Recording Technology

      Setting up your recording

       

      Speak as a storyteller image
      Learn to improve your presentations

      UConn has made multiple recording technologies, spaces, and equipment available to faculty and staff.

      Kaltura

      Kaltura is a cloud-based media capture, storage and hosting application. This application is integrated with HuskyCT, the University’s learning management system, and provides instructors with the capability to integrate videos into their courses as well as add a quiz to the video. In addition, students can create and upload videos for homework assignments. Instructors can upload media and record their screen and/or webcam. These features allow them to:

      • Create video assignments;
      • Increase active learning through guided lessons;
      • Demonstrate concepts to help students better connect with material;
      • Jump start discussions on course topics and concepts;
      • Expand opportunities for critical thinking;
      • Introduce themselves and their course to students before classes start; and
      • Assess student learning with embedded quizzes.

      More Information

       

      PowerPoint

      Some faculty prefer to record their content directly onto PowerPoint, if they have the newest version of PowerPoint. The file type must be PPTX, rather than PPT, or the audio will not save. Instructors like having the ability to record one slide at a time. Please note that these recordings should still be loaded into Kaltura before loading into HuskyCT because voiceover PowerPoint files tend to be very large. Uploading into the MP4 from PowerPoint also allows for the addition of captions.

      PowerPoint design tips

       

      iPad recordings

      Recently more instructors have begun using an iPad to make recordings and then saving them to Kaltura.

      Recording resources

       

      Other products not supported by the university

      Many educational technology products are available to meet your teaching needs. Unfortunately, Ed Tech and ITS do not support them all. As an instructor, you are welcome to use other products if you deem them the most appropriate for your course but you will need to request a software safety review by Procurement and obtain the product, training, and support on your own. Here is an example:

      Audacity

      Audacity is a free, open-source, cross-platform audio software. It’s an easy-to-use, multi-track audio editor and recorder for multiple operating systems. The audio file can be shared in a number of ways including Kaltura.

      Recording and Editing Spaces and Equipment

      Lightboard Recording Studio

      The lightboard is one of our lecture recording tools in a recording studio that allows instructors to face the camera while also writing on a transparent surface. By using glass instead of a whiteboard or Smartboard the instructor can interact with the content in new ways. It engages and captures students’ attention with eye contact and gestures. It’s ideal for STEM fields but appropriate for any discipline.

        Lightboard image

        Camcorder/360◦ Video/VR

        Faculty can record videos using equipment from CETL. Check out this example video from Marine Sciences on our YouTube Channel (you must use Chrome or Firefox to see the video properly).

        To reserve

        Captioning and ADA Compliance

        • All University employees are responsible for ensuring the content and media they create is accessible and compliant with ADA, Section 504, and University and State policies.
        • Beginning with the premise that “bad captioning is worse than no captioning.” regardless of the captioning option selected, the faculty, as the content expert, will need to review and revise all captioning for accuracy.
        • If notified by the Center for Students with Disabilities (CSD) that a student in the course needs an accommodation, CSD will work with the faculty to get the material captioned.
        • If faculty or department would like to have material captioned, please note:
          • For most courses, captioning of materials in a password protected area (HuskyCT) if not necessary unless an accommodation is required;
          • For videos intended for just one semester, if no accommodation needed, captioning is not recommended; and
          • Course design is an iterative process so if the video will likely be revised in the next semester or two, captioning is not recommended.
        • If faculty still wish to have content captioned:
          • A free captioning option is available to all faculty in Kaltura. Faculty should be advised that this does not meeting ADA standards so it is critical that faculty review and correct the captioning;
          • Captioning is available via YouTube for videos posted on that platform;
          • Faculty can utilize ITS’ captioning service;  or
          • Faculty can contact CETL’s EdTech department for other captioning services (only for non-expedited captioning)