Portsmouth Business School eLearning Team

PBS Learning NewsAchieving the right blend!

To VLE, or not to VLE: is that the question?In the film ‘Jurassic Park’, when confronted by scientific techniques that, for the film at least, had brought dinosaurs back from extinction to populate a dinosaur theme park, the actor Jeff Goldblum made this judgement on the actions of the gung-ho scientists involved - “Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn’t stop to think if they should!”

For the film, the judgement was loosely about ethics in science, but that statement could equally be made about the development of Virtual Learning Environments at Portsmouth! It is relatively easy to support a taught unit or complete course with a site in our VLE ‘Victory’, but if it just contains the same materials that the students have been given face to face, does it really further student learning at all?

Quite a few Victory sites contain a unit handbook and a set of lecture slides, and this meets the requirements of the University eLearning Strategy as far as use of Victory is concerned. However, while students appreciate being able to review lecture slides after the lecture has been delivered, there is a lot more that can be added to a Victory site to make its presence online of more value to students.

By making audio recordings using a microphone and suitable software, the academic can place news bulletins online, or take part in voice-driven discussions, or create subscribe-able podcasts. It is also possible to use video to provide interview-style case studies, or edited productions that contain a mixture of interviews and location-based footage, the final video then being encoded and streamed on the university’s windows media servers.

It takes some effort and coordination to arrange for the videos to be shot, either by the DCQE Media Production Team or using PBS videoing facilities, but the resulting teaching resources can enhance the student learning experience considerably. To add such video to a Victory site takes no more than the addition of a URL link in the ‘Web Links’ section of the site. Once streamed, that video can be used by a number of Victory sites, or accessed by anyone with a Victory login, a Windows computer and a web browser.

This issue of PBS Learning News looks into how audio and video may be used to enhance virtual learning environments. Now that modern hardware and software have made it easier and cheaper to produce new media, we should aim to add the right kind of pedagogically sound learning materials to our VLE. These might include video and audio!

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Sample Videos and a Screen Recording

Examples of Video used in Teaching and Course Marketing

Email the eTeam! david.starkey@port.ac.ukrachel.short@port.ac.ukelearn@port.ac.uk

Issue 4 – Winter 2008/2009

Interviews at Ely Place Chambers

These interviews were shot in the City of London at a Legal Chambers. The participants were asked to provide their opinions on what made a successful Expert Witness. The video clips were later added to a Victory site supporting a unit on that subject taught in the new School of Law.

‘The Information Superhighway’

This edited production consisted of interviews on and off campus, and location based filming at both an internet service provider (ISP) and one of the UoP server centres. The 40 minute video gives students a comprehensive overview of the elements that make the internet work.

Interviews of Economics PhD Students

These interviews were shot in the main TV Studio in Ravelin Park. A brightly lit white background screen was used for a backdrop to give a clinical modern feel. A new studio will come on stream at the beginning of Semester 2 that is dedicated to producing this type of interview footage quickly and easily.

Screen Recording by Level 1 SBS Students

This is a typical student presentation made with Camtasia, where the student speaks to the viewer via a webcam box at bottom right, while demonstrating the pages of a website that the speaker had a part in creating. This kind of feedback on assessed work, as part of the assessment itself, allows individual marking of group work, and helps to eliminate cheating. It also show when extra marks for merit are due.

Check out a sample video interview: mms://ondemand.port.ac.uk/starkeyd/Show.wmv

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ELC Message

David Starkey: PBS eLearning Coordinator

Last year, we moved online teaching unit support away from WebCT 4.1 to WebCT Vista – what we call ‘Victory’. This move was not without its problems. Both Blackboard software bugs, and problems with our servers, meant academic content could not always be uploaded immediately, while content already uploaded did not appear to all users. We hope these problems are now solved, and users can use Victory with confidence in future.

