News
German University Implements Lecture Capture for Asynchronous Learning
Ruhr
University Bochum in Germany has implemented a lecture capture
solution that records course visuals and video of the instructor, so
students can attend lectures virtually on their own schedule.
Bachelor's degrees in Germany are designed to be completed in six
semesters, but many students are earning their degree while working and
taking care of their family. Juggling multiple responsibilities with
full-time school often forces students to enroll in multiple compulsory
courses scheduled at conflicting times. The university has embraced
lecture capture technology to enable these students to attend some
classes virtually on a computer or other device at a time and place
that is convenient for them.
The university already had a lecture capture solution in place, but it
was complicated and few instructors chose to use it. The university has
now replaced its previous lecture capture tools with an active and
distance learning solution called
Echo360. The university has entered into a
three-year contract with the company and implemented Echo360's
automated hardware appliance,
SafeCapture HD,
in 14 classrooms. Select instructors at the university also have access
to personal capture software to augment their classroom recordings.
SafeCapture HD automatically captures course visuals and video of the
instructor without any technical interaction with the instructor. Since
implementing the tool, IT staff at the university "have seen a
significant reduction in the time to create course video while
increasing the services offered to their instructors and students,"
according to the company.
"Many students at Ruhr University Bochum are earning a degree while
working and taking care of their family," said Holger Hansen, head of
the e-learning department at Ruhr University Bochum, in a prepared
statement. "Echo360 gives them the freedom and flexibility they need to
graduate on time and balance their busy schedules through online access
to their courses."
Ruhr University Bochum is located in Bochum, North Rhine-Westphalia,
Germany. It is one of the largest universities in Germany and serves
more than 36,000 students and employs more than 2,600 faculty and 5,500
staff.
About the Author
Leila Meyer is a technology writer based in British Columbia. She can be reached at [email protected].
