using streaming media for online user training in it john fritz bill shewbridge university of...
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Using Streaming Media for Online User Training in IT
John Fritz
Bill ShewbridgeUniversity of Maryland, Baltimore County
EDUCAUSE, October 2, 2002
Copyright John Fritz & William Shewbridge, 2002. This work is the intellectual property of the authors. Permission is granted for this material to be shared for non-commercial, educational purposes, provided that this copyright
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Overview
• UMBC Background
• Basics of the Production Process
• UMBC Examples
• Lessons Learned
• Presentation And Contact Information
Institutional Drivers for Using Technology at UMBC
• Faculty
- About 75 percent of our faculty are comfortable with basic technology (email/web) and exploring various stages of how technology can be used to improve learning.
• Assured Access to Computing Initiative (launched fall 2001)
- Focuses on providing all students with access to technology
- Student expectations: they are beginning to expect courses to utilize technology.
• Institutional Support
- OIT and Faculty Development Center provide joint faculty training sessions, brown bag workshops, and Teaching, Learning and Technology “minigrants.”
Classifying Technology Usage• Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL)
- Technology augments in-class learning with the focus on providing course information and additional online resources.This represents the bulk of our current faculty usage
• Online Courses- Technology provides the means of running the course and a full
complement of course information.
• Hybrid Courses- Course meets in-class and online. In-class sessions are reduced
and the class meets online for discussions, group work and assessment.
Fall 2002 Instructional Technology Activities
• Blackboard (Launched in spring 2000)- 300 courses per semester; more than 10,000 distinct student
users- More than 50 organizations (e.g., faculty and staff senates,
PeopleSoft implementation team, Honors College)• Computer Classrooms
- 84 courses using technology enabled classrooms- Reached saturation 3 years ago and have worked with Physics,
GES and English to create departmental facilities.- New IT Engineering & Public Policy Bldgs. Will create 10
more departmental labs and 4 new lecture halls.• Faculty Developed Course Web Pages
- Usage is predominantly in the sciences
Why Online IT Training?
• Support crunch necessitated a more scalable approach
• Video on demand is more flexible by the end user
• Availability of a robust, broadband infrastructure (e.g., IPTV, Internet2)
• We could train users on UMBC specific IT issues they couldn’t find elsewhere:- Publishing web pages @ UMBC
- Using the campus portal myUMBC
- Creating and managing your user account
Initial Approach
• Broadband Video for Training- MPEG1 and IPTV- Example:
PowerPoint in the Classroom
ResNet Installation
Lessons Learned and Refocus
• Limits of MPEG for screen capture- FINWeb MPEG- FINWeb Screen Captures
• Recognition that multiple solutions are needed
• Criteria for media selection- Quality of delivery- User Accessibility- Production Issues
Streaming at UMBC
• IPTV Mapping the Patapsco (MPEG)
• Screen Capture (FINWeb)
• QuickTime w/ PowerPoint
Production Process Basics• Pre-production
- Content development- Organization of material and
resources- Multimedia integration issues
• Production- Acquisition
CamerasFormatsAudio
- Graphics
Post-production- Editing
- Multimedia Integration
- Distribution
- Evaluation
Usability
Method Quality of Delivery
User Accessibility
Production Issues
Live Face-to-Face Training
Great Does Not Scale
Class prep
Broadband (IPTV)
VHS-Quality High bandwidth and client
Can accommodate high-end production values
Narrowband (Real)
Marginal Accessible by most
Lower quality image, bad for lots of movement
Method Quality of Delivery
User Accessibility
Production Issues
Screen Capture
Excellent for Screens - Bad for Motion
Requires Plugin with appropriate CODEC
Real-time Acquisition
Slide Shows Great resolution - can be combined with Streaming Video
Requires ubiquitous Plugin
Can require extensive postproduction
Audio Only High quality possible
Accessible by most
Minimal resources and expertise
Method Quality of Delivery
User Accessibility
Production Issues
Web Sites Broad range of options, generally static
Easy access Design issues, variable production expertise
Video Tape Great for full motion, weak on high resolution
Requires a tape deck
Full range of video production possible
CD-ROM Can integrate variety of media. Bandwidth less of an issue.
CD must be distributed to user
Extensive resources and skills needed
Summary
• Online presentations are not a universal substitution for face-to-face training. They can however be an effective supplement.
• Learning computer applications means looking at computer screens, but doing so through online video is difficult.
• Producing “compelling” content requires more time and planning than one might think.
• It takes time to change user expectations and support culture. If we can’t meet everyone’s needs, how can they adapt so they can meet their own?
Contact
www.umbc.edu/oit/newmedia/present/