PBS eTeam: Quarterly Message & Theme Media Recording Equipment available to Academics (2)

New PBS Audio Equipment

Audio Recording Equipment

We have a range of audio recording devices available to PBS staff

The next stage of the development of our VLE is the addition of the Wimba Collaboration Suite. This makes it possible to record various types of sound files either as a message to students, a spoken discussion thread on a message board, or as a true podcast subscribed via iTunes (or other feed reader). It also allows an academic and students to interact by sharing anything that can be seen on screen in a ‘Live Classroom’. The academic can highlight an area of the screen, and take control of a student’s PC to demonstrate something of interest, while giving spoken instructions via a headset over the internet. Those of us who have tried the Wimba pilot have found it to be very responsive in use. There is little delay between showing something on one PC and it appearing on another. The Wimba Tools Suite runs as an ‘ASP’ system (the software runs on remote servers administered by Wimba). This should lead to high reliability, and will allow us to support students remotely using Wimba.

Academics wanting to add eLearning elements to their units and courses should get into Wimba Tools, but there are other ways of employing eLearning technologies in teaching. It is possible to replace written journals and interview reports with video. Students can use a video camera to interview people who have a viewpoint on the topic they are studying, and then compile a series of clips into an edited package using video editing software. Clearly this can only happen if suitable hardware is available.

Over the last twelve months, Portsmouth Business School has been investing in the various bits of hardware and software needed to make possible interview filming, student video journal and screencast recordings, and audio podcasts. The current inventory of equipment available to staff and students is described in later sections.

eLearning is not just about providing students with the same lecture slides via a VLE that we use to teach them face to face. A VLE becomes a powerful teaching tool when a unit site is enriched by other content over time – such as links to streaming videos, podcasts, interviews and edited video productions describing relevant topics.

RODE Videomic (three available)

This shotgun microphone and foam windsock comes with a shock mount to prevent camera vibration affecting the sound recorded. It is suitable for mounting on any of the PBS cameras via the accessory shoe mount, and plugs into the external microphone port.

If you are buying a camcorder yourself, it is important to select one that has both an external 3mm microphone port, so that good quality external microphones can be used with it, and an external headphone port, so you can check the sound is being recorded properly, and without distortion.

Sennheiser Radio Microphone Kit (one available)

This kit allows a lecturer’s speech to be captured using a lapel clip-on microphone transmitter, and the sound to be recorded on the camera wirelessly via a radio signal to the receiver which is plugged into the camera’s external microphone port.

Boundary/Lapel Microphone (three each available)

We also have three boundary microphones and three interview lapel microphones to allow students to record interviews as part of assessed video journals/reports.

Podcasting Kits (four available)

RODE Podcaster mics and Sony folding headphones are available for use with Audacity or Camtasia software.

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Victory Migration & Course Development

PBS eTeam: ‘You Make, We Bake!’Media Recording Equipment available to Academics (1)

Rachel Short: PBS Online Course Developer

As we start a new calendar year, it is probably a good time to review progress toward our targets in relation to the University eLearning Strategy. Our initial targets were to ensure that all Level 1 and Level M taught units had a Victory site supporting them. The good news is that this target will have been met for 99% of Level 1 units by the start of the coming Semester 2, and for all Level M units by Easter 2009. This will allow us to move on to Level 2 and Level 3 units, while also introducing Wimba Tools.

New PBS Video Equipment

Video Cameras

PBS currently has ten cameras available, suitable for different purposes.

Sony PMW-EX1 (one available)

This professional HD video camera is suited to high quality interviewing and location work. We have a radio microphone, tripod, and lighting kit for use with it in a range of situations. Already it has been used to video faculty conferences, university events, and interviews for PBS clients made in the Rotunda TV Studio. It records to Express Cards that eliminate capturing.

To enable us to keep on track with Victory site creation, a second Online Course Developer is being sought. This will also permit us to continue to provide one to one training for academics needing advice on Victory, or on the use of the Wimba Collaboration Suite. The insert in this leaflet shows the winter programme for DCQE training sessions, and I would like to point out two of them to you.

