In an era where technology is transforming the way we live and work, the realm of video capture is no exception. Today, HuddleCamHD is offering two different auto-tracking cameras, that can not only record what’s happening but also intelligently follow the action. These auto-tracking cameras have become increasingly popular in many applications, from distance learning to lecture capture, live events, and educational settings. But not all auto-tracking cameras are created equal. The latest evolution in this field is the emergence of dual-sensor systems. These cameras offer a host of new features and capabilities that set them apart from their single-sensor counterparts. But what exactly are these differences, and what do they mean for users? In this blog post, we will explore single-sensor and dual sensor auto-tracking cameras, delving into their unique features, benefits, and ideal use cases.

Pictured above is the single-sensor SimplTrack Lite and the dual-sensor SimplTrack 2.

What is a dual-sensor auto-tracking camera?

You might ask yourself what a dual-sensor auto-tracking camera actually is, given that every camera must have at least one sensor in order to produce video. A dual-sensor camera has two cameras built into one intelligent system. A dual-sensor camera can perform intelligent tasks that automate the process of camera operation in ways that a single-sensor camera cannot. In most cases, one camera sensor is used to provide a wide-angle view of the area which provides intelligence to an optical zoom camera lens which can be steered based on what is happening in the room. Single-sensor cameras can perform auto-tracking capabilities but do not feature the ability to survey the entire room and make adjustments as necessary.

Feature comparison

Feature	Single Sensor	Dual Sensor
Smart Tracking	Yes	Yes
Group Tracking	Yes	Yes, superior
Zone Tracking	No	Yes
Selected Tracking	Yes	Yes, superior
Smart Blackboard Zones	No	Yes
Wide Angle Room View	No	Yes
Dynamic Framing	No	Yes

In the world of auto-tracking cameras, there’s been a lot of discussion about single-sensor versus dual-sensor systems. Both types of cameras have their strengths and offer a range of features that can enhance video capture in various settings. To better understand these two systems, let’s take a closer look at their key features:

Smart Tracking: This feature, present in both single and dual-sensor cameras, allows the camera to lock in on a single subject. Whether you’re recording a solo speaker at a conference or tracking a wildlife subject, this ability to maintain focus on one individual is critical.

Group Tracking: Both camera types also offer group tracking, but the dual-sensor camera has an edge. With its wide-angle lens, the dual-sensor camera is better equipped to frame a group of people, making it ideal for capturing classroom interactions or team sports.

Zone Tracking: This is where the dual-sensor camera really starts to shine. Unlike single-sensor cameras, the dual-sensor system has the ability to handle auto-tracking within specific zones of interest. This means it can focus on a particular area – like a stage at a concert or a designated area in a classroom – offering more flexibility in diverse filming environments.

Selected Tracking: While both camera types can identify all people in frame and select a target to track, the dual sensor camera performs superiorly. Its wide-angle lens provides a better overview of all people in the frame, making it easier to select the right target.

Smart Blackboard Zones: This is a feature unique to dual-sensor cameras, enabling them to properly frame a blackboard writing area. This is particularly useful in an educational setting, where remote students need to clearly see what’s being written on the board.

Wide Angle Room View: Another advantage of the dual sensor camera is its ability to capture a wide-angle view along with the optical zoom view. This provides a broader perspective of the scene, which can be especially valuable in large spaces like lecture halls or auditoriums.

Dynamic Framing: Lastly, the dual-sensor camera offers dynamic framing. When a lecturer interacts with students, for example, the camera can automatically widen its frame to include the interaction. This creates a more engaging and inclusive viewing experience for remote learners.

What are the use cases?

Use Cases	Single Sensor Strengths	Dual Sensor Strengths
Education	Effective at tracking a single lecturer	Superior at capturing the lecturer and the whole classroom view. Zone tracking can focus on areas where the lecturer frequently moves to.
Conference	Can effectively track the speaker	Can capture both the speaker and the audience, providing a more immersive view for remote attendees.
Sports	Can effectively track a single player	Can provide a comprehensive view of the entire field, while also focusing on specific players or a group
Live Performances	Can follow a main performer effectively	Can capture the entire stage while also focusing on individual performers, enhancing the viewing experience

Auto-tracking cameras are revolutionizing the way we capture and experience events, from classroom lectures to live performances. But depending on the situation, a single-sensor or dual-sensor camera might be more effective. Let’s break down some common use cases to see where each camera type excels:

Lecture Capture: When it comes to capturing a single lecturer, single-sensor cameras are quite effective. They can track the lecturer as they move around the room, keeping them in focus. However, dual-sensor cameras offer a superior viewing experience. Not only can they capture the lecturer, but they also provide a comprehensive view of the entire classroom. Their zone tracking feature can focus on areas where the lecturer frequently moves, ensuring that all important visual information is captured.

