COVID-19 and the Use of Remote Learning, Video Learning, and Lecture Capture

To our partners and customers, as global implications continue to arise, YuJa is committed to ensure that your ability to utilize our products is unaffected as we continue to monitor the steady developments.

Utilizing Remote Learning & What is Available

With the increasing switch to online courses permeating schools across the world, e-learning pedagogies such video conferencing tools, online lectures, learning management systems (LMSs), and video platforms are essential teaching tools used to compensate the lack of an in-person classroom setting. 

As we continue to carefully monitor the developments surrounding COVID-19, our team at YuJa is dedicated to develop a sustainable workflow that helps instructors and students alike continue to maximize their levels of productivity. In a time where individuals have no choice but to work remotely or deal with this illness, YuJa aims to promote clarity and productivity among all institutions worldwide.

Related Article: Three Ways a Flipped Classroom Can Support Students

The Value of a Cloud-Hosted Video Platform

Cloud Hosting vs On-Prem Hosting

Cloud hosting involves using a network of connected remote and/or virtual devices, which makes the technology scalable, reliable and on-demand. Because information is spread across data centers, if a hosting site goes offline, others compensate to keep your system up and running smoothly. No two organizations’ needs are the same and cloud hosted services can be tailored in an unlimited way, with flexibility in areas like architecture, space and security.  The servers are owned and managed by a vendor.

The alternative to cloud hosting is on-premise, or “self-hosted” solutions. This option uses local resources to run software on computers physically located on-premise of the organization. The organization must have a space for the servers, known as a data center, or use a virtual private server or virtual dedicated service to locate on premise software, but hosting is still provided by the organization’s own hardware.  

Cloud Hosting is a Value Driven Solution 

Cloud hosting has become increasingly popular for a number of reasons, including speed of innovation, operating cost and security. 

“Cloud hosting removes barriers to entry for businesses and organizations, which no longer have to find and train their own team to support their infrastructure,” said Nathan Arora, Chief Business Officer at YuJa, Inc. “It’s a smart, cost-effective solution for businesses of all sizes.”

Speed of innovation: Cloud solutions allow for rapid innovation with fewer risks of disruption. Members of your organization can focus on innovating rather than reacting to daily minutia of technical issues that arise when self-hosting. You can scale up or down on demand, test ideas quickly and keep moving toward your organization’s next great idea. 

Internal operating cost: Using the cloud shifts what is normally a capital expenditure to an operating expenditure, lowering the initial costs, as well as ongoing IT management and support costs. On-prem hosting requires a trained team, whereas with cloud solutions, everything is handled through the vendor.

Level of data security and privacy: Cloud platform solutions like the YuJa Cloud ensure data security and privacy, which includes having third-party audits to ensure the highest level of security.

The YuJa Video Cloud

Designed by engineers, scientists and PhDs with a track-record of deploying large-scale distributed systems, each tool within our Enterprise Video Platform leverages the YuJa Cloud to deliver a high-impact user experience. The YuJa Cloud is the backbone of our entire video-powered platform, including lecture capture, media management, live streaming, video conferencing, social learning and mobile video tools.

What is LTI 1.3 and Why is It Important in Higher Ed?

LTI 1.3 is backed by 1EdTech Consortium, a nonprofit member organization “committed to advancing technology that can affordably scale and improve educational participation and attainment,” the organization states on its website. 

“Together, the 1EdTech member community is a force multiplier to accelerate digital transformation to enable education institutions to be more innovative, provide a more seamless user experience, and dramatically reduce the cost of integrating products into the educational enterprise systems.”

“Together, the 1EdTech member community is a force multiplier to accelerate digital transformation to enable education institutions to be more innovative, provide a more seamless user experience, and dramatically reduce the cost of integrating products into the educational enterprise systems.”

The new security framework behind LTI 1.3 provides enhanced security measures that prioritize the privacy and protection of sensitive information with a more robust security model. 

According to 1EdTech, its security frameworks adopt the industry-standard protocol IETF OAuth 2.0 for authentication services and JSON Web Tokens for secure message signing. It also adopts the open ID Connect workflow paradigm. 

This provides enhanced agility, flexibility, and scalability, while also providing encryption and a mobile-ready model independent of web browsers.

