… all the academics would be using Personal Video Capture to connect more effectively with their students!

There are 3 options for creating your own videos to share with students. We first took a bit of advice from the wise words of some key players in the tussle for the Iron Throne about why academics might choose to use personal video capture to connect with students.

A personable way to communicate with students
Share your enthusiasm and passion for your subject

QUICKTIME FOR MAC

Screen recording: Yes, full screen or partial screen

Webcam: Yes, including ability to have webcam captured within screen recording (trick to do this – before starting screen recording, choose “new movie recording” to turn on webcam, then make the window “float on top” via View settings)

Quality of recording: Excellent and at a high frame rate
Editing: Minimal (top and tail)

Ease of use: Extremely easy with simple options and configuration

Best points: Quality and ease – perfect for quick captures

Limitations: Minimal editing and no enhancement tools

Support: No official MQ University support (but it is very easy to use)

Embedding into iLearn: Videos can be uploaded and hosted on, for example, YouTube or Vimeo to obtain an embed code to add into iLearn or there is the option of directly embedding video using the Echo Active Learning Platform

FLASHBACK PRO 5 FOR WINDOWS

Screen recording: Yes, full screen or partial screen

Webcam: Yes, including ability to have webcam captured within screen recording 

Quality of recording: Good
Editing: Simple but powerful editor, including the capability of adding enhancements to the videos (e.g. overlays, arrows)

Ease of use: Easy to record but may take some time to become familiar with the editor

Best points:  Editing capabilities – useful for software demos, explainers and mini lectures

Limitations: Not as good quality output as QuickTime and slightly more complex to use

Support: Available to all MQ staff on request (OneHelp ticket) but there is no official support for the tool

Embedding into iLearn: Videos can be uploaded and hosted on, for example, YouTube or Vimeo to obtain an embed code to add into iLearn or there is the option of directly embedding video using the Echo Active Learning Platform

ECHO360 PERSONAL CAPTURE

Screen recording: Yes, full screen only

Webcam: Yes, full screen capture – not a smaller floating window as per previous tools

Quality of recording: Good (adapts to your bandwidth)
Editing: Minimal (top and tail)

Ease of use: Fairly straightforward to use and very easy to publish to Echo and iLearn, but difficult when you want to host yourself

Best points: Immediate link to iLearn, fully supported and great for online lectures

Limitations: You cannot have your webcam appear as a small window in recordings as you can with the others

Support: Fully supported

Embedding into iLearn: Immediate link to iLearn, including ability to simply embed a sleek and simple Echo player into iLearn pages

Which would we recommend using? Unfortunately, unlike some of the illustrious leaders in Game of Thrones, we can’t offer a definitive, no-messing answer.  Firstly, your choice of tool depends on the system you are using.  Secondly, your choice of tool depends on the purpose of the video you are planning.  Check our tool summaries to decide which will be the best option for any particular venture.

Posted by Victoria Taylor

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