Conferences: In a conference setting, single-sensor cameras can effectively track the speaker, maintaining focus on them throughout their presentation. But again, dual-sensor cameras offer an enhanced experience. They can capture both the speaker and the audience, providing a more immersive view for remote attendees. This can help recreate the feeling of being in the conference room, even for those who couldn’t attend in person.

Sports: In a sports context, single-sensor cameras can effectively track a single player, keeping them in focus during the game. Dual-sensor cameras, on the other hand, can provide a comprehensive view of the entire field. They can also focus on specific players or groups of players, offering a more dynamic and engaging viewing experience.

Live Performances: For live performances, a single-sensor camera can effectively follow the main performer. But a dual-sensor camera can enhance the viewing experience by capturing the entire stage while also focusing on individual performers. This can provide viewers with a more complete understanding of the performance, including both the main action and the broader context.

In conclusion, while single-sensor cameras offer effective tracking capabilities, dual-sensor cameras provide superior flexibility and performance in a wide range of situations. Whether it’s tracking a specific zone, framing a group of people, or automatically adjusting the frame based on the scene, the dual-sensor camera excels. So, when making your decision between single and dual sensor systems, consider your specific filming needs and the features that will most enhance your viewers’ experience.

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On the first Friday of each month, my team and I host a live-streamed technology show to educate our viewers, while highlighting some of the interesting integrations we’ve been working on for our customers. Recently, we worked with our friends at Epiphan to showcase the Epiphan Pearl Nano, a video hardware encoder that integrates nicely with our HuddleCamHD SimplTrack2 auto-tracking camera. These two products provide valuable, easy-to-implement solutions for schools of all sizes.

Simple Solutions for Education

Today, as K-12 and higher education institutions throughout the world continue to rely on hybrid learning environments, this duo provides a simple, effective yet strong solution. For educators and hosts of live, virtual events, automation is possibly one of the most appealing selling points. These two products provide users with the ability to professionally live stream, record, schedule and deliver content. For hybrid events that will likely be here for the foreseeable future, these solutions will remain integral for production teams.

Let’s break down both and their ease of use for a variety of scenarios.

HuddleCamHD SimplTrack2

Designed to simplify lecture capture, town hall meetings, conference recordings or worship streaming, the SimplTrack2 is the most advanced and reliable auto-tracking camera on the market. SimplTrack2 is a pan, tilt, and zoom USB camera that provides robotic auto-tracking of a presenting subject. We know that solutions for the education market need to be simple, and this solution provides that simplicity. No camera operator is required for the SimplTack2 to track and follow a presenter from up to 55 feet away.

The SimplTrack2 uses 3G-SDI or IP streaming for crystal clear video. Equipped with 20X optical zoom, the camera was designed to reliably track subjects at distances up to 55 feet away. The SimplTrack2’s set-and-forget programming allows users to place and configure the camera once, and thereafter completely automates camera control. Users can easily set up zones that they don’t want the camera to track, such as entryways, televisions, or other areas where distracting motion occurs.

Offered at $2,999, the HuddleCamHD SimplTrack2 comes with a one-year warranty, an IR Remote, USB 3.0 cable, RS232 control cable, power supply and User Manual.

Epiphan Pearl Nano

The Epiphan Pearl Nano is a full HD encoder with professional audio support via dual XLR, RCA, and USB inputs. The Epiphan Pearl Nano, offered at $1,495, is the most compact of the Pearl family, providing:

• Professional video and audio inputs (HMDI, SDI) and (XLR, embedded audio)
• A two-inch touch screen on the device to use for confidence monitoring
• Flexible storage options for recording (SD slot: storage)
• Power over PoE Plus (power over Ethernet)

Record and stream with the Pearl Nano, while scheduling lecture capture through popular lecture capture systems, Panopto or Kaltura. This creates a nearly automated experience. Once configured, commands can be triggered, making it an easy set-and-forget solution. This provides professors with the best capabilities to deliver their lectures to either in-class or remote students.

To learn more about live streaming and recording classes, sign up for SimplTrack2 demo here.

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In this video, we are going to set up an Epiphan Pearl Nano with a HuddleCamHD SimplTrack2 camera to show it can be used as a lecture capture solution. The Epiphan Pearl is the ideal lecture capture recording device that can be easily integrated into popular learning management systems such as Panopto and Kaltura. The HuddleCamHD SimplTrack2 is an auto-tracking camera that can automatically follow a presenter from up to 55’ away when installed in a classroom. By using the Pearl Nano with the SimplTrack2 we can schedule lecture recordings directly through Panopto or Kaltura while also recording and streaming with the Pearl Nano whenever a lecture is being given. We will also use the Pearl Nano to create a few different layouts to show presentations and camera video together.

