Lecture Capture is the process of recording audio, data projection, and by special request, video, during a typical class and making it available online for later review by students. This is not the same as videotaping lectures; the visual focus of the recording is the information shown through the ceiling mounted projector used during class sessions. Currently, the audio and data projection of all SMG courses are being captured. Professors can request a video camera in the classroom for special occasions, such as class presentations. Here are some samples of lectures captured using the equipment we are making available.
Send an email to the Help Desk (helpdesk@management.bu.edu) with the following information at least 2 business days prior to the class you would like captured:
Because we only have one portable capture cart to service the entire building, we cannot take requests to capture an entire semester worth of lectures on the 2nd, 3rd* and 4th floors at this time.
*Room 324 is not equipped for lecture capture capabilities.
For a one-time event or class, please send the same information as outlined above at least 2 business days prior to the event or class you would like captured.
After a lecture is captured, it is posted online within a few hours. The unique link to that lecture is then emailed to the professor who can post it to an SMGtools course site: see instructions. You can also email it to students right away. You can wait until it is time to review for exams and email it out then. You can send it only to students who had a valid reason to miss the lecture (although they can forward the link to any of the other students). It is up to you.
Several reasons: 1) You are not expected to change the attendance requirements in your syllabus. Students must still show up to earn their portion of the class participation grade. 2) No matter how loud a student shouts a question at a computer screen, it won't talk back to them. 3) Studies have shown that the absorption of information when conveyed in person is significantly more effective then when conveyed through a recorded medium. This is why we still hold classes rather than simply assign a textbook in September and then have a final exam in December.
Other than the obvious reason that they missed the lecture and need to make it up, there are several reasons why students would review a lecture at a later date. They may need to brush up on a point that they missed in the lecture, or they may not have understood a point the professor made the first time around.
The cameras are pointed at a fixed area prior to the start of the lecture and then are not moved during the lecture. If the professor moves out of the field of view during the lecture, they will not be seen on screen. We are currently investigating cameras that will automatically follow a professor as they move about in the front of the classroom.
Do you have other professional commitments that conflict with the class schedule? Currently your choices are either cancel the lecture, re-schedule it, or find a guest lecturer. Now you have a fourth option: to pre-capture the entire lecture and post it online. Optionally, professors may choose to capture supplemental material beforehand, to be posted following an in-class lecture.
