Classroom Recording Pilot Project

Learning and Information Technology, in collaboration with the Technical Communications Program faculty, have worked to select, implement, and pilot a classroom recording system in Harvey Hall 301. The recording system is fully integrated with the other media in the room, making operating the technology transparent. 

The recording system has been implemented in Harvey Hall room 301. It’s not mobile; it’s completely integrated with the room’s existing technology.

Why HH301?

The Registrar and the group of faculty and support staff who evaluated the tools recommended that this technology be piloted in a generally-assigned classroom so that other departments can use the system.  During the development of this pilot other programs besides the Technical Communications program expressed interest in a classroom recording system.  While there are many generally-assigned classrooms, we wanted the pilot to stay in Harvey Hall since Technical Communications was one of the driving forces behind this project.   HH301 is fairly small and offered very little other than a basic media system.  We hoped that this new technology would increase the utilization of the room. 

Both the Space Committee and the Provost approved the recommendation to use HH301 to pilot the new technology.

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Learning Technology Services was first approached by the faculty and program director of the Technical Communications program to help resolve an instructional problem.

Statement of Problem

Classes have been moved to an all-online format because there are not enough students to fill an on-campus section and a separate off-campus section. The on-campus students would prefer to meet locally. Instructors want to be able to teach the local and remote students in the same manner, at the same time and ensure that the distance students get the benefit of the same instructional materials, the in-class student questions, lecture and discussions. The instructors also needed to facilitate small groups in a different manner. Unfortunately, the use of synchronous distance education rooms was not possible because remote students are not near a facility.

Facts about courses:

• Undergraduate, graduate, on-campus and off-campus mix of students.
• Program is not likely to increase beyond 125 students.
• Program currently has 72-75 students, five to seven instructors.
• Core instructors were identified as Michael Martin, Matt Livesey, Julie Watts, Andrea Muldoon, Dan Riordan and Bruce Maylath.

After the initial consultation, LTS conducted multiple instructional design consultations to redesign two courses. LTS also researched a variety of potential technologies that would:

• meet the instructors’ requirements
• produce an accessible course for off-campus students
• be beneficial to both the on-campus students and off-campus students
• integrate with existing systems on campus
• be easy to use for the faculty
• be affordable
• re-create the in-classroom experience

After identifying potential solutions, faculty and staff gathered to evaluate demonstrations from several vendors.

There are many costs associated with any technology: licensing, servers, peripherals, staff time, etc. The selected product was the least expensive of the three vendors.

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To register to use the room, email your course titles or codes to the registrar, Jeff Kirschling, and carbon copy (cc) Nicholle Stone on your email. Jeff will do his best to schedule your selected courses into HH301.

The following people are trained to help you with this system:

• Jim Guenther – x2625
• Nicholle Stone – x5320
• Steve Blanas – x4041
• Matt Swenson – x4041

If you have any questions, comments, or best practices about the use of the system, please let us know! An online discussion forum for this pilot is available at: http://www2.uwstout.edu/lts/forum/forum_topics.asp?FID=1&PN=1  (You must register to use the discussion board.)