To get started, we will plug in the Epiphan Pearl Nano to power. For today’s demo we will use the ethernet port, allowing us to power the Epiphan Pearl Nano over PoE (using our PoE+ networking equipment). Next, we will make sure our SimplTrack2 camera is set up and ready to track the lecturer. To do this we already have our SimplTrack2 camera on and connected to the network. Using the HuddleCamHD SimplTrack2 software we can check in on the auto-tracking camera parameters to ensure reliable subject tracking for our video recordings. Once we have confirmed the tracking areas, and fine-tuned the cameras auto-operation parameters everything should be set for 24/4 camera operations.

Next, we will plug in our video sources to the Epiphan Pearl. Let’s start with the HDMI port to connect our presentation laptop. Next, we can connect the SDI port to the SimplTrack2’s video output connection. Because we also have an LCD monitor to show our presentation in the room, we will also connect the HDMI loop through port from the Epiphan Pearl Nano into the display. This allows the Pearl Nano to capture the HDMI for recording and streaming, while also allowing us to display the video on a local monitor.

From here, we can configure the Pearl using the IP address found on the Nano display. We can type this IP address into a web-browser to start laying out our recordings. Let’s start by checking our HDMI input. Yup, it’s working and it’s set to 1920×1080. That’s fine for this video recording. Let’s label it “Presentation PC” and move on to our SDI input. Next let’s label our SDI input “SimplTrack2”. Let’s check to make sure it’s set to 1920×1080 as well. From here, let’s configure a channel to show the auto-tracking camera next to the HDMI presentation feed. You can click Channel the open up the layout area. Here we can crop the video feed and optimize the layout, even adding a picture. You can set up this channel with a variety of layouts to make sure you are always capturing the most important content for your recorded lecturers.

Once connected to the Epiphan Pearl Nano the HuddleCamHD SimplTrack2 does not require a camera operator to follow presenters. Similarly the Epiphan Pearl Nano can easily be used with learn management software to automatically schedule recordings through the learning management system you are already using. Together we believe these solutions will create affordable and easily manageable lecture capture solutions for many organizations.

This has been a quick video showing how easy it is to set up the Epiphan Pearl Nano with the SimplTrack2. By combining the hands-off auto-tracking capabilities of the SimplTrack2 with the powerful LMS integrations of the Pearl, we believe this is a lecture capture solution many organizations will enjoy. Until next time, don’t forget to subscribe.

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Other forms of engagement that work well in the classroom include live polling and trivia. Consider using Kahoot to host interactive quizzes. Kahoot can also be used to organize your students into teams where they work together to answer questions. Polls are a great way to gather information about what your students know and what they do not know, before and after an online meeting. Consider sending Kahoot polls to your class a few hours prior to your next online meeting and use the results to improve your lesson planning and teaching.

Ask students to share their perspectives with the rest of the class. When you ask students to share their thoughts you serve as a moderator and should consider giving every student an equal chance to participate. This process can include short or long pauses, but it’s important to offer opportunities for students to feel comfortable speaking up.

Student Equity of Voice

equity of voice

As a moderator in the online classroom, aim to achieve something called “Equity of Voice”. Equity of Voice is a concept that refers to the process of giving everyone in a meeting or classroom an equal chance to speak and participate. Consider starting an online class with a moment to engage each student. Perhaps ask each student to suggest one topic of interest or question that can be included in the day’s presentation. Equity of voice is also about listening — students learn the value of listening to others and respecting others’ opinions.

Student Equilibrium of Voice

equilibrium of voice

Another way to look at managing online classroom engagement is called “Equilibrium of Voice”. Teachers can embrace Equilibrium of Voice to promote collaboration on projects without requiring every student to participate equally. Equilibrium of Voice is a communication strategy that attempts to maximize online classroom performance based on goals set by an established agenda. A class with ideal equilibrium of voice optimizes the most relevant speakers in a group based on the established agenda and the participants’ roles in the overall group. An example of this might bet student presentations where a small group of students makes a presentation to peers.

Equity of Voice is ideal for team collaboration during brainstorming sessions in class. During the early stages of class projects, it’s important for everyone to be heard during crucial team-building exercises. It’s also important to give students the feeling of being part of the overall class by being listened to and respected. Once your class reaches more in-depth topics of interest, subsequent meetings will benefit from an equilibrium of voice where students respect the importance of taking turns within collaboration projects. Equilibrium of Voice is a tool that offers subject matter experts additional focus based on the agreed-upon agenda.

