Workflow

At the New Jersey Institute of Technology, we have several different types of multimedia content that we distribute either through iTunes U, YouTube, or via our webiste. For the purposes of this case study, we look primarily at content utilized for classroom support. 

 

Classroom support content primarily consists of: typical narrated powerpoint presentations, the faculty profile, and the learning object. Many are familiar with a recorded lecture synced to Powerpoint or Keynote slides. At NJIT, the primary focus is on voiceover and slides, in class video with slides edited in, and studio recorded video with slides live mixed. Examples:

 

 

 

NJIT Student Quaison Carter shows off his company FetchFire

 

The two other types of content that we commonly create for our digital distribution channels are what we call the faculty profile and the learning object. The faculty profile is created to give our faculty members a way to talk about their backgrounds, research interests, and/or some of their outside interests. We initially limited these videos to our website’s People@NJIT page, but have migrated some of that content to YouTube and also if the profiled professor has a class up on iTunes U we like to add the profile video to those courses to give either distant learning students or Open Courseware learners the opportunity to virtually ‘meet’ the faculty member behind the course. Here are two examples of faculty profile videos.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We also create what we call "learning objects": self contained sections of content that can be used inside or outside of a course. In a best case scenario, they can also be utilized by other instructors or learners to help illustrate a concept or expand the viewers knowledge. Occasionally, we are able to release topical materials that help clarify issues of the day. Another aspect of this learning architecture is to create a learning object video around student cultural events, broadening our understanding of the diverse NJIT community.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. Self production by the individual professors (the majority are strictly voice over slides).

 

2. Studio creation by our Instructional Technology and Media Services staff, (traditionally professor on-camera and slides live mixed).

 

3. Videos created following an EFP (electronic field production) model. These most often result in faculty profile videos and learning objects.

 

We encourage professors to utilize their office or home computers to create narrated PowerPoint presentations for use as study aids, distance learning, or to contribute to the Open Courseware Initiative. There are numerous free and fee tools to accomplish this task. 

 

1. Audacity: a cross platform free sound editor. You can download Audacity for PC or Mac at http://audacity.sourceforge.net/. We created an installation and instructional video here. 

 

2. Apple iLife and iWork suites include applicaitons such as Garageband and Keynote that have low learning curves for creating a simple narrated slideshow. There are numerous tutorials online. One with a good attention to detail is here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSlthaM8iyU . 

 

3. Camtasia Relay: our primary tools for professors and students to create narrated slideshows and screen captures. Camtasia Relay is a cross platform screen recording tool which NJIT has licensed for campus-wide use. Our Instructional Technology and Media Services group offers classes on Camtasia Relay and we have an online tutorial. https://learningspaces.njit.edu/content/recording-a-video-using-camtasia-relay 

 

We are confident that by giving our professors a choice of endorsed and supported tools, that we can eliminate many barriers in the podcast production process.

The Instructional Technology and Media Services department has a studio where professors can be recorded with up to three cameras, including live switching to their powerpoint slides. A pre-scripted lecture can be brought up on a teleprompter to ease the process of recording several classes at one time. While a resource and labor intensive process, it is still an effective method of recording an entire semesters worth of material in a few days.

 

Rather than record full lectures, I focus on material that can be presented in a relatively short time span (3-6 miunutes). Recording these highly ‘produced’ videos usually includes broll (video other than that of the speaker which illustrates the narration) of the topic. In addition to the ‘talking head’ portion I capture for a typical faculty profile video. Occasionally, professors prefer their subject video as their faculty profile. This method is very time consuming and requires attention to the whole video production cycle. This can entail pre-production planning, production ( actual time to record the video), and post production, where all of the pieces are assembled to tell a coherent story. 

 

This method is expensive, particularly if you are a novice. However, you can also produce excellent usable material with very low cost. A FlipCam type camera or the video mode on your still camera can be coupled with simple video editing software, such as Apple’s iMovie. Final Cut Studio’s suite of tools have more advanced capabilities with a much higher learning curve, but can provide a more robust editing environment, and potentially a better product.

 

These methods are a few of many. There are myriad options to translate professors' valuable knowledge and course material into a podcast form. In my experience, it's less about the tools and more about finding motivated professors to take up podcasting. 

 

One such professor is captured here, extolling the virtues of podcasting as a delivery mechanism for instruction.