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A Tuscany Slide Template (Microsoft PowerPoint format) is available for download.

Capturing

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Audio

Audio tracks are useful for providing spoken backdrops to slides or desktop demonstrations.

Video or audio can be used to present a topic or educate students. Many people learn in different ways and often visual or audio presentation is a better method than just textual documentation. This section details a number of ways of making audio and video files of people speaking or presenting for use alongside a slide show presentation.

• Microphone or headset
  Most desktops and laptops have microphone inputs and speaker or line outputs for audio. You can record audio using a microphone or telephone headset connected to the microphone input. You can use third party audio capture software (e.g. Sony Audio Studio or Sound Forge). This has the advantage for providing tools to edit or improve the sound. You can also use low-end audio capture software (e.g. Microsoft Windows Sound Recorder). You can also capture audio with any webcam that has a microphone such as the Logitech Quickcam.

Use a good microphone and a quiet room to ensure the best audio quality.

Common audio file formats are MP3, AAC, AVI or QT. Most any computer understands these file formats. Inside the audio file, the audio may be compressed with various coder-decoder (codec) compressions. Most computers understand MP3 and simple AVI compressions. AAC and QT often require the installation of Apple Quicktime or iTunes software.

Capturing Video

Videos are useful for providing "talking head" newscaster style instructions, capturing a speaker at a conference, or capturing a lecturer in a classroom setting.

• Webcam
  
  Many desktop and laptop computers support periperal webcams. The webcam can capture a user sitting at a desk in a "talking head" style presentation, or they can be pointed away from the operator to capture a speaker at the front of the room. Often these devices are attached via USB or FireWire connector. They can be enabled to record directly to a computer file. Use the webcam in a bright well lit room for best results. Use a subdued and non-distracting background to keep the viewer focused on the subject. Do not use extreme closeups (a nearby webcam with wide angle lens), it tends to exaggerate faces in a non-flattering way. It is better to keep the webcam further back with a bit of zoom.

• • Logitech Quickcam Pro for Notebooks
    This is a useful webcam for video conferencing, but it can also used to record "talking head" presentations in which the user speaks in the manner of a newcaster or hostweb cam performs well for its size, and has auto brightness and auto focus capability. The QuickCam software can perform "QuickCapture" to a file. Press "Record Video" to record. You can specify the file name in the setting page. Or you can use the default video location (on Windows this is usually under ""My Computer" "My Documents" "My Video").

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• Still shots
  Most photo editing software includes some method of capturing sreens. Adaobe Photo Shop, Corel Paint Shop Pro and others all provide ability to capture entire desktops, single windows, client areas, or a screen area defined by the user. Other recommended screen capture programs include:

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  • • FastStone CaptureAn excellent dedicated still capture program for Windows. Free to try. Inexpensive to buy.
  • Motion capture
    Presentations with moving mouse pointers, scrolling windows, page turning, animation, and action often engage the user's attention and are an excellent way to illustrate Tuscany in action
    • Camstudio Camstudio is an open source video product. Free to use. Donations accepted. This software can record your mousing, page turning, and web surfing. Use the Microsfot Video 1 codec to ensure easy transportability.

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