Online communication tools

VIDEO COMMUNICATION TOOLS FOR EDUCATORS

It can take time to adjust your classroom teaching style to make the most out of online communication tools. Online communication tools like Google Meet and Zoom will allow you to give students real-time advice and guidance. These platforms can be used for one-on-one sessions or group collaboration projects. Carefully consider your role as a moderator so that students can get the most out of the group experience. The teacher’s role as a “moderator” also extends to proper management of “breakout” rooms. As the teacher, you can move in-between virtual breakout sessions that you set up outside of the main Zoom meeting, for example. It’s important to check in regularly to help students stay on track and make sure one student does not dominate conversation in the break out rooms. The benefit of breakout rooms in an educational setting is that students get more time to speak, listen, and collaborate with others. But watch out for groups that veer off course — a good reason for teachers to pop into break out rooms!

Pro Tip: When you set up Zoom breakout rooms, you will be asked if you would like to manually or randomly assign students. If you are concerned about breakout groups going off course, consider creating groups ahead of time so that you have a good mix of student personalities for collaboration. You can then prioritize which breakout groups you will visit to make sure everyone stays on track.

Key Takeaways:

1. Zoom is free for K-12 educators. Other platforms include Big Blue Button, Adobe Connect, and Google Meet. Google Meet is heavily integrated into Google Suite and Google Suite for Education.

2. Learn about video discussion tools and the types of video collaboration tools for distance learning that enable you and your students to watch videos together, chat, and create time-stamped notes. There are also features for grading and quiz-style voting. Turn quizzes and tests into games (gamify them).

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The power of touch screens in the classroom

If there is one aspect of online learning that teachers should not overlook, it is the power of touch screens and annotation tools. These two innovative technology tools combine software and hardware to influence how students engage, connect, and retain the concepts presented to them. Annotation tools can be used to support active learning in the online classroom, whiteboard sessions, and much more. Here are five reasons you should consider using a touch screen in your classroom with annotation software:

Annotation Tools

Pictured: Zoom Video Conferencing annotation tools.

TOP EDUCATIONAL APPS

1. Annotation Tools Support Active Learning

When you use annotation tools, you are bolstering active learning. This is because you are allowing your students to learn as they become involved in the process. When done properly, annotations can become the tools used to demonstrate collaboration. More than one student can participate with on-screen annotations in shared workspaces using a technology term called “co-annotation.” Using co-annotation, students can collaborate as a team, brainstorm, and work through complex experiments and projects in an active, hands-on way.

A great example of active learning with annotation tools is to allow students to take turns completing problem sheets. You can create interactive worksheets using Google Draw, for example, where you leave spaces for students to answer questions. An example used in the online course is a lesson about how to use a protractor. Various angles are available for students to move a protractor on in order to measure the angle. Once students have determined the answer, they can write the answer to the areas you have prepared.

Another useful example, which is reviewed in the online course, is a drag and drop scenario. Place small .png (image files with transparent backgrounds) next to areas where students can drag and drop the correct items. You can also ask students to make small drawings inside of each box. The online course includes both Google Draw documents above that you can download and use right away.

2. Grow Critical Problem-Solving Skills

No matter what age group you teach, touch screens and annotation tools can help students develop critical skills. Annotations can be easily shared with the class to illustrate problem-solving skills. Annotations can also help bolster social-emotional learning competencies through thought and exploration exercises. Teachers can use annotations as a tool to reveal new information on top of the media. For example, teachers can use digital ink tools to annotate on top of a picture of the human body, to illustrate body parts. In this way, digital ink tools can provide context and improve students’ understanding of a subject by revealing new information on top of their existing perspectives when they see an image.

3. Improve Classroom Management

When students are engaged, collaborating, and having fun doing so, they are less likely to be distracted. Captivating your students with colorful annotation tools can improve classroom management. Overall, this equates to your class running more smoothly and becoming more manageable, both in-person and online. For example, use annotation tools to highlight daily classroom attendance by using a list of students in your class and annotating over the document. One way you could do this is by printing out a list of your students on a piece of paper and showing the paper on video with a document camera. You can also do this in a 100% digital fashion by sharing your screen to show a list of students and using digital annotation tools to highlight each student whois present.

Pro Tip: Consider customizing the attendance experience by drawing funny icons or notes to demonstrate how well you know each student in your class.

4. Offer More Diversified Learning Opportunities

Annotation tools also open the door to additional opportunities and learning methods for your students. As you probably already know, no two kids learn the same way. For example, kinesthetic learners want to get up and move around more as they interact with a touch screen. Multimedia will attract those who are visual or auditory learners. And for those who learn more effectively by reading, you can capture your lessons using the video recording tools discussed in this book to display on screen notes with a document camera, and distribute them for review before or after a class.

5. Co-annotation Makes Learning More Fun

Online learning can be challenging for students for a variety of reasons. But by developing engaging content and using co-annotation, teachers can make learning more fun and immersive. Using co-annotation tools, students can easily interact with their peers on a more frequent basis to improve learning and social skills. Students can collaborate, problem-solve as a team, and motivate each other.

