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Class Capture at the. Dr. Sue Clabaugh Asst. Director, Learning Technologies & Environments Division of Information Technology University of Maryland College Park, MD 20742 src@umd.edu. University of Maryland Overview. Large public research university 37,631 students 4,248 faculty
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Class Capture at the Dr. Sue Clabaugh Asst. Director, Learning Technologies & Environments Division of Information Technology University of Maryland College Park, MD 20742 src@umd.edu
University of MarylandOverview Large public research university • 37,631 students • 4,248 faculty • 4,000 GA’s • 5,140 staff 12 Colleges/Schools 264 buildings on 1,250 acres 345 general purpose classrooms (GPC) in 37 buildings 255 GPC’s (74%) are technology classrooms in 34 buildings 100+ department rooms equipped like tech classrooms
Context Technology in all general purpose classrooms • Major goal of UM’s Strategic Plan, the faculty, & the Scheduling Office • The technology we install has evolved over the years. • We add or eliminate technologies as needs change. • Sometimes we leave older technologies in existing tech classrooms until it’s no longer needed or the equipment dies. • Our latest effort is to deploy capture technology.
Approach to Deployment • Provost wanted to deploy capture technology broadly, not just in a few rooms. • To meet faculty demand • To make scheduling easier • Steps • Identify requirements • Assess existing resources • Evaluate solutions • Conduct a pilot test • Implement solution
Step 1: Tech. & Support Requirements • Integrate easily with LMS and iTunes U • Support a variety of inputs and formats • Computer display and audio basic to all products • Multiple video inputs (including High Def) desirable • Allow us to leverage existing equipment investment • Be able to capture class discussion not just instructor • Discussion is often critical component, esp. in smaller classes • Most small rooms don’t have existing voice amplification systems • Needed a solution that was affordable and easy to install • Ceiling mics and a small mixer • Student installation teams
Step 1: Tech. & Support Requirements • Solution must scale to allow broad deployment • Eliminated expensive hardware-based capture appliances • Focused on software approaches • Company must provide both a hosted and local server option • Use a hosted solution for pilot • Move to a local server at full implementation.
Step 1: User Requirements • Cross-platform (Mac and Windows) • Ease of use • Little or no hardware setup • No complicated software to learn • Easy to determine where to send file and what format(s) • “Look and feel” of instructor interface • Instructor control • No “Big Brother” watching. • Faculty stop/start recording. • Faculty determine where recording is stored and format. • Available broadly • Equipped rooms dispersed geographically. • Equipped rooms in all sizes.
Step 1: User Requirements • Input features/capabilities • Number and type of inputs • Ability to integrate with existing input devices (cameras, mics, video cards, etc.) • Ability to record off-line (outside of class) • Can be part of emergency preparedness options • When campus closes, classes can continue • Variety of output formats/recording quality • Ability to edit • “Look and feel” of user or student interface
Step 2: Integrate Existing Resources • Leverage installed audio and video equipment • Video cameras and mics have been installed in new classroom buildings for over 10 years. • It was used originally for video & audio tape recording and/or conferencing. • Adapting for capture didn’t require much time or money in those rooms.
Step 3: Evaluate Solutions • Identified several vendors who met basic criteria and scheduled conference calls, demonstrations, etc. • Invited three vendors to record sessions at annual Innovations in Teaching & Learning Conference • Gathered feedback from attendees • Recruited small group of students to view the recordings and provide feedback. • Identified Panopto as best match for our needs
Step 4: Conduct a Pilot Test • Used a hosted option for the pilot. • Spent summer and fall 09 equipping as many rooms as possible with cameras, mics, mixers, and capture cards. By spring 2010: • 140 rooms with installed microphone systems • 74 rooms with installed cameras • Notified faculty about the upcoming pilot. • Finalized all the technical details and began to recruit participants with assistance from Center for Teaching Excellence.
Step 4: Conduct a Pilot Test • Participants applied. • Set up accounts on the hosted server • Started training faculty and local support. • Implementation scheduled for spring 2010. • “Snowmageddon” arrived. • 3’ blizzard first week of February • Followed by 3 more blizzards ending mid-March • Followed by Spring Break • A few faculty participated for 3-4 weeks before semester ended.
Step 5: Conduct another Pilot Test • Survey of Spring 2010 users • Faculty and students liked the capture solution. • Needed feedback from more users before wider implementation. • Summer 2010 • Equipped more rooms. • Recruited and trained more faculty. • Fall 2010 • Conducted the second pilot. • Collected data from faculty and students. • Evaluated hosted vs. local server.
Step 6: Move to Full Implementation • Spring 2011 • Transitioned from hosted to local server • Installed the BlackBoard building block • Easier integration for faculty and students • Authenticated environment • Fall 2012 • 204 (80%) of tech classrooms have installed microphone systems • 171 (66%) of tech classrooms have installed cameras • Usage is growing steadily
Lessons Learned • The hosted option was good for the pilot. • We could implement quickly. • We avoided lengthy process of buying and setting up a server. • Allow for unforeseen circumstances. • Plan for capture to be used for non-class purposes. • Department and administrative meetings • Campus events • Non-credit instructional videos • Availability of cameras & mics spurred other video uses beyond capture (web conferencing, streaming, etc.).
Lessons Learned • Storage space is growing steadily
Lessons Learned Need to manage server storage • Policies and procedures for retention • Contact users at end of semester • 3 options – remove, keep, archive • Benchmarks for when to add storage • Options for handling heavy users • Charge for storage above a certain level • Have them set up their own server
Questions & Answers Dr. Sue Clabaugh Asst. Director, Learning Technologies & Environments Division of Information Technology 4453 CSS Building University of Maryland College Park, MD 20742 src@umd.edu