Mediasite Provides a New Way to Learn at Northwestern
Posted on Aug. 20, 2008
If you just can’t get enough of your classes at Northwestern, don’t fret; check out the new Mediasite system that the University has invested in. Mediasite is a presentation capture system that provides an easy, reliable way to record presentations or class lectures, including any PowerPoint that accompanies it. The presentations then get archived and can be viewed by students on demand via computer or iPod.
This system is extremely beneficial to students. Now they can attend class and listen to the lecture, simply letting the information soak in – no scrambling to write copious notes because they can go back and re-attend the lecture online at their leisure; rewinding, fast-forwarding and pausing when needed. They can also print out the PowerPoint slides and view videos that were shown in class.
Northwestern is committed to keeping up to date on student learning styles. According to Charles Sawyer, DC, senior vice president and provost, “Students today need to be taught differently than students 20 years ago. We need to keep up with them. One way to go about that is by providing them with an online resource for learning.”
“I find Mediasite very useful,” explains Jamie Cortese, a T6 chiropractic student. “I use it to access the lectures and make sure that I got all the information; let’s be honest, there are times when your mind wanders and you miss a part of a lecture. With Mediasite I am able to hold myself more accountable. I also like to use it to review lectures before tests. It’s nice to know that our teachers really want us to succeed and are willing to do everything they can to help us.”
Many other schools think that this view on education will lead to students skipping class, believing that they can just watch the lecture online rather than participating in the classroom experience. However, this is not really the case. According to Dr. Sawyer, “National studies are showing that the web-based systems are actually increasing classroom attendance.”
Dr. Sawyer believes one reason for this may be that students feel more relaxed about going to class, knowing that they can enjoy the information they are receiving and participate in discussion without worrying about missing something due to taking notes. Another reason might be that most professors have attendance policies, so regardless of the professor choosing to post their lectures online or not, students still have to attend class.
“Of course there are things that Mediasite cannot do,” notes Dr. Sawyer. “For example, watching a lecture online does not allow for student-professor or student-student interaction.” The program also does not allow for hands-on lab work to be completed and it does not replace going to class. It is not an online course; it only enhances learning electronically. According to Dr. Sawyer, Mediasite is a great way to review for an exam or to better prepare yourself for the next class by reviewing the previous one.
For those of you who are not technically savvy, don’t worry. As long as you have a fast internet connection and know the basic functions of the Northwestern website, you are able to use this resource. The links for Mediasite presentations can be found at http://moodle.nwhealth.edu/, in the course folder of the professor who uses the system. It really is as easy as that.
What is the technology behind Mediasite? A mini-DV camera is hooked up to the Mediasite capture card device which is connected to a computer or laptop in the classroom. Another capture card is set up to capture the PowerPoint slides. The information is coded, and within minutes of the lecture being completed, the lecture is ready to deploy to Windows Media Player. Macintosh computers need some additional set up installations for the lectures to run, but PCs do not.
Another thing that makes Mediasite so easy is that no editing is needed after the lecture is recorded, even though it has editing capabilities. It presents a live, high quality presentation, and even has the potential to provide a live stream with only about a 40 second delay. “I’ve watched many Mediasite lectures from other schools,” says Dr. Sawyer. “I’ve seen professors shuffling papers, writing on overhead projectors and answering student’s questions. I’ve even seen a professor spill his coffee. But that’s the beauty of it. It is a live feed that makes the viewer feel like they are actually in the classroom. I changed from being a senior vice president and provost to being a student over the course of a 45-minute lecture.”
Other universities have used this program and other similar programs to deliver State of the University addresses, to post commencement ceremonies, and to deliver pitches for fundraising opportunities. For example, the University of Wisconsin La Crosse in La Crosse, Wisc., has used Mediasite to fundraise for a new football stadium. They show live streams of the old stadium and can show presentations of plans for the new stadium. Basically, it provides a new visual to potential donors.
Northwestern intends to use Mediasite for multiple purposes as well, such as: continuing education, admissions, development, clinic tutorials and fundraising.
Many professors at Northwestern are already giving Mediasite a try. Among the pioneers are Donald Eggebrecht, BA, DC, DABCO, professor in Northwesten College of Chiropractic; Norman Horns, MD, BCACP, associate professor in Northwestern College of Chiropractic; Anita Manne, BS, DC, DACBR, professor in Northwestern College of Chiropractic; and John Pirog, LAc, MSOM, NCCAOM, professor in The Minnesota College of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine.
“Mediasite has several benefits, and I think the benefits outweigh the disadvantages,” says Dr. Manne. “It gives students an alternative way to learn; gives them added flexibility; it is a great review tool; and helps students to make up classes that they were unable to attend.” If more professors are looking to electronically enhance the education of their students, they just need to contact Greg Steinke, instructional media specialist at Northwestern, at extension 110. “Greg deserves prominent thanks, and I owe him a debt of gratitude – he has always been there to help with using Mediasite. He makes the process easy for professors,” adds Dr. Manne.
Steinke carries most of the load when it comes to getting Mediasite ready to go for a lecture. “I will set it up in the classroom, teach the professor how to record their lectures, and will upload the lecture onto the server after the class is finished. Then I will send the professor the link so that they can cut and paste it onto their Moodle account, or simply e-mail it to their students,” says Steinke. Basically, the instructor only needs to know how to hit a record button, and the rest is up to Steinke. Because the presentation link will only be on Moodle, or e-mailed to the class, professors don’t need to worry about their lectures going out to the public.
Mediasite is an exciting technology that gives students the opportunity to learn anytime, anywhere. With student lives as busy as they are today, Northwestern has found a way to keep up with their students, and to create a learning environment that is technologically on par with their students. According to Dr. Sawyer, “Mediasite will enrich the educational experience our students receive.”