Conclusion

Take advantage of all the resources at your disposal to ensure a successful curriculum. Incorporate annotation tools and touch screens in your online courses and see how they transform your online classroom and students’ learning.

Key Takeaways:

1. Touchscreens and annotation features will help make your teaching more interactive and learning more fun for students.

2. Use annotation tools not only to highlight your lessons, but demonstrate how well you know each student.

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Mobile phones in the classroom have always been a controversial topic. Some teachers worry about the potential for student distraction, while others have decided to use them because they offer some positive learning benefits. The reality is that students, especially those ages 12-18, use smartphones on a daily basis. For most, smartphones are their device of choice, and nearly all 95% of all teens have them (Pew Research, 2018). Because this device is so commonplace, it makes sense to leverage its benefits.

From a distance learning perspective, a smartphone is a tool that can be used for research, as a mobile diary, a voice recorder, for making videos, and much more. As a modern educator, you need to learn how to promote the educational uses of smartphones in a constructive way that supports learning.

Here are four simple ways to facilitate the educational use of smartphones:

Mobile Phone Diary

#1 Mobile Diary

Think about it, how many times have you had a great idea in the classroom, only to forget about it later because you didn’t write it down? With a smartphone, you can eliminate that from happening ever again. Encourage students to use their smartphones as mobile diaries. The benefits of journaling and recording observations, thoughts, and feelings, are well-documented. As an educational tool, keeping a mobile diary can help students improve their writing, problem-solving skills, increase self-awareness and motivation, and reduce stress.

Help your students learn how to create various types of journals. Perhaps your course would benefit from a motivation journal, or a gratitude journal, a subject matter-specific journal, a success journal used to document successes or a free-form journal. You can encourage students to type directly into their smartphones using the onscreen keyboard or use voice commands to jot down ideas or concepts as they journal. Journaling is a great example of a transferable skill that will help students become better learners. It can also help students assemble and convey complex emotions and ideas. Consider asking students to submit their journals, which will give you a deeper look at their thought processes and help you get to know them better.

#2 Email Usage

People who have smartphones tend to enjoy the convenience of being able to check their email with the tap of a touch screen. Notifications can be set up when new messages are available, and studies show that on average, most people check their email more than ten times a day. Email is also one of the best ways to stay in touch with parents and students. While students may prefer text messaging over email, email is a better source of professional communication. Students will eventually be expected to manage their own emails, and you can help them become better prepared for that future.

Consider sending students personalized emails as an additional “touchpoint” apart from your learning management system. You can use email to simply check in with students to make sure they are keeping up with their online learning. Use email to check in with parents to ensure they are informed about their children’s progress. In general, it’s best to send students and parents individual emails because many people do not want to “reply to all” with private information about their children. Consider using the power of a private, personalized email for most of your online communications. Use email to send messages to a large list of students or parents for announcements and celebrations.

#3 Your Learning Management System

Your learning management system (LMS) can be used with a smartphone. I have yet to find an LMS system that has not been designed to accommodate both student’s and teachers’ access with a smartphone. The Google Classroom, for example, can be easily accessed from a mobile phone.

Let parents know that their children can access the LMS l from their smartphones. You may want to encourage students to download the LMS app and enable notifications so they can stay informed about course content, access assignments, and grades.

#4 Completing Forms

Teachers have many forms, paperwork, and essential documents to complete on a regular basis. Sometimes, being able to fill out Google forms in the palm of your hand is preferred. You can gain valuable insights into your students’ progress by using online forms that students can fill out from their smartphones. You can even take forms a step further and offer online trivia and use online quiz tools such as Kahoot. Kahoot is a tool many educators use to turn forms into fun online quizzes that students can take online. This is a fun way to gamify your lessons. Perhaps you can organize students into teams and keep score of their group quiz scores. Turning learning into a game can make students more engaged with your lessons.

TOP EDUCATIONAL APPS

Smartphones as Educational Tools

Smartphones are advanced technological tools that help students learn and teachers teach and improve workflows. In the educational setting, technology can enhance the learning experience and give students the ability to engage with content in new ways. One of the most popular smartphone solutions are iOS devices — iPhones and iPads —many of which are used in online classrooms.

Historically, mobile phones have often been banned from classrooms. But when educators start to look at iOS devices as educational tools, it’s easy to uncover new learning potential.

Use It as An Educational Resource

Smartphones put the world at students’ fingertips, which can be good and a little bit frightening. Yet, this is the reality of the world we live in and educators are mentors and guides for productive uses for smartphones. When you have an iOS device on hand, you can easily research projects, connect with another classroom down the hall or contact a respected expert in a particular subject who can speak to you and the class with the power of an internet connection. WiFi connectivity has become faster and more prevalent in many schools and homes. Still, you may find that your WiFi connection is better in some locations versus others. You can instantly check your WiFi internet connection by using Google and searching for “Internet Speed Test.” Google will return the download and upload speeds for your device’s internet connection.

