Abstract:

Lecture capture solutions such as Tegrity, used in conjunction with Course Management Systems such as Blackboard, have greatly expanded learning opportunities in higher education. At Saint Mary's University of Minnesota, tech-savvy undergraduate students can access course content anytime and anywhere by downloading Tegrity class lectures to iPod Touches and smartphones or by linking courses to their Facebook pages. Tegrity sessions can also be written to DVDs.

Recently, graduate programs in the University's Schools of Graduate and Professional Programs have initiated lecture capture technology to bring teacher training opportunities to distant sites across Minnesota and Wisconsin, as well as some emerging international applications. This session presents the ways in which lecture capture is used in the Master of Arts in Literacy Education degree, a program located in several sites across Minnesota, including communities without higher education opportunities.

One of the major ways that Tegrity is used is by pre-recorded lectures that are assigned as pre-class "readings." These recordings, with ancillary materials such as viewing guides, embedded videos and website demos, require only a laptop equipped with a camcorder and installed Tegrity software, allowing for an instructor to record anytime and anywhere. Because this program is a teacher licensure program, every class has standards-based content that must be taught in all sections. Pre-recorded lectures by the course director ensure that a common core of content is presented, while allowing each of the 22 instructors to add their unique experiences and expertise to the ensuing class discussion. Class time can be spent on higher level applications of the lecture content. Another benefit is the cost-saving of not requiring an expensive textbook that often does not match the lecturer's knowledge of cutting-edge research.

There are a number of additional ways that Tegrity class capture has enhanced the teaching and learning within our Literacy Education program, including internet delivery of classes cancelled because of snowstorms. Snowbound instructors log on at home to record class content and pose questions. Students are able to bookmark the lecture and send questions. Live class capture also allows for dissemination of the total class experience for students who cannot attend a session because of illness or family emergency. In addition, students are able to use Tegrity sessions to provide guest lecturers via Blackboard in their home schools, thus enhancing the dissemination of knowledge related to literacy development in children.

Tegrity live class capture allowed one of our soldier-students to continue her studies while deployed in Afghanistan. The combination of Tegrity, GoToMeeting, and Skype provided a full classroom experience with her stateside peers even when she needed to be absent for patrols or incoming rocket attacks at her base. Another international application of recorded literacy education lectures occurred as a result of participation in a collaborative special education project in Ramallah between professors from Saint Mary's University and 16 Palestinian universities. At the conclusion of the four-day conference, Palestinian professors who desired more information about reading disabilities/dyslexia were enrolled in the Literacy Education course management site (Blackboard) so they could access Tegrity lectures whenever convenient.

Keywords:

Lecture Capture Solutions, Tegrity, Blackboard, Course Management Systems.