Sound and Video
How can I use audio or video for teaching?
There are many ways to use sound and video in teaching including:
- video recording of lectures
- recording my own video
- recording a sound-track to go with PowerPoint slides
- audio recording of seminar discussions or debates
- using recordings of students' voices for language teaching, phonetics etc.
- recording student presentations
- recording interviews
- recording scenarios for case-study work
- students making their own recordings of video or audio materials (e.g. interviews, reflections, field work, lab work, performances, presentations)
What technologies should I use
The technologies used for recording depend upon the context and scale of the event you wish to record (large lecture or one-to-one interview). For large scale recordings in which quality is key you will need to use UCL's dedicated equipment and facilities - for instance the new in-situ lecture recording facilities, or Media Services' peripatetic recording service (chargeable). For smaller scale recordings you might wish to use a decent radio-mike or camcorder, or you may be able to manage with an inexpensive MP3 recorder or Flip Video. For advice on the options please talk to the Learning Technology Support Service.
A good point to bear in mind is that users are generally far more forgiving of poor quality video that poor quality audio.
How can I make the recordings available?
If you have recorded (audio or video) materials which you want to share with students or others you will need to consider how to make them available. The principal alternatives are to make them available for download - perhaps as a podcast or as a file - for your audience to listen to or watch offline (i.e. without the need for an internet connection), or 'streamed', for watching online only. UCL has a project underway to allow staff to convert their audio or video recordings into either or both format for delivery.
- Downloadable content is high quality and comparatively large in size. It enables a user to watch the content at any time on a computer or media player (e.g. an iPod) without being connected to the internet. Download content may be broken into chapters, but offers no controlled environment to add additional functionality. Only basic activity monitoring can take place e.g. who downloaded and when.Once content has been downloaded it is outside the control of UCL.
- Streamed content is intended to be viewable online and cannot be easily downloaded and watched off-line. It is of a lower quality visually than download and normally a smaller viewing window is presented to conserve bandwidth. Streamed content is published into a controlled environment where additional functionality can be added, this functionality could include searchable content, context linking, comments/feedback tools, activity monitoring on viewed content.
Once you have decided whether to go for downloadable or streamed delivery (or both) you can make the recordings available via iTunes U, UCL Moodle, your own or departmenal web pages, or even on a DVD or USB memory stick.
Useful links
Recording lectures
UCL on iTunes U
Audacity - software for sound recording and editing
Page last modified on 11 oct 11 18:00
