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Creating Simple And Effective Prerecorded Web Based Lectures

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Conference

1999 Annual Conference

Location

Charlotte, North Carolina

Publication Date

June 20, 1999

Start Date

June 20, 1999

End Date

June 23, 1999

ISSN

2153-5965

Page Count

7

Page Numbers

4.150.1 - 4.150.7

DOI

10.18260/1-2--8129

Permanent URL

https://strategy.asee.org/8129

Download Count

1100

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Paper Authors

author page

Timothy Holman

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Abstract
NOTE: The first page of text has been automatically extracted and included below in lieu of an abstract

Session 2532

Creating Simple and Effective Prerecorded Web-Based Lectures W. Timothy Holman The University of Arizona

Abstract

Recent advances in computer hardware and software can enable individual instructors to easily create and deliver prerecorded lectures via the World Wide Web. Through the use of new video and audio compression techniques, an entire semester of lectures can be stored on less than 2 gigabytes of disk space and delivered over the Internet on demand. A methodology for quickly generating effective lectures at relatively low video frame rates is described, and examples of the technique are provided on the Web.

I. Introduction

In recent years, the need to expand instruction beyond the traditional classroom has led to the rapid growth of supplemental teaching methods such as videotaped lectures, classes via satellite broadcast, and Internet delivery of lectures. In particular, the World Wide Web is receiving growing attention as a preferred medium for asynchronous delivery of course materials and pre- recorded lectures to remote students. Universities throughout the country are developing courses (and entire curriculums) specifically for Web presentation.

However, the development of Web-based classes can be hampered by limitations of time and economics. Many instructors take a “presentation-style” approach to lecture notes, spending many hours of painstaking effort to create elaborate HTML documents incorporating graphics, slides, and text for each lecture. Others attempt to duplicate the style of videotape by recording the instructor in a standard classroom setting, but this technique requires the assistance of additional personnel and is expensive in terms of disk space and bandwidth. Ideally, an instructor should be able to individually record and present a Web-based lecture with the same speed and convenience of a standard classroom lecture, but without the delay of generating elaborate graphics or the requirement of excessive amounts of disk storage.

In this paper I will describe a methodology for recording an effective lecture in the privacy of one’s home or office, using inexpensive hardware and software on a personal computer. These Web-based lectures can be created without excessive preparation or effort beyond the requirements of typical classroom lectures. By limiting frame rates to 1 frame per second (fps) and employing new compression techniques, a fifty minute lecture with video and high-quality audio can be stored on 30 to 50 megabytes of disk space, or less than 2 gigabytes for an entire semester of lectures.

Holman, T. (1999, June), Creating Simple And Effective Prerecorded Web Based Lectures Paper presented at 1999 Annual Conference, Charlotte, North Carolina. 10.18260/1-2--8129

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