ET	Spring 2009

Spotlight on: Lea Ann Shaddox
Utilizing the Accordent Classroom Capture System

Lea Ann is an Instructor, Coordinator of Liberal Arts Core courses, and Coordinator of the Wellness Resource Laboratory in the School of Health, Physical Education, and Leisure Services. Personal Wellness is part of the Core Competencies requirement of the Liberal Arts Core.

Getting Started

As part of an effort to make Personal Wellness, a required LAC course, more easily accessible for students, an online element was added beginning with the Fall semester of 2006. Students who elected this approach did not attend lectures; rather, the material was made available to them via eLearning (formerly WebCT), UNI’s Learning Management System (LMS). For this process the instructors recorded separate PowerPoint presentations wherein the slides were narrated with the same audio as was presented in the face-to-face lectures. This approach worked well but required considerable duplication of instructor time and created huge files for the LMS server to store and deliver to students.

In an effort to alleviate these problems, Lea Ann consulted with Jordon Dierks, the LMS Administrator; Phil Hibbard, an Educational Technology Specialist; and Rick Seeley, the Research and Development Coordinator of ITS-Educational Technology. A proposal was made to the College of Education Technology Committee for funding to purchase and install an Accordent Classroom Capture system. This system combines and synchronizes input from a video camera, microphone, and computer. The resulting video file can be streamed from UNI’s streaming server and viewed over any broadband internet service. The result is a file that students access by clicking a link from within the LMS, letting them view the same lecture as the face-to-face classes received. The instructors no longer need to duplicate their lectures, and the large PowerPoint files are no longer needed, greatly reducing the load on the LMS server.

 

In Process—Q & A

How many instructors use the Accordent system and what do they have to do to capture the
class sessions?

We have two instructors who deliver the lectures this semester, Dr. Diane Depken and Dr. Oksana Matvienko. Each lecture is delivered twice, so they alternate recording. Our system is installed in the SEC 244-245 lecture hall. We used the existing document camera and wireless microphone for the video and audio portion, and the existing computer for displaying the PowerPoint slides. The instructor has to turn the system on, launch Firefox, and click on the Accordent bookmark. They log in with a username and password, enter their name, type a title and a description in the dialog box, and click “Start Presentation”. They then conduct class just as they always have. The only thing different is that when students ask questions, the instructor needs to repeat the question in order for it to be recorded. At the end of the class session they click “Stop Presentation”, wait a few seconds for the confirmation message, and shut the system off. The recording is available for viewing immediately.

So, there is very little extra to do and nothing different from conducting the lecture without the system?

A major adjustment for most people is they have to stay behind the lectern because the document camera doesn’t allow much movement. Rick has suggested a “follow me” camera that would solve that problem, but we haven’t pursued it yet. [There are “follow me” cameras in StudioIT 1, ITTC 134 and StudioIT 2, ITTC 136. It is possible to reserve these rooms at http://www.uni.edu/its/et/studioit.]

How do the students view the recorded session?

After the system has stopped recording, it shows a link to the file. We copy that link and put it into WebCT [now called eLearning] using the Web Links tool. The presentation opens in a browser window which is very intuitive. The students can rearrange the window, pause the presentation, and skip forward and backward to view specific sections of the presentation.

Do you have to use WebCT [now called eLearning] for this?

No, but by using WebCT we can easily limit access to the files to just those students taking the class online. We use WebCT for distributing grade reports to all the students so it’s no extra effort for the students or for me.

How many students are taking the course online?

We have approximately 900 students this spring semester in four sections. Two sections, 540 students, are online except for written exams.

Have you noticed any difference in performance between those taking the class face-to-face and those taking it online?

In my estimation, on the first exam the face-to-face group typically outperforms the online group. On exams two and three, the online group outperforms the face-to-face group.

How do you account for that?

At the beginning of the semester we require all students to meet the first class meeting face-to-face for an orientation session. I explain how the class will proceed and encourage them to treat their online work just as they would if they were coming to class. In other words, view the lecture videos the day they occur, and do all the reading in a timely manner. Don’t procrastinate, or it will build up and be very difficult to catch up. After the first exam, that advice means a lot more to them! We do have a few students who ask to change to attending the class sessions instead of doing it online, and we allow that. It doesn’t work for everyone, but most of the students have taken other online courses and understand how they work.

Have there been any unanticipated benefits or pitfalls to using this system?

One important benefit has been for students in the National Guard who were called to duty after the semester began. They can view all the lectures online from anywhere they are stationed and complete the course. It’s also been beneficial for students who missed a lecture due to illness or other emergency. Another benefit has been for many international students. This capture system allows them the opportunity to view the lecture several times for clarity.

Moving Forward

It sounds like you are very receptive to trying different approaches with your classes. Any observations you’d like to share about that?

I think we do need to try to accommodate student needs. Many students now work 20 or more hours a week, and it’s hard for them to fit classes into a traditional schedule. This system helps accommodate their needs as well as the demands of families, commuting, and other activities. I’ve participated in a number of your Courseware Camps [now ICE-T] where I learned about new technologies. I also took a class from Dr. Ana Donaldson that raised my awareness of online opportunities. A tremendous amount of help like that is available at UNI. Dr. Depken and Dr. Matvienko were also both very receptive to this approach.

Thanks for taking time to visit about your use of the Accordent Classroom Capture system.

You’re welcome. I’m happy to share my experience with others.

 

Email Lea Ann at lea.shaddox@uni.edu with questions about the Accordent system. For questions related directly to this article, email the author at phil.hibbard@uni.edu

ITS-Educational Technology offers services to support faculty efforts with the Accordent Capture system. In addition to providing assistance for faculty with the capture system, ITS-ET will help you get started with other aspects of online courses, providing ongoing consultation, and instructional design services. You may email its-tnt@uni.edu or call 273-5854 with questions.

ET Newsletter, a publication of Information Technology Services - Educational Technology, is distributed each semester to faculty at The University of Northern Iowa. The purpose of this newsletter is to provide information on how technology can be used to enhance the educational experience at UNI.

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Last Modified March 13, 2009