LTI Advantage Builds on LTI 1.3

LTI Advantage expands on LTI 1.3, which makes it easier to build, manage and offer courses while also providing security that puts CIOs and platform providers at ease. LTI Advantage offers three end-user services, including assignment and grade services, deep linking, and names and role provisioning services. 

YuJa is 1EdTech Certified

YuJa, Inc.has implemented the Learning Tools Interoperability and LTI Advantage, and has obtained the IMS TrustEd Apps™ Seal for Data Privacy Certification through 1EdTech (previously the IMS Global Learning Consortium).

YuJa provides modular IMS-certified LTI 1.1 and LTI 1.3 (LTI Advantage) LMS enterprise connectors and cross-connectors for every major LMS – including Canvas, Blackboard, D2L Brightspace, and Moodle – to ensure worry-free integration.

Tips for Improving Lecture Capture Audio Quality

Audio quality is essential for capture functionality; users need to be able to hear what you are saying. Poor audio quality makes captures less useful, and may leave users feeling discouraged and frustrated.

There are multiple components to the overall quality of an audio recording, including the space in which you’re recording, the equipment you’re using, and the settings for your microphone.

The Recording Space

The physical space and ambient noise present can impact the overall quality of the audio in your recording. Consider the differences between a small conference room and a large lecture hall full of students. In an empty conference room, you may have few audio issues. In a full lecture hall, there is likely to be a great deal of ambient noise. While you cannot address all aspects of background noise, you may be able to control some of the following:

• Turn off ceiling fans and additional, unused appliances and phones. Close your windows to block out vehicles and other outside noise.
• Position microphones away from the classroom computer. Computer fans can be a significant source of additional noise.
• Ensure there’s no echo. Typically, a smaller recording space is better to reduce echo, but carpet, furniture, and acoustic foam tiles in a space can all help reduce echo.

The Microphone

The right microphone is essential to good-quality audio recordings. In a small space, like an office, the built-in microphone in a laptop computer or headphone microphone may be adequate. There is little background noise in a small space, and fewer audio challenges. Still, if you choose this method, ensure you have access to editing software that can help enhance the audio.

In a larger lecture hall or auditorium, it’s recommended that you choose a uni-directional microphone, which picks up sound only from one direction. This means the noise of the classroom or conference space will not be picked up on the microphone, while the speaker’s voice will be clear and audible.

Ideally, the microphone should be placed 3-5 inches from the speaker. A stand, or a lapel microphone if you need to move around the room, can help keep the microphone the same distance from the speaker throughout the recording. It also ensures the speaker can use their hands for visual demonstrations.

The Sound Check

In addition to preparing the space and making smart microphone selections, it is helpful to take a moment to check your sound and assess sound quality. Do a test run to check that audio is clear, crisp, and balanced.

If there are two speakers, it’s helpful to record on separate tracks so they can be adjusted separately. Each speaker should wear headphones to avoid picking up the other speaker’s audio as background noise.

YuJa Software Capture enables you to test your audio feed before you begin recording. Check the monitor to assess your volume levels. You can also opt for a short on-demand recording to check and review your audio quality.

YuJa’s HTML5-based Video Editor also allows instructors to edit audio to remove pauses, adjust audio gain adjustments, amplification and re-normalization capabilities.

Find the Right Fit: Lecture Capture vs. Video Podcasting

To get the most out of your video solution, it is important to choose the right recording tools for the right environment and to ensure everything works together seamlessly to create consistency, to allow for ease in training, and to increase adoption throughout your institution.

Lecture Capture is an Ideal Classroom Solution

Lecture capture, or the recording and archiving of audio and video components of a lecture, is ideal in the classroom, whether you opt for a traditional or flipped classroom structure. The YuJa hardware appliance integrates into all classroom multimedia equipment, streaming your lecture directly to the cloud, while software capture provides organizations with the ability to record anywhere and capture multiple inputs. With automated scheduling, you can capture lectures without any additional work. 

Lecture capture offers the following advantages:

• If you’re recording lectures in a brick-and-mortar classroom, you’re likely to find lecture capture the most practical choice, as you’ll typically be working from a podium in the classroom. 
• If you opt for software-based lecture capture, you will need to initiate the software; however, it will work on any device. Record with a camera or document camera, or record your smart board or external web camera, or any combination of devices.  
• Lecture capture integrates into other classroom multimedia resources, including the SmartBoard. 
• Your students can easily replay, pause and rewind lecture captures for future use.

