Podcast pre-labs for enhanced learning with Dr Roy Lowry

Dr Roy Lowry vodcating, a photo by foto_mania on Flickr.

I spent a few hours this afternoon with Dr Roy Lowry, helping with the initial set up and positioning of equipment for a trial run of podcasting/vodcasting. Further details are provided in his recently awarded Teaching Fellowship, for which Dr Neil Witt and myself are listed as supporting staff. Dr Lowry wanted to not only produce a set of pre-laboratory podcasts to enhance teaching and learning, but also demonstrate how easily other teaching staff could achieve this using freely available (existing equipment) from our campus media services.

This set up includes a standard MiniDV camcorder (of course the SD card or hard drive variety can be used). To simplify recording a mini-tripod was used so both presenter and equipment could be captured consistently. The laptop was used as an auto cue, providing prompts. Footage from both apparatus and presenter would be interwoven in editing software later. A very successful first attempt...I think the pictures speak for themselves!