Educators have many tools they can use to limit potential distractions from smartphones. Ideally, educators should be able to shepherd student learning by highlighting the correct way to use smartphones for educational purposes and identifying potentially un-productive uses. For example, educators can recommend the use of purpose-built applications that limit the open world wide web to a specific set of tools and information. If students are being asked to use smartphones for research, consider recommending a specific app and demonstrating how it can be used for educational purposes. For example, if your class is learning about space, recommend that your students download the NASA app and show them how to use it. You never know when students will take learning home with them via an interesting app. Another great app that students can take home and use at night is called “Star Chart.” This app allows students to hold their phone up to the sky to reveal planets and stars that are all around the world.

Portability

Something that makes smartphones so profound is the fact that you can take them with you anywhere. From your car, to down the street, and across the town, as long as you have cellular service (or WiFi) you have a computer in your pocket. This means that you are more than capable of going out notes, or support on the go. You can even use it to capture videos of public speeches or interviews to present to your class.

Pro Tip: Try out the Google Assistant which can identify plant types, help with translations, and store notes about a variety of topics.

Use It for Language Translation

Do you have a student who speaks better in Spanish than English? If so, use the language translation applications on your device to converse with that student without language barriers getting in the way. Duolingo is a popular translation application which is free to download and supports over 30 languages. Google Translate is a great free tool as well, which works directly inside of any Chrome web-browser. You can gain more features by downloading the app onto your phone. Google Translate supports over 100 languages. Both of these apps give students the option to speak in their native language and can promote a more inclusive learning environment.

Pro Tip: Try Google Translate and see how easy it is to bridge language barriers with the conversation tool.

Collaboration Usage

Smartphone devices are filled with incredible features and offer countless applications to increase collaboration between you and your students. For example, students can use their smartphone devices to stay connected to your online learning resources with the LMS (Learning Management System) app your school uses. Students can view and engage with the content you create for online learning segments via their smartphones.

Pro Tip: Show students how easy it is to use a speech-to-text function to engage with course materials. The use of this function may lead to higher levels of engagement with your content. You can also show students how to enable text to speech (demonstrated in the online course), which \reads pages of information to students automatically.

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A document camera allows teachers to capture an area of interest and use the content for pre-recorded videos and live presentations. Document cameras magnify objects and make them easier to see on a student’s mobile phone, a projector, and any computer that’s used to display the image. Document cameras can quickly become a go-to for teachers because they are easy to use with almost any software that supports webcams. Document cameras enable teachers to show students items of interest during a discussion and are even more useful when paired with annotation tools. In short, document cameras are a great tool that bridges the gap between physical items in the classroom, and the digital world of blended learning.

For online learning, the quality of recorded video content is a priority. From writing samples to scientific specimens, maps, and more, document cameras help you bring objects into the online classroom to make topics come alive. Overall, this device is a win-win for both teachers and students. Document cameras are also incredibly versatile so that a teacher of preschool or high school, and beyond can take advantage of their benefits.

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From video recordings with talking heads, to screen captures with picture-in-picture webcams, crafting educational video content can be a time-consuming process. In this book and the online course, you will learn how to create engaging videos efficiently with a variety of media sources. In essence, you will learn how to mix multiple media sources to create visually engaging content. Video recordings can be a very valuable resource for students.

As an educator, you already understand the power of storytelling. For some, storytelling comes naturally, but for others it is a skill that takes practice. As you create videos, it’s important to remember that you are essentially telling educational stories that you want your students to connect with. Therefore, it’s important to understand the core storytelling process.

Let’s start by recognizing and understanding the hero in your story. As an educator, you are the guide who works with the hero to achieve their goal. View each video in your course as a mini-lesson or quest that is helping the hero on their journey. If you are able to position your students as the heroes of their own stories, you will be well on your way to enabling them to tell stories that they can connect with.

As a storyteller, acknowledge students as the hero of their own story. You can also reiterate your role in the story by letting students know you are here to guide them. You can do this by including short segments inside your videos reminding students of your availability to respond to comments and answer questions.

Video Recording Tools for Educators

The illustration above outlines a classic story setup that has been used in Hollywood movies and literature. This specific “Classic Story Setup” comes from a book called “Build Your StoryBrand.” As you apply this storytelling process to your online courses, you are the guide, and the students are heroes. In the beginning stages of your online course, you identify problems that students have and demonstrate your willingness and ability to help solve those problems.

