downloaded over the return channel.

E. Bi-directional interactivity The bi-directional communication is required when the viewer wants to send back some data to the broadcaster e.g. Poll results, Quiz score etc. TABLE I. S.No

RETURN CHANNELS FOR VARIOUS TRANSMISSION MODES Return Path Availability Mode of Transmission

Availability

Alternative

1.

Digital Cable

YES

-

2.

Digital Terrestrial

NO

Wireless a

3.

Digital Satellite

NO

Wireless a

a.

Integrated\USB 3G\GPRS\Wi-Max\Wi-Max Modems

The advance terrestrial and satellite set-top-boxes support return channel through GSM / GPRS / 3G / Wi-Fi / Ethernet etc. methods as specified by DVB e.g. Videocon Satellite HD DVR DSR 4611 comes with an Ethernet and a USB port, the USB port in future may also allow plugging USB 3G Dongles. Television-rating-points (TRP) data collection over return channel may serves as an incentive to promote bi-directional interactivity for many service providers; this may also help subsidize the additional operational cost of return channel. Urban areas that are well connected to Internet may utilize existing broadband connections over Ethernet port and the rural areas where the Internet at home is almost nonexistent may opt for Mobile GPRS \ 3G. Digital video recorders (DVR) will also allow viewers to schedule their learning as per their convenience. F. Developing interactive application The DVB-J MHP interactive applications are developed in Java programming language as per the Specification. The applications are called X-Lets and have lifecycle similar to Java Applets. The lifecycle of the application is based on methods defined by the Xlet interface [16].

public interface Xlet { public void initXlet(XletContext ctx) throws XletStateChangeException; public void startXlet() throws XletStateChangeException; public void pauseXlet(); public void destroyXlet(boolean unconditional) throws XletStateChangeException; } Fig. 2. The Xlet Interface

Fig. 3. The Xlet Control Flow

The application execution is controlled by the set-top-boxes “application manager” which is responsible for the sets up of XletContext calling the lifecycle methods. The applications execution starts with initXlet() method where the application most initialization takes place followed by the startXlet() method where the scarce resources request are made and obtained. The pauseXlet() is called by the “application manager” to temporarily release the scarce resources in case the application has been paused. The destroyXlet() is called when the application is no longer required i.e. the viewer has switched to a channel for which the application is not valid or the viewer has terminated the application. III.

INTERACTIVE TV SERVICES

Interactive TV services are popularly branded as ACTIVE services by Indian DTV service providers. These allow viewers to do more with their TV rather than just sit back and watch the programmes or zap through the channels. Types of Interactive TV Contents: 1) Electronic Programme Guides (EPG) EPG allows the viewers to interact with TV to get additional information about the current and future programme. 2) Video on Demand (VoD) VOD allows to viewers to interact and make a request for a particular video programme or movie. 3) Interactive Application (iTV) Interactive applications are not bounded to any particular functionally rather it depends on the application what functionality it provides like an interactive application could be a Game, EPG, VOD, Super Teletext etc. IV.

THE LEARNING APPLICATION FRAMEWORK

The application framework is a template for disseminating E-Learning content through television in 87 subjects [17]. It enables the learner viewers to actively participate in the learning process through TV remote. The typical screens presented to the viewer are Home Page

Objective Summary Assignment Frequently Asked Questions Tutorials Glossary References Misconceptions Quiz (MCQ) – four options for each question The home page is the first screen presented to the viewer on the application’s launch. It has a scaled down video window on the left half and the additional lecture information on the right.

synchronized with the programme so that the question changes in immediately as in the programme. The submitted score is handled by a web application located on a remote server. At present the application support Hindi, English, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Punjabi, Tamil and Telugu Indian Languages. The same have been tested on Videocon & Telesystem set-top-boxes. These set-top-boxes also receive Gyandarshan broadcasts. The application is based on MHP open standard keeping in the mind that middleware standardization is yet to happen in India. We have also developed external tools help content translation & transliteration in local languages to ease the expert’s effort in transcreation. A. The educational content production process: The production process starts with the conceptualization of producing an Interactive programme on a subject after thorough brainstorming with the intent of shooting the film. Then the points to be highlighted are identified followed by the finalization of treatment of the educational content film is identified e.g. the film can be in documentary, docu-drama, fiction based, interview based or demonstration based format etc. e.g. The educational contents on Music subjects are normally in interview cum demonstration based format.

