Using Echo 360 in the lecture
theatre space - Instructions
Echo 360 for Staff
What Echo 360 captures as it records
1. Echo 360 captures two streams or channels, mirroring what is displayed on the two data projector
screens, that can be found in each Echo 360-equipped lecture space. Once a request to record has
been scheduled, you do not need to do anything to trigger a recording. The equipment will start
recording a few minutes before the hour and will run for 55 minutes. The only thing you need to do
is wear a microphone (and ensure that it is turned on).
2. You control what is recorded and projected on each screen. If a PowerPoint presentation is
screening on both data projectors then Echo 360 will also record this as two separate channels. It’s
up to you if you want the same channel (e.g. PowerPoint) on both screens or opt to use a second
channel for the DVD, VCR and Document Camera etc.
3. Echo 360 does not record or capture what you write on the whiteboard or display on the overhead
projector. If you want to capture what you would normally write on a whiteboard for your Echo 360
recording, then use the pens on the Sympodium unit for this purpose. See separate documentation
for using the Sympodium. Alternatively, use paper and felt pen with the Document Camera. See
separate documentation for the using the Document Camera.
4. Students can access a ‘Rich Media’ form of the captured recording later and adjust the size of, or
close a particular channel (one of the feeds from the data projectors) as desired. For example,
students might increase the size of the Sympodium channel to see a close up of a diagram that you
drew while closing or minimising or reducing the size of the PowerPoint channel etc. momentarily.
Page 1 of 7
The channel/window buttons allow you to open and close individual windows as desired. In the
graphic above, both channel 1 and 2 are open where 1 shows a PowerPoint slide and 2 shows a
lecturer teaching this material. The audio is always available, even if both 1 and 2 have been closed.
5. Five of the lecture spaces (C1, C2, C3, Law108 and L2, College of Education) feature a camera
to capture the lecturer’s teaching if desired. The cameras are fixed on the lectern at the front of the
lecture theatre. In order to remain in ‘shot’ you will need to remain behind the lectern for the entire
lecture. The camera will only record if you have specifically requested it to do so.
Notes:
• If you are in one of the five venues that have a camera, then the camera automatically
records the ‘static’ shot of the lectern where the lecturer would be standing. There is
no control to turn the camera on or off. If the camera has been requested for the
scheduled lecture recording, then it will record.
•
The lecturer and students will not see the captured video of the lecturer projected on
one of the data projector screens in the lecture theatre. When you are showing students
a PowerPoint, or what is displayed by the Sympodium or Document Camera, always
project this on BOTH screens. This only applies to the five venues where a camera is in
use. The rule for these five venues is - display what you want the students to see on
BOTH data projector screens, not one only - and make sure you stand behind the
lecture desk in the middle at the front of the space.
•
If you are only using one source of data, please make sure you are sending this signal
through both data projectors. If it is only being sent through one, there is a high chance it
might not be recorded. If you are definitely only going to be using one data projector, please
e-mail [email protected] with the venue you are using and she will confirm
which projector you should be using.
•
There is important information that you must know if you are using a laptop in a lecture
that is being recorded using the Echo system -specifically:
Mac laptop settings
The display has to be mirrored with a resolution of 1024x768 and a 60Hz refresh rate.
Anything greater than that and no recognisable signal is sent through to the recording
device.
Windows laptop settings
The system is more forgiving at recognising signals from Windows machines but if you’re
at all concerned that it might not be captured, drop it down to 1024x768 at 60Hz as well.
•
Always remember to have the microphone turned on otherwise there will be no sound
recorded.
•
If you are using the resident computer in the theatre (for PowerPoint etc.) then the
Sympodium unit is also the computer monitor and displays on one or both of the data
v.1.1
Page 2 of 7
projector screens.
•
If you can’t see anything projecting on one or both of the data projector screens then Echo
360 will not be able to record it either.
The lecture space console
1. Use the left and right hand buttons on the console to display the chosen channels (computer,
laptop, Sympodium, Document Camera, VCR, DVD) on the respective left and right
projector screens as desired.
2. Adjust the volume control at the bottom of the left or right hand channel select buttons to adjust
the volume for that channel, as applicable (e.g. if playing a video or audio). Also make sure the
microphone volume (for whichever mic you are using) is set to approximately 12/1 “o’clock” on the
dial.
v.1.1
Page 3 of 7
3. Remember - if you can’t hear audio being broadcast in the teaching venue then Echo 360 will not
be able to record the sound either.
