Video Creation

Ball State U Deploys Desktop Video Tools for Flipped, Distance Learning

• By Joshua Bolkan
• 02/25/15

Ball State University has gone public with its use of a desktop video creation and publishing tool to support the growth of distance and flipped learning.

The university has adopted Sonic Foundry's My Mediasite to allow "instructors to flip their classes on their own by recording screencasts, slideshows and video using a computer or mobile device's camera and microphone," according to a news release. "Simple editing features allow instructors to fine-tune their video, and all My Mediasite presentations are stored in the secure Mediasite Enterprise Video Platform that integrates with the university's learning management system, Blackboard."

"What excites us about My Mediasite is it really gives faculty the ability to record, curate and archive their own materials through our learning management system without the previously required levels of expertise," said Richard Edwards, executive director of research for the Integrated Learning Institute (iLearn) at Ball State, in a prepared statement. "Now, through proper training and support, the expertise can be found in the instructor. Class time is more productive with better discussions, and faculty are able to get more concepts across than they could before."

Since deployment, 450 faculty members have adopted the tool, creating 22,680 presentations comprising more than 8,000 hours of media.

"Faculty are very excited about My Mediasite, and are interested in integrating their media with existing learning management systems that are secure. Mediasite is like our secure campus YouTube," said Greg Batic, learning technologist, in a news release. "Faculty now have a way of creating content for their courses that's not restrictive."