Description
This document will provide various options for faculty who wish to demonstrate writing or calculations to an online audience.
Steps
Using Zoom
Zoom’s whiteboard annotation tools allow you to write within a Zoom session. This tool works on PCs, Macs, and mobile devices. Zoom is intended to be used for live class sessions. However, you can also host a session without participants and record it for asynchronous viewing.
Demonstrating Student Work
Students have the same recording and annotating capabilities as faculty in Zoom as long as the access the tool through https://duq.zoom.us. However, a simple method for students to submit completed calculations is to have them complete their work with a pen or pencil on a blank piece of paper, and then take a photo using their mobile device. They can then upload the image to Blackboard via an Assignment that you’ve created or they can submit to you via email.
Using My Mediasite
My Mediasite is our recommended tool for creating screen-capture recordings. You can use My Mediasite used to capture your screen as you demonstrate calculations within other programs such as PowerPoint or Easy Interactive Tools.
Using a Graphics Tablet to Help You Write
If you don't have a device like a tablet or pc with a screen on which you can write, you would use your device’s mouse could be used. Alternatively, to make writing easier, you could purchase a Graphics Tablet, which you would plug into your computer and use as a mouse.
On-Campus Recording Options
OL&S has a Lightboard Studio in Rockwell Hall that would be perfect for working through math problems or notes. This is one of the most popular use cases for the lightboard in the industry. Visit the Studio Recording page to schedule a session. If you’re unfamiliar with lightboards, watch the What’s a Lightboard Studio? (How does it Work) YouTube video.
Classroom Technologies
There are also some classrooms that have monitors on which you can annotate. For more information on these options, contact the Office of Classroom Technologies at oct@duq.edu or 412-396-4614.
Other Alternatives
Finally, if you have no other options available, is the option to use a smartphone to record video from above looking down as you work out a problem on a piece of paper. This is not an ideal solution, since you will see a lot of the instructor’s hand in the process. However, it may be useful in a pinch. You would have to rig up a way to prop the phone for the video recording, or have someone else hold the phone directly above.