There have been some significant shifts the last few years in class capture and streaming.
Crestron, AMX, and Extron have all introduced various products. Extron has also recently purchased Entwine and has a new offering.
As someone who cut their teeth in the education market as a technology manager, I have a different perspective on class capture. It really isn’t about the technology; it’s about the people.
Educate Yourself
Before you begin going down the road of suggesting this great thing called “class capture” you need to do a little homework. First, find out what the college faculty’s contract says about intellectual property and recording their courses. Each campus is different and each contract is revised every few years.
If the contract has been renewed in the last few years there is a good chance recording and posting those courses will be covered. If it has not, or is in a grey area, then you might want to proceed with caution.
Get a Cheerleader
Education is one of the most interesting mixes of generations. Faculty range from mid-20s up to somewhere in their 60s. The age gap is highlighted by a technological comfort gap as well. When I was a tech manager I had some faculty insist that overhead projectors with transparencies were the only safe and consistent way to go. I’m not kidding.
Related: School’s Tech Initiative Gives Students an Edge
You then have the young college graduates who come in fresh and ready to try every new way of connecting with students. Those are the ones you need to get on your side. Find a couple who are really excited about class capture and show them the capabilities. Once they buy in they will get other faculty excited as well.
Demo, Demo, Demo
Everyone will want in on the work you’re doing at any college campus. Seriously. Everyone. It doesn’t matter if it is a small community college with 100 classrooms or a major university with over 1,000, everyone wants a slice of the pie. Use that to your advantage. Talk with your manufacturers’ reps. Let them know you would like to test a system out before committing to it or putting it in your design. The best way to sell most of these products is getting them in the hands of the end users; the tech manager and the faculty.
I am a big believer in class capture. It is a great way to connect with students and broaden the reach of your campus. Imagine a soldier being able to take a calculus class or a single mom able to learn about physics on her schedule. Class capture is a great way to disseminate knowledge. You just need to figure out what is the best on the campus on which you’re working.