Types of Media Educators should use

Too many students become disconnected from their own educational story because they do not connect with the real world problems teachers are helping them to overcome. Consider both internal and external problems that your educational course will help students solve and create a story that students will connect with. For example, if you are teaching math students in high school, tell them about the importance of managing their finances. Go into detail about all the great jobs that require math skills and the risks of being unable to handle important financial matters in their lives. Use real-world examples that students can relate to.

Next, offer your students a plan right upfront. Explain to students exactly how you are going to help them solve an important problem related to your course topic. Give students an overview of the course in its entirety, along with the resources you are providing to help them along the way. It will be easy to “Call Them To Action” because you will ask them to start learning via the online materials you have prepared for them.

Now, let’s review some essential video recording tools that will help you optimize your success with online education.

Ezvid

Ezvid is a wonderful video recording tool that is 100% free but only available for Windows. With this tool, you can easily capture and edit videos all with a single interface. You can capture everything that shows up on your computer through a screen capture feature that is perfect for Powerpoint presentations, video clips, and website browsing. It’s nice to have a tool that not only records video, but also allows you to split your recordings and add supporting audio, text, and post-production elements. You can even control the speed of the video, to turn boring video footage into a fun and fast overview, or slow-motion dramatic moment.

Blueberry Flashback Express Recorder

Though this may seem like just an everyday recorder, it is actually made to help you capture your screen during live webcam sessions. This software is also only available for Windows and the more advanced features do require payment.

Screen Recorder (Chrome Extension)

Chrome extensions are great because they do not require any download. All you need to do to use is click the “Add To Chrome” button that is available from the Google Chrome store. The Google Chrome store can be found at https://chrome.google.com/. You can search for “Screen Recorder” and start using it on any computer with Google Chrome in minutes.

Once installed, Google Chrome extensions are made available as little button next to the Google Chrome browser bar. When you click the little Screen Recorder button next to your web-browser it will simply ask you if you would like to record from your webcam or your screen. The only other option is to choose your included audio source. It’s that simple. It’s 100% free, and you can use it as much as you want.

iMovie

The iMovie app is popular with Mac users because it comes installed on most Mac computers. The app can be used to turn pictures and video clips into more cohesive video content. The application allows you to mix and match video clips into a storyline that can include text overlays, music, and backgrounds. You can import video files by simply dragging them into the iMovie project folder.

Open Broadcasting Software (OBS)

Using OBS for Video Creation

OBS is another free tool that is easy to use for video recording. OBS will become a central focus of this book because it can be used to organize multiple video clips and live video sources into a single produced video. Therefore, as an educator, you can use OBS to create and record new video content that integrates previously recorded video clips.

You can use OBS to create videos from student-submitted work, or your own videos captured with your smartphone and turn them into a larger project. In an upcoming tutorial, you will learn how to combine your webcam’s video with a document camera and a screen, capturing a presentation all at the same time. On top of that, you can play additional video clips, share photos, and much more as you record a video for your upcoming course. This process is called “live video production” and it does not require post-production. This is ideal for teachers because it’s a huge time-saver.

In comparison another popular video recording tool such as Zoom, OBS provides more control and flexibility. Zoom recordings tend to be a mix of a webcam and a picture in picture webcam. Therefore, your recordings start to look a lot like “talking heads” and less like a polished video recording. With OBS you can record “chunks” of videos and stitch them together. So for example, you may record an interview with zoom and then import that video into OBS and use it inside your larger project.

You can download OBS at OBSProject.com for Windows, Linux, or Mac. For now, familiarize yourself with the idea of creating a video in a live environment. Imagine yourself in front of your computer, with multiple video clips that you are ready to “curate” into a video experience for your students to watch. Press record, and explain the presentation to your students with your webcam source on. Then transition to some digital assets you have prepared, including a video clip from your class, some student-submitted pictures, and a worksheet that you will complete as it’s being recorded with a document camera. Each of these digital assets is switched to inside of scenes that you have set up. Assuming you have become familiar with OBS, you will be able to que up your video assets and create an engaging video for your online course faster than any post-production tools available today.

Conclusion

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The “Flipped Classroom” is a proven form of blended learning that flips the traditional educational process. For example, instead of giving students homework to complete between class meetings, teachers engage students by doing homework and blended learning activities in the online classroom. Many teachers report that they’re seeing students rewatch lectures and presentations and taking the time they need to fully digest the course content. Then, when students come to collaborative exercise sessions in the online classroom, they are more engaged because they are already familiar with the subject matter.

At the University of Southern California, the faculty prioritize pre-recording lectures via video so that they can produce the content they need to build engaging online courses like the ones you will learn how to create in this book.

In 2019, I visited the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California (USC) to find out how it’s “flipping the classroom one video at a time.” But what is the flipped classroom? And how does this concept help students learn by bringing hands-on “homework” back into the online classroom?