Audio
Echo 360 will capture audio from any source (lapel or console microphone, computer/laptop, DVD
or VCR player) or from a mix of sources (e.g. music playing on a CD/DVD or computer as well as
voice recorded through a microphone). Adjust volume levels on the console control panel so that
students can comfortably and clearly hear the broadcast sound and so that Echo 360 can record it
successfully.
1. Remove portable lapel microphone unit from the charger and switch it on. Attach the microphone
to your clothing and stow the unit in a pocket if you need to move around the teaching venue.
v.1.1
Page 4 of 7
2. Adjust the volume control on the console control panel so that your voice can be clearly heard on
the venue’s speakers. Remember that the sound level must be turned up sufficiently for Echo 360 to
successfully record the audio. If in doubt, make recordings louder rather than softer.
3. Check the LCD display on the front of portable microphone unit to make sure there is at least one
hour of charge remaining (maximum charge displays 7 hours).
v.1.1
Page 5 of 7
4. If the battery is flat, or has only an hour of charge remaining, or displays ‘low charge’, call
Learning Technologies Support, Ext. 6428 immediately to arrange for a charged battery pack to
replace the uncharged one. In the meantime, start the teaching session and use the static lectern
console microphone. Adjust volume for this microphone on the lectern console so that the audio can
be heard by students.
5. At the end of the lecture, always turn off the microphone and return the unit to the charging
cradle to charge for the next person requiring it.
6. If using audio from any other source (DVD, VCR or computer/laptop), then adjust the volume
control for that source on the console panel to make sure that the students can hear it through the
theatre speakers.
7. If you can’t hear the audio coming from the speakers and the students can’t hear it, then Echo
360 is not recording it!
Notes and strategies
•
Always check the microphone levels are high enough before you begin teaching. Ask
students at the back of the teaching space if they can hear you clearly.
•
Be careful using the Mute function (the middle position of the sliding switch) on the
portable lapel microphone unit. In mute mode a red light illuminates on the front of the
battery pack to warn you that there is no recording taking place. Always make sure that you
switch the microphone off mute to recording mode again, in order to continue the recording.
It is easy to forget to do this if you momentarily mute a recording at any point during the
teaching session.
v.1.1
Page 6 of 7
•
Stand behind the lecture theatre desk at the front of the lecture theatre and try not to
move away from the desk at all IF you are in one of the venues that has a camera (see
above) and have scheduled the lecture recording to use the camera.
•
Imagine students reviewing your lecture by listening to the audio only. Make sure the
audio level is high enough for the recording to be clearly heard. Give more aural clues in
your lecture, such as ‘Now I’m drawing a…’ or ‘Slide 4 features the main…’ or ‘Note this
point particularly [verbalise what the point is]’ etc. Reinforce aural cues with other
expressions such as ‘In the second part of this lecture…’ or ‘Now we’re going to solve the
first problem…’ or ‘This is what we’re going to do next…’ Students present in the lecture
will appreciate the signals and this will help them with their note-taking (marking points
where they might make new headings etc.). Additionally, you are providing rich aural cues
that will assist students in the review of your recorded lecture. Listen to the audio only
(mp3) of one of your lectures and imagine that you are a student, trying to take notes from
the audio. Reflect on what would make this task easier for them and implement this in the
lecture theatre as you teach. A good ‘soundtrack’ of your lecture might be able to be cut into
sections as stand-alone five-minute supplementary material for students to review.
•
Repeat questions from students in the theatre so that the question can be heard on
your recorded audio and repeat answers from the students for a similar reason (e.g.
‘this student suggests that…’). It is very frustrating for students if they can’t pick up
questions, answers and discussion because the audio level is too low.
•
Keep the video capture channels in mind when you teach. Use a pen as a silhouette to
highlight a point on the Document Camera if using it and use Sympodium pens to highlight
points made. Try to move your hand away from what you are typing and sketching so that
the video can capture what you have written or sketched clearly, without your hand
obscuring what you are doing.
•
Leave time at the end of the lecture to summarise what you covered in the lecture and
suggest to students what they should do next to follow up any material or complete
tasks etc. before the next lecture. Try to suggest a brief task for them to complete in Learn
(a forum discussion post of no more than 20 words or complete a Choice activity or
Feedback etc.) or suggest an aspect of the current lecture they should do more work on. This
gives motivation for students to follow up the lecture by also reviewing at least part of the
recording.
v.1.1
Page 7 of 7