Three Options for Recording Elluminate Events

Most LINGOs members know a lot about Eluminate and are aware that Elluminate Live sessions can be recorded and played back.   The record and playback capability enables those who missed a session to view it at their leisure and allows the creation of sessions to be delivered asynchronously.  All of the audio, video, public direct messages, polls and quizzes, whiteboard content and annotations, multimedia, as well as every shared application in the main room, is recorded and played back in perfect synchronization.

What most people don’t know is that there are three options for recording Elluminate Events:

1. Recording events to the Elluminate Virtual Conference Recording (VCR) Library:   Supervisors can choose to record their sessions and they will be stored automatically to the Elluminate Virtual Conference Recording (VCR) library.  These recordings are stored in a proprietary format known as Virtual Conference Recording (VCR.)   They are configured to play using the Elluminate Live interface and the file is streamed to users, so playback may begin when a small portion of the file is received.  These files are highly compressed and are designed to play well in low-bandwidth environments.   This option, however, has several downsides:

a.  The recordings are only accessible on-line and cannot be viewed by users without internet connections;
b.  The recordings cannot be edited and they are only available in a propietary format that requires a Java plug-in to view
c.  The recordings are resident on the Elluminate site and cannot be shared  or embedded in other content or on other pages

2. Transfer Elluminate VCR Files to the Elluminate Publish Format:   Elluminate Publish! allows users to convert Elluminate Live! recordings into formats that no longer require a web connection.  For example, using this application, you can create standalone recordings that can be sent to your learners around the world via CD-ROM, e-mail attachments or loaded as files to your intranet – no more wondering whether your user in Swaziland has the bandwidth to view your session recording off of the server.   Elluminate Publish! Allows users to create a standalone multimedia recording that preserves interactiviry or a video file in a variety of industry-standard formats: AVI, FLV, MP3, standard MP4, high definition MP4, OGG, VORBIS, Wav and WMV.

One of the many ways that the Elluminate company supports the work of LINGOs member agencies is by providing access to Elluminate Publish! licenses at the considerably reduced prices. For more information, visit the Elluminate Publish! section of the LINGOs website.

3. Transfer Elluminate VCR Files Using Camtasia:   Users can also convert their Elluminate Live recordings using the Camtasia Studio or SnagIt applications.  The Camtasia application allows users to convert the file into a format so that it can be edited, combined with other recordings and indexed into a SCORM-compliant format.  Like the Publish application, the Camtasia product can output a number of different formats, including: AVI, SWF, MWV, MOV, FLV, RM and GIF. For more information on how to use Camtasia to convert Elluminate recording files, visit the following link. 

Many LINGOs member agencies who would like to transfer their VCR files into other formats, but who would prefer not to complete the process in-house.  In these cases, agencies can contact LINGOs for assistance.  LINGOs provides fee for service assistance to member agencies who would like to transfer VCR files into other formats.  Contact mike(at)lingos.org for details.

Resolving Feedback Problems in Elluminate Live!

Audio Feedback in Elluminate Live! is almost always caused by having more than one microphone and/or set of speakers operating at the same time. This usually happens in one of several scenarios:

1. if more than one computer in the same room is logged in to Elluminate (such as in a lab or classroom setting). Elluminate automatically mutes the speakers on the computer with the active microphone, but can’t mute the speakers on the other computers (otherwise no one logged in on a remote computer could hear). Active microphone on one computer + speakers on another = feedback.
2. if a meeting participant is not using external speakers and has activated his/her microphone while audio is coming from the external spekakers

 

Here are some ways to avoid feedback problems:

• If possible, make sure that everyone who’s logged in to Elluminate in the same room is using a headset.

• If you need to use external speakers rather than a headset (e.g. you’re presenting to a face-to-face class or conference, and want people who aren’t logged in to Elluminate to hear the conversation), you MUST mute the microphone and speakers (or turn down the volume all the way) on ALL the other computers. You can do that either using the normal Windows/Mac volume controls, or by using the audio sliders in Elluminate itself (this is the recommended procedure). If you’re using any kind of external speaker system, all presenters should speak into the microphone connected to the computer with the speakers. Any other configuration is likely to cause trouble.

