Case study

How Oakland University Uses YuJa’s Robust Suite of Ed-Tech Tools to Enhance Instruction Across Live, Hybrid and Hyflex Courses

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Procurement

Committee Selects YuJa’s Video Platform and Conferencing Solutions

In the summer of 2020, Oakland University (OU) was seeking a replacement for its video conferencing platform that also had lecture capture capabilities. Led by Dan Arnold, Ph.D., OU’s Manager of Support Services, e-Learning and Instructional Support, a selection committee of about a dozen users from various departments watched demonstrations and scored finalists.

245+

Academic Programs

16,000+

Students

1957

Founded

$1 Billion

Economic Footprint

“YuJa got on our radar as part of the procurement process. A lot of vendors came in with use cases strictly on video conferencing that could be used in a way for lecture capture, but not distinct tools for video conferencing as well as lecture capture,” Arnold recalled. “We wanted a tool that could do both and we were pleasantly surprised when YuJa submitted a response to our RFP.” YuJa’s robust lecture capture and video conferencing capabilities made it the top choice for the selection committee.

About the Client

About Oakland University

Oakland University is a public doctoral research institution in Greater Metro Detroit, Michigan, that promotes a global perspective amid an inclusive, close-knit community. The institution empowers more than 16,000 graduate and undergraduate students with experiential education and diverse opportunities.

With a $1 billion economic footprint, Oakland University is a regional powerhouse with an international reach. By forging relationships with hundreds of businesses, including hospitals, Fortune 500 companies, cities, government agencies and educational institutions, OU connects students to their community, career and beyond.

Oakland University front view.
Oakland University logo.
“YuJa got on our radar as part of the procurement process. A lot of vendors came in with use cases strictly on video conferencing that could be used in a way for lecture capture, but not distinct tools for video conferencing as well as lecture capture.”
Oakland University sign.

Pandemic

YuJa Works to Meet Needs Throughout the Pandemic

When the Covid-19 pandemic forced the closure of campuses nationwide, instructors had to quickly learn tools that helped with emergency remote instruction. “It was a very frantic time for everybody,” Arnold stated, adding that everyone became reliant on digital tools. “The timing of everything… it was what you would expect for transitioning a huge tool in the midst of the biggest crisis of my lifetime.” The transition was challenging, but YuJa has worked to keep pace and scale rapidly.

“One of the best parts of working with YuJa has been how receptive YuJa is to our suggestions, the things our faculty want and need, and taking the initiative to make changes on their end and communicate those changes to us so we can pass them on to our faculty,” said Kate Huttenlocher, Assistant Manager of Support Services, e-Learning and Instructional Support. “This has been huge in helping us promote the tool and help our faculty use the tool. We can see how YuJa has grown over the years and how they have really taken into consideration our particular use cases and needs to make things happen.”

Arnold noted that the number of fully online courses has tripled since the start Covid “with no sign of slowing down.”

Oakland University campus.
People walking across a bridge over a serene pond with Oakland University in the background.

Use Cases

Lecture Capture Tool Usage Continues to Increase

Even as there has been a return to the buildings, many students continue to opt for online courses. “A lot of people are doing a healthy mix of live synchronous or hybrid/hyflex courses to accommodate students. And now that faculty are comfortable using these types of tools, they see the power in them,” Arnold said.

Huttenlocher noted that today, there’s a larger use case around lecture capture and media management, including by the instructional design team and instructors to create and manage media. Instructors can add YuJa directly into their Moodle courses, whether that’s a general link for students to get to the course channel or embedding videos and video quizzes to the course page. “One of the things we really enjoy is the video quizzes being able to directly sync grades into Moodle’s gradebook,” Huttenlocher remarked. “It’s really nice for the faculty to have so many options for how to incorporate YuJa into their courses.”

One unexpected use has been for SCORM activities, or creating content that is compatible with all eLearning tools, Arnold said. “The functionality of that is better than anything we had before,” he remarked. “That was a good surprise.”

Oakland University aerial view.
“One of the things we really enjoy is the video quizzes being able to directly sync grades into Moodle’s gradebook,” Huttenlocher remarked. “It’s really nice for the faculty to have so many options for how to incorporate YuJa into their courses.”
Oakland University campus building.

Accessibility and Support

YuJa Goes Beyond Lecture Capture with Accessibility and Support

In addition to providing tools for instructors to create and manage media, YuJa also provides a host of accessibility features and comprehensive support. “Automated accessibility features are very helpful and have been helpful for our teaching staff to enable them to provide accessible content without a lot of heavy lifting,” Arnold stated.

“Instructors not having to worry about things like how to get captions – to know they’re just going to be there – is a huge thing,” Huttenlocher added.

Both Arnold and Huttenlocher noted that YuJa’s support team is top tier. “When you bring a concern forward, you know it has been heard,” Arnold said. “We do recommend YuJa, and our instructional design team does as well. YuJa has been an ideal partner in helping make sure the platform is a success at our campus for our faculty, students, and those who support it,” Arnold concluded.

Oakland University building.

Highlights

01.

YuJa was initially selected by Oakland University for its robust tools for lecture capture and video conferencing.


02.

Today, the biggest uses of the Video Platform are for lecture capture and media management.


03.

The institution appreciates how receptive YuJa is to suggestions and YuJa’s consideration of the university’s specific use cases.

“YuJa has been an ideal partner in helping make sure the platform is a success at our campus for our faculty, students, and those who support it.”

Dan Arnold, Ph.D., Manager of Support Services, e-Learning and Instructional Support

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