Decision support for the selection of digital tools
The following questions should help you to choose the right setting and tools for your event. If you answer no to a question, move on to the next point. Each setting can include elements of the previous steps (e.g. screencasts + document editing + practice questions).
Note that with each step the technical requirements increase for both you and your students in terms of hardware equipment and internet connection (data volume, connection speed).
Is your course essentially based on the reception and creation of documents and files such as scripts, slide sets, literature, student texts and learning modules, as well as on reflection on the content (e.g. via the processing of corresponding exercise questions)?
YES: Stud.IP provides you a variety of tools for document exchange (file area, also for group work) and for creating texts (StudIPads, Wiki). Your courses are already created here and equipped with the most important functions. Via the Tab More... tab in a course, a variety of additional functions can be added, e.g. regular exercises via DoIT! or ILIAS-Tests. The EduWork-Builder can be used to model complex teaching units with a variety of media (text, images, video, audio), exercises for self-monitoring with direct feedback, evaluation and feedback options (for advanced learners).
NO: In my course, additional content has to be presented and explained ⇒ Point 2.
YES: Do you already have screencasts, explanatory videos or lecture recordings available from previous semesters? Can you find courses or individual elements in the OER-Repositories or on MOOC platforms such as OnCampus, Coursera and edX that can be used for your event? Great! Take advantage of this and link your own recordings (e.g. Mobile Lecture via the corresponding interface in Stud.IP) or third-party materials (via the Free Information Page in Stud.IP) and use the diverse Stud.IP tools to set tasks for reflecting on and deepening the content (e.g. exercise questions in DoIT!, research assignments, webquests, joint collection of information in the Wiki, setting up a FAQ collection in the Forum …)
NO: Own recordings must be produced.⇒ Point 3
YES: For audio recording to produce podcasts, there are a variety of tools for both mobile devices and PCs. We recommend the free tool Audacity, as it offers extensive editing options (editing, sound optimisation) after recording. However, the voice recorder supplied with the operating system or the smartphone is also sufficient. The audio recordings should be divided into short thematic units (5-10 minutes), given a descriptive name (e.g. 001-Genetics-Introduction#1.mp3) and (important) saved/exported as an mp3 file. Make sure the file size is as small as possible with still satisfactory sound quality. The recording can be made available in Stud.IP in the file area of the course (e.g. as a playlist in a topic folder) and can be played directly by the students there! The University of Halle offers a lot of information on the production of podcasts (only in german language).
NO: In addition to the audio commentary, visual presentations (e.g. slides) are also necessary ⇒ Point 4
YES: There are a variety of web-based systems and software tools for recording the screen and an audio commentary, so-called screencasts. Some of these tools additionally allow the integration of the webcam image of your person. We recommend using Opencast Studio without additional webcam recording, as this web system is very easy to use and does not require any software installation. The videos produced with it should be made available in Stud.IP via the opencast-PlugIn in as streaming video in the course (Attention: The file area and the video manager are unsuitable for large files!). Non-compressed video files are often very large and can lead to extremely long upload times with simple DSL connections. Compress your file e.g. with the Handbrake tool. General tips on producing screencasts can be found on Blog der Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung and at Hochschuldidaktik online.
Alternative products include OBS-Studio, presentation recording using PowerPoint (instructions: Universität Göttingen, VCRP), the recording function on MAC computers (Apple-Support, Anleitung VCRP für Quicktime), free software such as Camstudio and commercial products Camtasia. For Camtasia, which is also a very good editing programme and offers extensive editing possibilities, there are few licences available in the ZMML and in some departments.
For video editing there is a wide range of products. For the computer, these are e.g. Shotcut (Download) ) or the old, but very easy-to-use Windows Movie Maker (Download); for the smartphone or tablet, e.g. iMovie (for iOS) or VLLO (for Android, for iOS).
More information about the production, Editing and provision of audiovisual media
NO: Simultaneous communication with students (two-way communication is essential for the presentation ⇒ Point 5.
Yes: The university provides Zoom licences for all university members. Zoom is a cloud system for videoconferencing hosted on American servers, which is characterised in particular by stability and performance even with large numbers of participants. In addition to video conferencing, it offers parallel chat, screen sharing (for presentations) and moderation functions, group functions (break-out rooms).
Information on Zoom and other video conferencing systems used at the University of Bremen (e.g. BigBlueButton, StarLeaf) can be found on the pages of the Medienstelle.
Zoom and the ZMML installation of BigBlueButton can also be managed and accessed directly in the relevant Stud.IP course using the appropriate plug-ins.
ZOOM-Use via Stud.IP | BigBlueButton via Stud.IP
No: For the exchange and work with the students, a meeting in presence is also necessary (e.g. laboratory practicals) ⇒ Point 6
Hybrid teaching formats are defined as settings in which a sub-group of the course is enabled to participate online as an alternative to attendance. They can be categorised according to the degree of presence and synchronicity.
Example scenarios