As you might imagine, the need for lecture capture solutions is growing fast as teachers race to create video content to supplement student learning online. As the demand for video content has increased, the University of Southern California decided to create a studio space where professors could go to have professional videos created. I interviewed Gary San Angel, a Distance Education Operations Specialist at USC, to learn more about his program designed to “Flip Classrooms, One Video at a Time.”

Outside of the studio, Gary often works with teachers in classroom and auditorium environments. Using a remotely controllable PTZOptics camera, Gary has developed a practical plan to extend the school’s capabilities for capturing lectures and increasing their “production value.” At a high level, Gary has a decent budget to work with but it’s worth noting that not all K-12 schools have access to studio spaces, or dedicated employees who can handle video production.

flipped classroom example

(Example of a college-level course. Teacher is outlining a timeline and documents included in her course.)

Gary helps teachers produce content that combines education and engagement and provides a space where they can come in to record online video content quickly and easily. It can be challenging for educators to find a natural teaching cadence when they are on camera. Adapting your educational style from the physical classroom to a digital one may require you to work within some limitations. For example, you may need to stay close to the microphone you’re using in order to be clearly heard throughout your recorded videos when you’re accustomed to walking around a classroom. But that doesn’t mean your videos have to be boring. In this book, you will learn easy ways to create engaging content on your own, without the help of video production experts. It’s important to gain familiarity with video creation technology in order to become comfortable when you capture educational content via video. Ideally, you will become comfortable enough to make and capture content that combines educational value with entertainment value — a concept known as “Edutainment.”

(Example use of chroma key technology which can make the green screen background of a teacher transparent. Using a video production software like OBS, you can create dynamic backgrounds that include whiteboarding tools.)

Pro Tip: Even if you do not have a green screen, you can create picture in picture scenes that draw student attention to specific content of interest. Consider purchasing a green screen and using the chroma-key filter in OBS to create a scene like you see above.

Finding a happy medium between education and entertainment will help you increase engagement in the online classroom. This process allows you to segue from lecture or explanation mode, to think deeply about collaborative learning in the flipped classroom.

As hybrid learning environments become more essential in modern education, a mix of synchronous and asynchronous teaching and learning tactics will be built on a foundation of compelling online educational materials. You can easily create this type of online education material with a basic working knowledge of content creation, live production, and post-production, all of which you will learn in this book and my online course.

For K-12 students, flipping the classroom can be more challenging due to budget constraints. K-12 educators will need to create content for the flipped classroom knowing their students’ short attention spans and that they can be easily distracted.

A worthwhile exercise for K-12 educators is to research what their students watch on YouTube. For example, many pre-K children enjoy videos made by a creator named Blippi. His videos are educational because he points out words and numbers throughout the content. His video-making style focuses on an engaging story where children watch an exciting story unfold.

Throughout this book and online course, you will learn simple tools and workflows that will allow you to create educational videos that your students will want to engage with. Meeting your students “where they are” and creating content that they are already used to consuming will help you connect with your students. Emulating leading video makers is a great way to skip the research and development process, and get right to what works.s.

The good news is that technology continues to become more affordable and easy to use. The following chapters in this book and the online course will walk you through using almost any webcam, smartphone, or consumer camera to capture the content you need to make professional online courses that will flip your classroom and teaching style for good. So what are we waiting for? Let’s learn how to create immersive videos so we can place your presentations where they belong – in your flipped classroom.

Key Takeaways:

1. The flipped classroom concept focuses on experiential and interactive learning and is important to understanding online teaching.

2. The flipped classroom and blended learning environment bring homework into the online classroom, and “lectures,” presentations, and talks home so that students can engage with the content at their own pace.

3. Learn how to set up the virtual classroom and strategies for content creation, live production, and the post-production process.

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Though the world has been slowly migrating to digital and online learning, COVID-19 pushed that new norm into high speed. Today, millions of children throughout grade school are partaking in school online. After all, it is the safest route for them to take while we are still in the middle of a non-cured pandemic. Now, with this online educating demand comes the need for technology-savvy educators.

Knowing how to operate your tools to its full potential and leveraging it to provoke a positive online education experience is vital to helping kids of all ages learn and thrive. If you are someone who has been prominently an in-person educator, administrator, or a beginner in general, then it’s time you take the Technology Tools for Online Education course.

Online Learning Tips for K-12

What Is the Course About?

The Technology Tools for Online Education by Paul Richards is a mastery guidance course that shows you how to dominate online educating that keeps students engaged and excited to learn. Think of it as a fundamental playbook that is filled with valuable examples, best practices, and immense insights on just how to make online learning successful for everyone involved, both students and teachers.

What do you need to get started? All you need to get started is a laptop/computer and a webcam.

What You Will Learn

Virtual classroom planning

Learn how to create content

Online learning

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