Example of a pre-recorded video lecture by Dr. Samson in HIST 2P01

Your entire lecture does not need to be a video. Research shows that videos less than 10 minutes are ideal (Guo, Kim, & Rubin, 2014). See the section on using Lessons on how you can incorporate static text and images to provide context to short lectures or “lecture-ettes”.

To prerecord video on a local computer for distribution online via the LMS or other platforms, instructors may wish to use one of the following asynchronous video solutions:

• Universal Capture
  • You can use Universal Capture to record your screen to capture any content you would like to share. The following are some suggested steps to creating video with Universal Capture:
    1. If you’re using Sakai to support your teaching, enable the Videos tool
    2. Download and install the Universal Capture application
    3. Create video with the Universal Capture application
    4. Share video with students
• Echo360 Video Streaming
  • Echo360 is our campus-wide video streaming platform. It will take audio and video in nearly every format (such as from Universal Capture above), embeds content in the LMS (and other places online), generates an automatic transcript, and returns robust statistics for video usage to instructors. It also has student response functionality for asking questions and polling students within a video. Visit Share video with students for information about recording with Echo360.
• PowerPoint
  • Microsoft PowerPoint has built-in audio and timing recording functionality which allows instructors to narrate their own power points. Instructors can use the same slides they already use, record audio, and then distribute their slides with audio narration included to students via the LMS or other platforms. See office.com for detailed instructions.

To conduct class meetings with small groups of undergraduate/graduate students or to hold office hours, instructors may wish to use one of the following video conferencing solutions:

• Small to Medium Classes (Up to 300 users) – Microsoft Teams Meetings
  

• Microsoft Teams is a 1 on 1 and group-based communication platform for both text and rich media communication. It can support up to 300 concurrent users per meeting. Its online video features (including video meetings and recording) are outlined at office.com.
• We have compiled documentation to assist on our Sakai Help Wiki. Topics include managing members, scheduling Teams meetings, sharing your screen, and recording your meetings.
• Microsoft has created a quick start tip-sheet for educators: Teams Quick Start and an online learning series in collaboration with Bow Valley College in Calgary at: Unleashing Collaborative Learning in Flexible Environments with Microsoft Teams
• ITS also has documentation about the usage of MS Teams on their Sharepoint site
• If you’d like an automatically provisioned Team site with your student class roster please see our documentation at: https://docu.brocku.ca/sakai/index.php/Create_a_Team
• Large Classes (Greater than 300 users) –  LifeSize
  • LifeSize is a secured campus-wide solution for video conferencing you can use for 1 on 1 meetings, office hours, or large online lecture delivery Information Technology Services websites. It can support up to 1000 users per meeting.
• Very Large Classes (Greater than 1000 users) – Microsoft Teams Live Events
  • MS Live Events is a platform for offering synchronous sessions to very large groups of users. It can support multiple video+audio streams as well as chat and interactive functionality. It requires more coordination and setup than an MS Teams Meeting. Members of the teaching team other than the instructor (ie. course coordinator or TAs) will be required to help run and moderate a live event. We encourage you to reach out to us at cpi@brocku.ca well in advance of using the live events functionality to go over it’s usage.
  • An overview of the functionality can be found at: What are Microsoft Teams live events?
  • Information Technology Services covers some functionality of the live events platform at: Teams Training – Live Events

Depending on the type of assessment, it may be possible to keep the existing format in place with small tweaks to have students submit online.

For a paper-based assignment, you may be able to use the Isaak-Sakai Assignments tool to have student submit online instead of on paper: https://docu.brocku.ca/sakai/index.php/Add_an_Assignment

For face-to-face presentation-based assignment, you may be able to use the Isaak-Sakai Videos tool to have students create online videos instead of seminars:

• for instructors: Add a Video Assignment
• for students: Submit a Video Assignment

Check out our guide for Creating Accessible Classroom Resources for more information

• More information about creating an online quiz – https://kumu.brocku.ca/sakai/Tests_and_Quizzes

Forums can be a good way to engage in meaningful discussions either in text, audio, or video. They can be useful for frequently asked questions or topic-based conversations. The forums tool in Sakai is group aware and can be set up for small group discussions.

• More information about facilitating an online discussion – https://kumu.brocku.ca/sakai/Forums
• Editable Resource for Teaching Assistants to facilitate discussions

If you would like to see an example of an online course using Lessons, CPI has a “joinable Sakai site” open for all in the Brock community.

To join the site, login to Sakai:

1. Click on Home
2. Click on Membership
3. Click on the Joinable Sites tab
4. Enter the keyword online into the Search
5. Locate the Creating an Online Course and click Join