On the 21st of January, and the 25th of March, the eLearning Centre are putting on sessions in Milldam LE1.02 describing the use of Wimba Voice Tools in Victory. These tools are a powerful way to speak to students, both to inform them of new aspects of their course, to allow them to interact in discussion threads using voice, or to create podcasts for a range of participants to subscribe to. Examples of Wimba Tools follow…

Canon HG10 (three available)

This camcorder is suited to the making of student video journals, interviews, and basic campus filming. We have a range of microphones for use with these cameras. Each camera records HD footage in AVCHD format to a built in 40GB hard disk drive. Footage can then be directly imported into a video editing package via USB2. Each camera comes with a tripod, bag, and spare battery.

Webcams (2Mp 30fps: six available)

These cameras are well suited to making screen recordings with Captivate or Camtasia software. They include ‘RightLight’ exposure control, and ‘RightSound’ sound improvement to ensure the results are of great quality. Screen recording software, and advice on using it, is available from the eTeam.

Use of Video in Student Assessment

Screencasting for Student Assessment

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Student Video Journals & Video Editing

Caroline Willett, Principal Lecturer and Director of Undergraduate Programmes: Department of Accounting & Finance

During Semester 1 of 2008/2009, a group of fourteen A&F students received some tuition in videography and video editing from Media Production Team staff based in The Rotunda TV Studio. The aim of this training was to equip them to make short video documentaries on a management accounting theme.

Use of Video in Student Assessment

The final year management accounting students had the choice of an individual written assignment or the making of a video documentary in groups of three or four. There was a choice of topics, and three training sessions have been given so far, with one more to come. Everyone particularly enjoyed the session on using the equipment, and on the use of video clips.

The videos are to be around 10 minutes in length – we have all been startled to discover how much material is required to fill this amount of time! However, the students have been very enthusiastic and creative in their thinking, with several remarking that it has been the most interesting or rewarding assessment which they have done in their time at the University.

Laptop: Dell 14”, Core 2 Duo, 4GB RAM, 120GB 7200rpm HDD, Express Card Slot: www.port.ac.uk/special/is/purchasing/managedservice/laptops/delllatitudede6400/

External Editing Drive: LaCie 500GB d2 Quadra

Video Editing Software: Adobe Premiere Elements 7

Video Editing Kits (six available, Q1 2009)

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David Starkey: PBS eLearning Coordinator

There are a number of software packages available that permit the creation of ‘screencasts’ – recordings of anything happening on a computer screen. The four main packages are:

1. Adobe ‘Captivate’

2. TechSmith ‘Camtasia Studio’

3. Articulate ‘Presenter’

4. Wildform ‘Flair’

Of these, the one I prefer to use is Camtasia Studio, because while the others produce video output in Flash SWF or FLV format only, Camtasia can record to a range of output formats, including Windows Media (AVI, WMV), Apple QuickTime (MOV), Flash (SWF, FLV) and TechSmith Player (an EXE standalone executable presentation). If you feel so inclined, you can output video suitable to play on an iPhone or iPod Touch!

Every year for the last four years, I have taught a unit where students undertake a group website design project, where each student is allocated a role within a group of four. They might be a website designer, content designer, business analyst, or systems analyst, so will either be instrumental in creating and adding content to a website, or researching how their fictitious business start up would create a business plan or employ I.T. systems to support its operations.

While the assessed part of the unit is the group website (which provides information similar to that provided by candidates seeking funds on the Dragon’s Den TV programme), the marking is done on an individual basis, based on how well each student has completed their role. This is partly judged from the web pages they have created or supplied content for – the group site being uploaded to a web server.

However, marking is moderated by watching the screencast that each member of the group makes and adds to the site before uploading. These are typically only a few minutes in length, but show the students on screen (via a webcam) demonstrating the part they played in the site’s creation. This eliminates cheating, and allows students who have done more than others to show that they deserve a higher mark than their colleagues. It also allows group members to point out where a colleague has failed to participate, which results in the said colleague’s marks being cut or voided altogether.

