Rapid Development of Multimedia Instructional Modules

1. Rapid Development of Multimedia Instructional Modules Nanda Ganesan, Ph.D. California State University Los Angeles

2. Overview I. Brief demonstration of modules II. Survey of hardware III. Survey of software IV. Software demonstrations V. Summary

3. I. Overview Modules • Module formats • Module demonstrations

4. Module Formats • PowerPoint based lecture modules • Chalk-and-talk type of lectures • Simulate the in-class learning environment • Software simulations • Software tutorials • Video presentations • Streamed audio and others • www.ganesan.us hosted at godaddy • Active learning and learning assessment with quizzes

5. Module Demonstrations • Module 1: PowerPoint lectures • Module 2: Chalk-and-talk type of lectures • Module 3: Software simulations • Module 4: Software tutorials • Module 5: Video modules • Module 6: Streamed audio at www.ganesan.us

6. II. Hardware Survey • A powerful and appropriately configured system is the starting point • A survey was conducted to either buy or build a system • System unit • Input devices

7. II.I System Unit Consideration • Audio and video synchronization without time delay • Time required to manipulate and process recorded audio • Quality of audio • Time required to manipulate both audio and video together • Quality of audio and video produced • Support for high resolution and high color depth recording of multimedia

9. Minimum Guidelines for Processor and Memory • A Pentium 4 processor or above that operates at a clock speed of 3 GHz or higher • A total memory of at least 512 M Bytes of RAM with preference for 1 G Bytes or more of RAM

10. Minimum Guidelines for Hard Disk • A hard disk with a rotational speed of at least 7200 RPM and a speed rating of at least 100 M Bytes per Second (ATA/100) • A removable USB 2.0 hard disk with a capacity of at least 40 G Bytes

11. Minimum Guideline for Audio and Video • A video card with a memory of at least 128 M Bytes and a processor that is at least as powerful as ATI’s 9600 Graphical Processing Unit (GPU) • A stand alone audio card similar to SoundBlaster Audigy ZS that would support recording audio at a sampling rate of 44 MHz or more and at a sampling depth of 16-bits or more

12. System Units Front View

13. Systems Units Back View Stand Alone Audio and Video Cards

14. II.II Survey of Input Devices • Considered • Display based • Tablet (Pad) based • Paper based • Contemplated • Tablet PC • Digital Pen

15. Display and Tablet Based Devices • Display based devices • Inconvenient to simulate electronic whiteboard • Tablet based devices • Sketches cannot be viewed on the tablet while being sketched

16. Paper Based Products • The closest to simulating the electronic whiteboard • Products with similar functionality • Seiko InkLink • Pegasus NoteTaker • InkLink was chosen due to its wide availability for testing in retail stores and it was found to serve the purpose adequately

17. Seiko InkLink

18. InkLink Connection

19. III. Survey of Software

20. III. I Category 1: Adding Multimedia to PowerPoint

22. Category 1: Selection • For the development of simple modules • PowerPoint recording facility • http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/powerpoint/HA012303061033.aspx • For the development of more advanced modules • Ovation • Impatica

23. III.II Category 2: Software for General Purpose Screen Recording • Screen recording software with audio capabilities • Modules generated • Ease of learning and use • Low storage requirements • Support for popular recording file formats

24. Software Grouping • For the purpose of the survey, the software was grouped into two sub-categories, namely the high-end and low-end software categories

25. Category 2: General Purpose Screen Recording Software

26. High-End Software • Turn-key CD and e-learning system development • Time consuming task • Macromedia’s software packages generally dominates the market • Expensive to purchase, in general

27. Low-End Software • Mostly built around specific tasks • Recording of screen activities and narration • Designed for rapid application development • Studio versions have many other features included

28. Low-end Software • HyperCam • Microsoft Encoder • Camtasia

29. HyperCam • Shareware • Limited support • A relatively good and cheap software for recording screen activities • Advanced editing and processing features are limited • http://www.hypercam.com

30. Microsoft Encoder • Screen recording features are somewhat limited • Designed for generating streamed multimedia modules from other multimedia file formats • Distributed free of charge by Microsoft • Demonstration

31. Camtasia • A very good software for recording screen activities • Extensive set of media processing capabilities with respect to screen recording activity • Supports the creation of modules in different media formats

32. Uses for Camtasia • Recording of screen activities • Adding audio to PowerPoint presentations • Simulation of chalk-and-talk type of lectures • Creations of basic but effective software demonstrations

33. Category 2: The Choice • From the high-end software category • None • From the low-end software category • Camtasia

34. III.III Category 3: Software for Authoring Software Tutorials • Extensive features for creating software simulations • In general, the purpose is to record screen images with annotations showing the action taken at each stage • Actions relate to key strokes, mouse clicks etc. • The entire process is done automatically without user intervention

35. Creating a User in Windows XP

36. Other Features • Software simulation • Creating quizzes

37. Leading Software in the Field • Viewlet Builder • By Qaborn • Captivate • By Macromedia

38. Comparison of Viewlet Builder and Captivate

39. More on Comparison • Both ViewLet Builder and Captivate have nearly identical features • However, Captivate is relatively easier to learn and use • Moreover, Captivate is better integrated with a host of academic software such as Macromedia Flash

40. Category 3: Selection • Captivate was chosen for the project • Demonstration of software

41. III. IV Category 4: Other Software • Microsoft Office • SoundForge sound editing software • Pinacle, Sony VideoBlaster and Adobe Premier Elements • Adobe Photoshop Elements • Roxio Easy CD-Creator • CD-Stomper Label Creator

42. IV. Software Demonstration • Camtasia • Captivate • Screenblast • Soundforge

43. V. Summary • Key terms for success • Emerging Web 2.0 technologies

44. Key Terms for Success • Students • Simulate and emulate the in-class learning experience • Instructors • Employ rapid application development tools and technologies

45. Supporting Terms for Success • Complement multimedia instruction with a website • www.ganesan.us • Maintain in-person contact for student orientation and hands-on practical sessions

46. Emerging Web 2.0 Technologies • Camtasia: http://www.screencast.com • iLife: http://www.apple.com/ilife/ • iTunes U: http://www.apple.com/education/products/ipod/itunes_u.html

47. Conclusion • Education not Entertainment

48. The End