Lecture recording

Lecture recording refers to the process of recording and archiving the content of a lecture, conference, or seminar.^[1] It consists of hardware and software components that work in synergy to record audio and visual components of the lecture.

Hardware

Hardware is used to capture the lecturer's voice along with the video of the lecturer. Sometimes, the lecturer may use visual aids to support their speech, such as slide shows, which are presented to the public with some kind of projector; in this case such slide shows can also be recorded. Once captured, the data is then either stored directly on the capture hardware or sent to a server over a LAN or the Internet. After some processing to adapt the video formats to the desired distribution mechanism, codecs, etc., viewers are then able to remotely access the recording, either in real time or ex post facto.
The recording of a lecture or presentation may use any combination of the following tools:

• Microphone
• Camera
• Screen capture
• Presentation capture
• Document camera

Software

Software is used both on the capture hardware, the viewer's computer,^[2] and the production server. Software ranges from simple web browsers and video players to stand-alone software programs made specifically for viewing lectures.^[3][4] The viewer's as well as the presenter's software must be compatible with the software on the server which receives the content from the capture hardware, produces it, and sends it to the viewer's computer on-demand.^[5]

Modern lecture recording software supports advanced features such as indexing through OCR, instant search, real-time video editing and annotation, along with other advanced features.^[6]

Uses

• Education^[7]
  • Traditional Classroom Replacement - Some institutions may use lecture recording as a means to replace the traditional classroom with an online classroom.
  • Supplemental Educational Resource - Some institutions may use lecture recording to create reference material as a means to supplement the in-class lectures.
• Non-Traditional Uses Outside the Classroom^[8]
  • Advertising - Allows for sales and marketing department heads to disseminate information to staff as well as department staff using the technology as a means of reaching their customers.
  • Collaboration - Meetings and conferences can be recorded for future reference, dissemination to those not in attendance, and archival.
  • Training - New employees, students, and others could be trained using recorded trainings

Pros

Provides:^[9]

• ...compliance with Section 508 for students with disabilities.
• ...autonomous education by allowing a student to replay missed lectures or simply as a studying tool virtually anytime, anywhere.
• ...students with the ability to learn at their own pace.
• ...instructors/trainers with more powerful options to capture and engage their intended audience.
• ...a means to elevate an organization's status by offering a non-traditional classroom environment and operating at the forefront of educational technology.

Cons

• Security - Security issues could include deciding who is responsible for housing the lectures, who may be allowed access to the lectures, and for how long that access may remain available.^[7]
• Copyright Law - Copyright law originally dictated that copyrighted material could be used for instructional purposes at nonprofit educational institutions but only for face-to-face teaching.^[10] However, with the addition of the TEACH Act, this fair use applies to digital lectures as well.^[11]
• Classroom Attendance - One major issue facing professors, instructors, and educational institutions at-large is the possibility of classroom attendance plummeting with the advent of lecture recording. Studies show an overwhelming number of students believe the recorded lectures, when used in environments where traditional face-to-face learning is practiced, is not used as a replacement. Students believed the notes taken during class could not be replaced with a recorded lecture but rather the recorded lecture was used for areas of the lecture that needed reiteration.^[12][13]

Research

Lecture captures are becoming increasingly popular especially with advent and rapid growth of MOOC sites. However, not much research has been done to provide guidelines for recording and presentation of lectures which would be useful for learning.

REC:all (Recording and Augmenting Lectures for Learning) is transnational learning technology project supported by the European Commission under the Life Long Learning Programme, it aims to explore new ways in which lecture capture can become more pedagogically valuable and engaging, and is investigating a variety of learning design, technical and legal issues.

References