Additionally, the Software Capture and Browser Capture tools used for lecture capture can be used to create podcasts.

Video Podcasting is Another Powerful Tool to Support Learning

“Podcast” refers to any software and hardware combination that allows automatic downloading of audio files for listening at a user’s convenience.

Video podcasting is ideal for review videos or enrichment materials to supplement work in the classroom; however, it can also be an ideal way to engage with students online, especially in remote learning environments. 

Use cases and advantages include:

• Video podcasting using your own webcam and microphone is an ideal way to offer information to your students.
• The videos stream into the cloud and are stored as part of your learning channel. 
• You can integrate files and materials you’re using directly into your video podcast, or even use an interactive sketchpad to illustrate lessons. This makes video podcasting a practical supplement to classroom learning or an ideal way to present short, manageable lessons for online-only students.

YuJa Expands AV Support to NCast Hardware Encoders to Help Institutions Seamlessly Deliver Multimedia Presentations

YuJa’s integration with NCast will enable instructors to automatically import recordings into the YuJa Video Content Management System (CMS).  

The integration brings together the scheduling, automation, and previewing tools of YuJa’s CMS with NCast’s presentation and recording hardware to help deliver a comprehensive media delivery system. 

“With simple setup and integration into the YuJa Enterprise Video Platform, NCast encoders are ready for lecture capture, video conferencing, digital asset management, live streaming events or a host of other uses.”

YuJa provides a powerful combination that delivers across devices. With simple setup and integration into the YuJa Enterprise Video Platform, NCast encoders are ready for lecture capture, video conferencing, digital asset management, live streaming events or a host of other uses. 

This newest partnership complements YuJa’s market-leading integration with other hardware encoders, including Matrox, Extron, and Epiphan, ensuring institutions can streamline recording, editing, and streaming.

YuJa partners with a host of other technology and channel partners. View all of our partners.

Affordable, Accessible and More Comprehensive Storage for Your Zoom Recordings

As the most popular video conferencing tool in higher education today, Zoom’s utility is endless. In addition to being accessible anywhere, from any device, recording lectures or meetings ensures no one has to miss out, helps keep everyone on the same page, allows institutions to build a knowledge library and collects helpful analytics and insights. 

And because YuJa, Inc. is an Integration Partner with Zoom and offers a Zoom Marketplace app, it offers the ability to import recordings, caption and tag videos, as well as broader search capabilities and the automatic import of Zoom recordings to your learning management system (LMS). 

What many people don’t realize is that not only do YuJa Enterprise Video Platform and Zoom work well in tandem, but the Video Platform is an affordable, more accessible and comprehensive storage solution for Zoom recordings. After recordings are synced, they’re searchable, shareable, accessible and secure.

Advantages of Storing Zoom Recordings in the YuJa Enterprise Video Platform

Cost reduction — Storage solutions through the YuJa Video Platform help maximize fiscal resources, as it’s more economical to store a greater number of recordings in the YuJa Cloud than through the Zoom platform.

Ability to archive — Recordings are stored in an organized, accessible archive for ease of use in the future.

Re-use within an LMS — Recordings can easily be reused within an existing LMS.

Accessibility — Whether your videos need to be accessible to students, the general public or a small group of government officials, your organization has complete control. Auto-captioning and indexing allow for improved search-inside-video capabilities.

Security — Limited administrative controls can pose a security risk. With the inclusion of permission settings, Zoom recordings can be disseminated securely and viewed across any device. 

Record at Scale —  There’s no limit to the number of recordings that can be stored in the YuJa Cloud, which serves as a central repository for easy search and access to videos you need across devices. 

Video Editing —  Content creators can enable multi-stream, non-destructive editing of content for their most essential video and audio editing workflows.

The Zoom Connector for the YuJa Enterprise Video Platform is available for install in the Zoom Marketplace.

How Higher Education Can Leverage Data Lakes to Manage the Onslaught of Video and Digital Media Content

The good news for administrators is that data is and can stay a college or university’s friend, helping record and distribute lectures, capture information, streamline processes and create more efficient systems for managing information. The key, of course, is ensuring your organization has proper storage, management and security/compliance protocols. 

