The Concept of IMPRESSION: An Interactive Instruction System and Its Practice for Real-Time Distance Lessons between U.S. and Japan

In order to perform flexible and effective lesson, we proposed "Double Loop Instructional Design Process Model" and developed an interactive instruction system; IMPRESSION based on the proposed model. In this paper, we show the concept of IMPRESSION and also describe the real-time distance lessons we conducted continuously in the first semester of 2007 with IMPRESSION and Skype by connecting between Mountain View, CA, U.S. and Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan via the Internet. As a result of these lessons, we confirmed that although we had a little time lag and some QoS problems of video stream caused by narrow bandwidth and very long distance, we could perform flexible and effective real-time distance lessons by using IMPRESSION and a videoconference system like ordinary lessons such as chalk and talk lessons in a classroom. However, we also found some points to be improved on for continuous use of IMPRESSION.