• If everyone is using a headset but you’re still getting feedback or poor audio quality (particularly low volume), Elluminate may be using a different microphone from the one you think it is. For example, many video cameras, including the Apple iSight and the Logitech “ball on a stick” camera, have built-in microphones. In addition, most current Macintosh computers (including CTER’s iMacs and iBooks) have yet another built-in microphone. To change the audio source, first go to Tools, then Audio Setup:

 

 

Next, make sure that the headset mic is selected rather than one of the others:

 

 

Special thanks to  “http://wik.ed.uiuc.edu/index.php/Troubleshooting_Elluminate” for source information used in this post.

e-Learning Guild Research Library

This week, as the e-Learning Guild Annual Gathering comes to a close, it provides a great occasion to revisit some of the especially valuable tools made available to LINGOs member agencies through our relationship with the e-Learning Guild.  As many are already aware, LINGOs member agencies receive one Premium Membership to the Guild  (a $1,800 value.)  While the premium membership provides access to a number of benefits, one in particular has been especially useful to me over the past month. 

The e-Learning Guild Research Library provides a series of 360° Reports which include comprehensive survey results and analysis, case studies, in-depth essays, interviews, a glossary of terms, a complete index and much more. eLearning Guild members receive unlimited access to the Guild Research Library which includes every research report every published by the Guild for the term of your membership … almost 70 reports published since 2002!

In the last month, I accessed the 360° Report on Learning Management Systems to prepare a presentation on the current state of the LMS industry.  Last week, I recommended the 360° Report on Synchronous Learning Systems to a LINGOs member agency that is evaluating a number of alternatives.   Other research reports include:  The Salary and Compensation Report, e-Learning 2.0, Immersive Learning Simulations, Measuring e-Learning Success, e-Learning Development Tools, and more.

Audio – I never knew it could be so hard.

LINGOs is completing a series of conversations with key stakeholders from our member agencies.  These discussions, formally entitled account reviews, are an opportunity for member agencies  to reflect on their accomplishments in CY2008 and to outline their goals for cy2009.  One of the observations coming out of these discussions is the large number of LINGOs agencies that are adopting rapid e-learning tools to develop  custom e-learning content.  Member agencies are developing courses on project management, fraud detection, GIS systems and development, orientation/induction, IT programs, grants management, staff safety, and much more. 

As agencies increasing move in the direction of custom e-learning development, one of the learning curve challenges they face is how to ensure that their sound files are of consistently high quality.  For anyone who has managed sound recordings previously, you know that sound is one of the most difficult elements when developing courses.  All other elements of the course can approach perfection (design is well thought through, quiz questions reinforce the learning, navigation and style sheets are intuitive, images are appopriate, etc.)  however, sound quality can suffer from any number of weaknesses.  While I do not aspire for technical perfection in the work I do, there are any number of problems I have encountered when recording sound that have bothered me to the point of distraction:

• varying volume levels between slides;
• ambient noise;
• high-frequency humming;
• and… that general feeling that sound quality is “inconsistent” between slides.  

That is why I was pleased to see that the learning designers at www.commoncraft.com had blogged on the topic of managing sound quality and I wanted to be sure to pass on some of the tips they provide in their post:

Consistency is the holy grail and until just recently, we had no way of creating a consistent sound. Now, thanks to some creative uses of bedding, we have our very own sound studio…   …  It’s tiny and stuffy, but it works quite well for us. It reminds me of building forts in the living room when I was a kid.   Remember how the forts would get all stuffy? It’s same feeling…  …

 

As I read this blog post (see it in its entirety here), there were several thoughts that come to mind:

1. Hurray, I am not alone!  It was good to see that  my challenges when recording audio are common among even the best learning developers (FYI – I think CommonCraft is clearly among the best of learning designers and developers.  There approach (visualization) is unusual, but highly engaging and effective.  If you don’t know their work, be sure to visit their site.  It is inspirational.)
2. It is good to know that there are some relatively simple, inexpensive, low-tech options to approximate studio-quality sound recording without paying for a studio.
3. BUT – truthfully, it I set up a tent made from bedding in my cubicle at my organization, management would probably ask me to take it down within minutes AND would then insist that I take a mental health day.   That is why I also appreciated the suggestion in the comments section to the CommonCraft blog post that provided another alternative that does not require building a childhood fort structure from blankets and sheets:  Alternatively, you can almost get the same quality by putting egg crate foam in the corner of a room, face into it, make adjustments to your gain/input, and get some decent results. You might be able to avoid the living room fort claustrophobia. 