Here are some top tips to working with large amounts of data, particularly video data:

Ensure Your Platforms Are Scalable

Ensuring your platforms are scalable and that your organization is using the right platform for each data type is important. Basic file management systems, like Learning Management Software (LMS) platforms, are inadequate for storing video content. That’s because video files are large, which means not only do they take up a lot of space on your device, they also require a lot of bandwidth to send, download or stream. To handle video content, make sure you have a system designed for video content management. 

Make Sure You’re Using the Right Platform for Each Data Type

Similarly, Zoom isn’t an ideal storage space for video data. The YuJa Video Content Management System (Video CMS) enables organizations to store, manage, and stream media content both inside-and-outside their enterprise with a scalable platform designed for your organization.

If your organization is saving files strictly for compliance reasons, it’s best to turn to an e-discovery and storage compliance solution like YuJa Himalayas, where institutions can store data lakes in a searchable, compliant and cost-effective manner.  

What Are Data Lakes and How to Manage Them

Data lakes are central repositories for internal, external, structured and unstructured data accumulated from a variety of sources. Organizations can store data in its original form, thereby allowing the flexibility to analyze and build optimized data architectures. This makes it not only possible, but simple for IT professionals, administrators and others to efficiently and quickly extract insights from enterprise data.

 

According to recent Aberdeen research study, the average company is seeing the volume of their data grow at a rate that exceeds 50% per year. The same study noted that organizations who implemented a Data Lake outperforming similar companies by 9% in organic revenue growth.

 

Tools that help organizations identify regulatory and corporate compliance risks in video, audio, and documents are optimal for managing large volumes of data. These tools can provide searchable transcriptions of spoken words, and optical character recognition (OCR) of screen content.

How a Security and Compliance Solution Can Help

As organizations scale video and audio collaboration, the challenge of compliance makes it difficult to increase usage within regulated sectors. YuJa Himalayas provide a unified Platform to review and search video conference recordings, analyze and search visual content, and provide compliant archiving of video content. 

Your institution’s video can be integrated into existing compliance programs, whether it’s data archiving, storage tiering, visual search, policy management or automated ingestion. Himalayas automatically provides tools to identify regulatory and corporate compliance risks in video, audio, and documents by providing the searchable transcriptions of spoken words and optical character recognition (OCR) of screen content. Additionally, YuJa Inc. is a SOC 2-compliant firm achieving the highest standard for corporate and information technology (IT) governance.

Lecture Capture in the Cloud: What a Cloud-Hosted Video Platform Can Do

With a cloud-powered video platform, course replays, live streams and other course materials are universally accessible to students, whether lecture capture recordings are produced within the YuJa Enterprise Video Platform or using the YuJa hardware-based capture appliances as part of your classroom technology. YuJa resources, including captured lectures, course notes, and video podcasts, are accessible to students via multiple devices, from desktop computers to laptops, tablets or their cell phone.

Features of the YuJa Cloud-Hosted Platform

• Find Media with High-Performance Search: The YuJa Cloud offers complete search capabilities across auto-captions, indexes, and metadata across your entire media library. Find exactly what you need in your video collection with advanced search tools. 
• Convert, Transcode and Format Virtually Anything: The YuJa Cloud automates the process of converting, transcoding, and formatting your video files into easy-to-view formats accessible on a variety of devices. There is no need for third-party codecs or additional software to adjust file sizes or file quality. 
• Secure and Protect Your Content: YuJa’s cloud-based storage secures your videos, preventing unwanted access. Only approved individuals can see and access your video content. This limits the risk of copyright infringement or video theft.

Cloud-Hosting Enables Responsive Architecture Capable of Handling Spikes

YuJa’s cloud-based infrastructure automatically scales during peak traffic bursts to ensure a stable experience for all users.

This elastic cloud architecture also ensures that there are no practical limits on maximum current viewers, maximum active streams, maximum simultaneous accesses, or storage capacity. The architecture can easily accommodate spikes in viewership, platform access load and in transcoding load.

Availability is a Key Benefit of Cloud-Hosted Technology

Another benefit of a cloud-hosted platform is that YuJa’s resources are available to faculty and staff even when they’re away from the classroom or office. While the YuJa appliance offers more sophisticated tools for complete lecture capture and room capture, you can also capture a lecture with nothing more than the webcam and microphone on your laptop (or podium computer). Since lectures can be viewed at any time, instructors can film lectures ahead of time, allowing flexibility for instructors.