Lectopia and the student experience
Lectopia is currently enabled in more than 70
iMedia theatres/theatrettes. To support the Melbourne model, all shared theatres on Parkville Campus
will be enabled for Lectopia by the commencement of Semester 2, 2008.
This demo offers an insight into the student experience with Lectopia, a leading lecture capture and delivery system originally developed by the University of Western Australia, and licensed for use at the University of Melbourne.
- The Lectopia system automatically records audio and (if requested) any projected content from presentations, and makes this available for play-back in a digital format using QuickTime streaming, with the audio in-sync with visual content.
- Students can access recordings from their subject web page in the LMS, via the Internet, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
- Listeners can download audio content to personal MP3 devices (e.g. iPods), if the lecturer or presenter had pre-authorised MP3 downloads when requesting the automated recording.
Flexible supplement to class attendance
Lectopia is designed to support the student learning experience by providing a flexible e-learning option. This assumption is supported by a body of relevant research.
At Melbourne, we surveyed student users of Lectopia in 2004. The survey results suggested that students rely upon this flexible and convenient tool for selective reviews of content from classes that they have attended, rather than as a substitute for class attendance. We therefore emphasise in a proposed policy statement that Lectopia is intended to supplement rather than substitute for regular class attendance at Melbourne.
Transformational tool for student access, anywhere, anytime
The US-based Educause Institute have recognised the Duke University implementation of Lectopia as a transformational and exemplary practice in teaching and learning that:
- enables student access to recorded materials, anywhere, anytime;
- reinforces course content
- improves in-class discussion
- reduces the need to take detailed notes during class participation
- allows students to review difficult concepts during exam preparation.
(See Educause Learning Initiative, "DukeCapture: Automated Classroom Lecture Recording". The full article is available from the Educause site at http://connect.educause.edu/library/abstract/ELIInnovationsImplem/39356?time=1185242310)
Convenient tool for review of academic content
The following additional benefits have been identified at Melbourne and other institutions using Lectopia:
- At the end of the semester, the lecturer can retain a copy of the lectures for future reference when preparing the subject next time
- Presentations by eminent visitors can be captured for dissemination and review to a wider audience of students and other members of the University community
- Symposia proceedings can be captured for review by attendees at a later date.
Survey of academic and student users at Melbourne
We are pleased to make available the results of our 2004 survey of student [PDF 414 kb 14 pages] and academic [PDF 29 kb 3 pages] users of Lectopia.
Lectopia Resource Centre
The Lectopia Resource Centre is a repository of topics related to lecture capture and delivery in the higher education environment.