Abstract:

For the last decade, the use of video lectures in universities has been on the increase. Video lectures bring flexibility that is often needed for study. With the help of videos, students can follow teaching in a place as well as at a time that is suitable for them. On the other hand, studying with the help of videos also create many challenges such as the needs related to interactivity. Typical video players do not provide any kind of interaction channel and learning management systems' text-based chats are not easy to use together with a separate video player.

Our current blended educational model is based on strong utilization of video lectures. All lectures are given in face-to-face sessions, which are recorded and distributed, both live and on-demand. Thus, the students have also possibility to participate teaching with videos either face-to-face from distance, with the help of real time video, or by using on-demand videos during times more suitable for them. In all participating modes, the students can use the virtual CiNetCampus Studies environment, which consists of a commercial learning management system (LMS) and a custom-built multimedia platform integrated to it. The environment appears as a unitary system to the user.

Initially, the aim of the development of the environment was to improve video distribution in a controlled manner and interactivity among students and lecturers. The video sharing property provides a flexible way to share both live and on-demand lecture videos and built functionalities for the activation and utilization of students in the environment. For example, a student can watch a live video session of a course while simultaneously communicating with other students and the lecturer with the help of both text chat and video chat. During the video session every participant's image is visible among other participants as well as to the back wall of the teaching area. Most of these properties are valid with on-demand videos also.

The environment functions also as a platform for several different applications benefiting education and students. In addition to the video distribution application, text and video chats, an application mapping students' learning styles, an online survey design system, and, most recently, a video quality evaluation tool have been integrated into the environment. The multimedia platform of the environment makes it possible to easily add new applications to the environment. The goal of the future development is to build a highly personalized learning environment for students.

This paper describes the current state of the virtual CiNetCampus Studies environment in connection to our blended learning environment. The used blended educational model is based on strong utilization of videos, the CiNetCampus Studies environment, and the practices formed around technologies. The environment forms a kind of virtual campus where student can choose the mode to access the teaching provided. Moreover, the solution made the centralized management user rights possible which enabled to manage students' access to videos. The paper presents also some results about increased accessibility of the education from the earlier evaluations carried out.

Keywords:

Virtual learning environment, video lecture, video distribution, blended learning.