Tips for Integrating Media into Course Design and Development
Camtasia Studio
Blackboard Collaborate
Design Idea:
- Instructors can narrate PowerPoint presentations and create
tutorials/demonstrations using screen capture
Design Idea:
- Instructors can schedule synchronous meetings, have guest
presenters, narrate PowerPoint presentations, and hold virtual
office hours
Technical Considerations:
- Limited licenses available
- Requires software installation
Best Practices:
- Break the video project into fifteen minute segments
- Use common publication formats such as MP4 for videos, MP3
for audio
- Add captions to display onscreen text within the video
- Store your video in Blackboard Content Management System
iTunesU, or YouTube
WebEx
Design Idea:
- Instructors can schedule synchronous meetings, have guest
presenters, narrate PowerPoint Presentations, and hold
virtual office hours
- Instructors can hold virtual office hours
- Instructors can create voice-over presentations
Technical Considerations:
- If the host of the session closes out the session prior to
transferring host duties to someone else, the session will end
for all participants
- The Troy default audio setting is VOIP; however, when using the
VOIP setting, people that just want to call into the session via
telephone will not be able to do so
Best Practices:
- Connect to the WebEx room from a computer with a hardwire
Internet connection. Wireless connections can cause time and
video lags
- Run the WebEx test room link below the day before the event
on the actual computer you’ll host from, just to make sure
everything is functioning. http://www.webex.com/testmeeting.html
- Use the WebEx Audio as the audio setting
- Do not include any animations in the PowerPoint presentation
- Users using a mobile device will not have video capability
Blackboard Instant Messaging
Design Idea:
- Instructors can hold virtual office hours
Technical Considerations:
- Requires a Blackboard account
- Requires installation
Technical Considerations:
- Requires Java
- Users who view a Collaborate session via a mobile device are
unable to moderate a session, view a web tour, or utilize any of
the interactive whiteboard features
- Recordings do not copy over from term to term
Best Practices:
- Do not use animations in a PowerPoint presentation
- Run Audio/Video wizard before starting a session
- Convert recordings to MP4 for later use in future courses
- For mobile users provide a link to sites shown during web tours
Video Everywhere
Design Idea:
- Instructors can create Welcome Announcements, weekly
overviews, and provide student feedback
Technical Considerations:
- Requires a Google account that is registered on YouTube
- Requires a YouTube channel
- 15 minute recording limit
Best Practices:
- Videos created with this tool are stored on YouTube
- After you upload your video to YouTube, check closed captions
for accuracy or upload a transcript. Edit captions to align with
video content
Blackboard Collaborate Voice Authoring
Design Idea:
- Instructors can create voice announcements, provide student
feedback, and present weekly overviews
Technical Considerations:
- Requires Java
- 20 minute recording limit
Best Practices:
- Faculty member should provide a written transcript to
accompany the audio recording