Fig. 4. The Home Screen

The text screens like Objective, Summary, FAQ, Glossary, Tutorials, General Misconceptions, References etc provides the viewers with the outline, synopsis, clarification of common doubts, reinforce the taught subject and familiarize with the subject’s terminology and clarify general misconceptions of the current subject lecture video.

Fig. 6. The production process

Then the expert is contacted who can speak and explain the subject concepts fluently as well as demonstrate the same with ease. Then the interviewer familiar with the given subject is finalized. E.g. for explaining a Raag in Indian Classical Music, it is divided in four episodes. Fig. 5. The Textual Informaton Screen

Quiz encourages learner to take-up self assessment and possibly submit the score through return channel. It can also be

The dates mutually suitable to all concerned are finalized for the shooting. The possible questions are finalized in a meeting with the expert and interviewer. On the shooting date, normally four episodes in one day are shot with four camera

setup. Most of the recording is extempore based on the questions and the flow is maintained. Next is the one or two days post-production phase in which the recorded programme is edited, embellished with graphics, visual effects and Sound levels are tuned. This edited programme is given for the transcript, since the programme is extempore. Each and every word spoken is converted into a Word file. Simultaneously, the different components for the Interactive package are developed by an assistant who has the knowledge of the subject. E-Learning Package: Once the components and the transcript are ready, it is integrated in the Flash based ELearning Interactive package template provided by the Consortium of Educational Communication (CEC) and MHRD. This integrated package is then sent to another expert in the subject for the preview for any mistakes or corrections. Then the final package with edited video of each episode is sent to the CEC, New Delhi where it is uploaded to the website of the CEC. T-Learning Package: Once the final E-Learning package verified, the components and the transcript are localized using tools and converted into language specific Java i18n property resource bundles. Then the resource bundles are integrated in the MHP based Interactive T-Learning learning package template developed by C-DAC. This integrated package is then previewed on the set-top-boxes under the lab simulation of broadcast environment. Then the final package with metadata is uploaded to the T-Learning framework [18] for transmission. This final programme contents are transmitted on the VYAS Higher Education Channel of the CEC-UGC. B. The educational content receiving process: The learner when tunes-in to an ETV channel gets notified of the interactive learning application by the set-top-boxes.

Fig. 7. The reception and return channel communication

Set-top-boxes follow standard notification mechanisms to notify viewers of the available interactive application like displaying ACTIVE or RED button on the screen.

CONCLUSION

The television digitalization is set to make set-top-boxes ubiquitous devices that will transform our perception of TV and viewing experience. With this happening TV will play a greater role in nurturing India through interactive ETV broadcasts as detailed in this paper. The future work on the application will enable support for lecture-on-demand, storage and retrieval of educational content on USB\DVR for convenience learning, support for purchase of recommended books and reference material, learner-mentor interaction through text based interface during the live sessions and will explore potential of second screen TV applications. ACKNOWLEDGMENT

We would like to express our gratitude to Shri. Mahesh D. Kulkarni, Associate Director & HoD, GIST Group, C-DAC, Pune for his vision and initiative of setting up a Digital Television research team and steering the research activities. We would also like to thank Shri. Sudesh Mudliar, Jt. Director, GIST Group, C-DAC, Pune for his expert guidance and EM2RC, Pune officials for providing sample e-Learning contents and valuable suggestions. REFERENCES [1]

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