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Suggestions for Online Presentations

Following are a number of suggestions and helpful hints for recording, developing, and publishing online presentations and education.

Slide Shows

Tools, Techniques, and Formats

  • Microsoft PowerPoint
    Advantages: Large user base. Free viewers to Windows and other platforms. Many slide and presentation templates.
    Disadvantages: Editing confuses styles with content.
  • OpenOffice Impress
    Advantages: OpenOffice available on many platforms. Should export to more common file formats.
  • Portable Document Format (PDF)
    Advantages: Open Standard (ISO 32000). Viewable on many platforms. Can be created from many applications via PDF print drivers.

Capturing Video and Audio

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). 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.

  • Webcam
    Many desktop and laptop computers support periperal webcams. 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 host. 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").
  • Video Camcorder
    Camcorders are useful for recording presentation videos. Often conferences and classrooms are recorded from the back of the room. In this case, be sure to use a nearby microphone to record audio, either a podium microphone or a wireless lavalier microphone.

Once you have captured the video, you need to transfer it to the computer. VHS, Hi8, MiniDV, and Solid State videos may all be transfered to a computer via capture software (e.g. Sony Vegas or a utility provided with the camcorder). Other camcorders allow video transfer via USB or FireWire cable. Solid State memory-based videos can be inserted into a memory reader or USB based memory adapter.

You must be careful to save to a common file type and video codec. Common file types include AVI, WMV, Flash, and QT. Common codecs include MPEG, AVI, QT, Microsoft Video 1, and MP4. It is best to save to a common format to promote easy editing and uploading to servers.

Also consider your video screen size. For web presentations 320x240 pixels is best. For burning to a DVD, you probably want 720x480. For high def or BluRay content, 1920x1080 is top notch quality.

Similarly, the file length may be a consideration. For the web, you can save download time by using a high compression. One way to save size is use 15 frame per second. Another is to use a more aggressive video compression badnwidth. Most DVD havs a 8 MbS (mega bits per second) video budget. You can compress the video to less than that with lower quality or lower motion.

Capturing Desktops

Often a presentation is enhanced when a presenter shows the topic in action. For Tuscany, this might be a hands-on software demonstration where the speaker drives the computer and illustrates the exact computer input and output to acheive the results. There are many tools that one can use to provide still screen shots or video screen captures.

  • 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:

**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.

Editing and Compiling Assets

Publishing

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