“Tivo for the Classroom” – and More
What do you do when your student population is made up of busy business executives who may be required to fly across the country on short notice – and on class day? This is a problem faced many times a semester by faculty teaching in the Willamette Professional MBA program. In search of a solution, WITS has been testing and evaluating a number of products for what is generally referred to as “classroom capture.” These digital recording systems make class time available all the time by automatically capturing, synchronizing, storing and indexing video, audio and PowerPoint presentations or any other material that is displayed through the classroom data projector. Students can then quickly recall key moments or replay entire class sessions with web browsers on either PC or Mac and even with iPods and cell phones.
The value of classroom capture extends to situations where students are present in class. The more students can see, hear, and experience class resources, the better they learn and recordings of class sessions enable students to review complex material repeatedly at their convenience. When basic information can be relayed easily online and students are not feverishly taking notes in fear of missing important points, class sessions can be more reflective and interactive. Recording student presentations gives students a chance to see themselves in action and to improve their speaking technique. Classroom recording also allows instructors to review and evaluate their own methods to see what worked in a given situation, and what didn’t.
Most classroom capture applications also include the technology to provide real-time streaming of lectures and events. When popular events fill both Smith Auditorium and Hudson Hall, WITS can easily provide event video to the overflow crowd.
WITS is working on a plan to equip several classrooms with fixed recording equipment and to provide mobile equipment for other locations (additional classrooms, auditoriums, even faculty offices). When a vendor has been chosen and the equipment installed, WITS will provide training and assistance that, while perhaps not making you a star of stage and screen, will ease your entry into the world of recording. If you are interested in class capture technology, you can visit the websites of these companies: Echo360, Mediasite, Tegrity; or contact Cheryl Cramer, cramerc@willamette.edu, 503-370-6122.