Video made using a screencasting package like Camtasia is a great way to assess students, create demos on how to complete a task, to easily provide reliable voiceovers for PowerPoint lecture slides, or to allow students to feedback on what they have done.

Information on screencasting, and the software listed here, can be found on the new Victory site ‘PBS Media Lab’

Screencasting SoftwareThe Principal Screencasting Packages

The eLearning CentreNews & Information

Workshop Schedule – Winter 2008/2009

http://www.port.ac.uk/departments/services/dcqe/eLearningCentre/eLearning/

What other services can the DCQE eLearning Centre offer to academics?

The DCQE eLearning Centre not only offers short training courses on a range of topics, but can provide editorial help with copy editing and proof reading, artwork creation and DTP, advice on printing of single page flyers to 400 page volumes, media production, script writing, location filming, TV studio production, video editing and colour correction, graphic design and animation, audio recording, media streaming, and video resources.

Camtasia Studio

Imports AVI files and webcam video, and exports finished productions to Windows Media, QuickTime, Flash, and Executable File video output that can be streamed from a suitable streaming server or distributed on CD, DVD, or Blu-ray disk. Output of WMV video is most suited to UoP streaming.

Adobe Captivate

Takes a range of import files which are immediately converted to Flash, and then allows either Flash SWF or FLV files to be created. Flexible quizzing facilities and smaller exported file size are Captivate’s strengths, but its restricted import/export formats reduce its appeal somewhat. It is found across campus on a limited license.

Articulate Presenter

Requires Microsoft PowerPoint to run, but delivers high impact graphics that have their place where the best quality presentations are needed. Like Captivate, Presenter converts all source files to Flash.

Quite an expensive package for what it does, and requires the full Studio version to permit an all-singing, all-dancing range of (encoding) capabilities to be delivered. The UoP has no licenses for this software.

Wildform Flair

Possibly the best package on paper, Flair can import almost all types of video and audio, and then produces a Flash-based stage which can be manipulated in WYSIWYG format to end up with a single Flash production. Quite cost effective for the range of abilities offered, Flair would be Camtasia’s biggest challenger on a level playing field. The UoP has no licenses for this software.

Screencasting SoftwareThe Principal Screencasting Packages

The eLearning CentreNews & Information

Workshop Schedule – Winter 2008/2009

http://www.port.ac.uk/departments/services/dcqe/eLearningCentre/eLearning/

What other services can the DCQE eLearning Centre offer to academics?

The DCQE eLearning Centre not only offers short training courses on a range of topics, but can provide editorial help with copy editing and proof reading, artwork creation and DTP, advice on printing of single page flyers to 400 page volumes, media production, script writing, location filming, TV studio production, video editing and colour correction, graphic design and animation, audio recording, media streaming, and video resources.

Camtasia Studio

Imports AVI files and webcam video, and exports finished productions to Windows Media, QuickTime, Flash, and Executable File video output that can be streamed from a suitable streaming server or distributed on CD, DVD, or Blu-ray disk. Output of WMV video is most suited to UoP streaming.

Adobe Captivate

Takes a range of import files which are immediately converted to Flash, and then allows either Flash SWF or FLV files to be created. Flexible quizzing facilities and smaller exported file size are Captivate’s strengths, but its restricted import/export formats reduce its appeal somewhat. It is found across campus on a limited license.

Articulate Presenter

Requires Microsoft PowerPoint to run, but delivers high impact graphics that have their place where the best quality presentations are needed. Like Captivate, Presenter converts all source files to Flash.

Quite an expensive package for what it does, and requires the full Studio version to permit an all-singing, all-dancing range of (encoding) capabilities to be delivered. The UoP has no licenses for this software.

Wildform Flair

Possibly the best package on paper, Flair can import almost all types of video and audio, and then produces a Flash-based stage which can be manipulated in WYSIWYG format to end up with a single Flash production. Quite cost effective for the range of abilities offered, Flair would be Camtasia’s biggest challenger on a level playing field. The UoP has no licenses for this software.