What about you?  Do you have any experiences to share concerning developing audio files for iNGOs e-learning?  Hardware?  Software?  Voice talent?  Studio configurations?  Let us know via the comments section below.

Are you an Articulate Guru?

As we continue the process of updating LINGOS member licenses to Articulate Rapid e-Learning Suite v2009, we thought this would be a good time to invite LINGOs member agencies to share their abundant talents with the larger Articulate Community.  This can be done in one of two ways:

1.  The Articulate Team is hosting the Articulate 2009 Guru Awards - an event  where Articulate developers are invited to submit courses developed using v2009. Submissions are reviewed by a panel of reviewers with prizes awarded to the top three entries:

• Grand Prize: $1,500
• 2nd Prize: $500
• 3rd Prize: $250

And…

• Two licenses of Articulate Rapid E-Learning Studio ’09 Pro donated to the school or charity of their choice.
• Fame, prestige and recognition by being featured on our website.

The submission deadline is a tight – February 18.  Recognizing that many of you have just recently received your v2009 upgrade, this might be too tight for you to submit.    However, the Articulate team has been very good about contacting LINGOs personally to invite our members to contribute to the contest.  The Articulate team loves your work and wants to ensre that your stories reach the ears of the larger Articulate community.

2.  The LINGOs Team is presenting at the annual the Articulate Live 2009 conference in March.  This is a great opportunity for LINGOs to show its appreciation to the Articulate team for their supoport and to share our story with the larger Articulate Community.  We would like to demo some of the learning materials that LINGOs member agencies have developed using the Articulate Rapid e-Learning Suite.  Please contact eric@lingos.org if you would be willing to share some materials to be demo’d at that presentation.

Upgrades Available – Articulate Rapid e-Learning Suite

Today LINGOs announces the availability of upgrade licenses to the Articulate Rapid e-Learning Suite 2009.  Articulate has been a close partner of LINGOs for several years and many agencies have already taken advantage of the complementary Articulate Rapid e-Learning Suite licenses made available to LINGOs members.  If you currently have a copy of Articulate’s version 5 Suite that was made available by LINGOs, and would like to upgrade to v2009, contact licenses@lingos.org and request an upgrade.  The LINGOs staff will work with your key agency contact from your organization to provide the license keys required to upgrade your application. 

Packed with new features, Articulate 09 makes it easier than ever to create world class rapid e-learning.  To learn more about v2009, go to the Articulate website at http://www.articulate.com

Why We Love Jing (Part 2)

Those of you who know LINGOs will not be surprised when you hear us exclaim that “We Love Jing” 

That said, the release of Jing Pro earlier this week has us rekindling our love affair with the tool. Yes, the JING screen capture software continues to be our choice for making quick screen recording videos that help us train users of new applications, document the user experience when troubleshooting, and generally providing narrated communications using PowerPoint or other screen applications.

So, what does JING Pro offer that is new and different?   For a fee of $14.95 a year, JING Pro lets you:

• Record full-motion video from your screen
• Share faster with smaller video files
• Upload straight to YouTube (or upload manually elsewhere)
• Strip Jing logos & links from your videos

The ability to record full-motion video is especially intriguing.  I have often envisioned a learning series that uses Skype video to conduct interviews with leaders in the field of international development, relief and conservation around the world.  These videos could be recorded and posted to the web, providing easy access to viewers regardless of their location.  With JING Pro, it now becomes a one-click operation to record that Skype video chat AND (if you choose.)

LINGOs to Upgrade to Articulate 2009

For those of you who subscribe to the Articulate Word of Mouth Blog or the Rapid e-Learning Developer Blog (both are highly recommended) -   you have been hearing a LOT about the new release of the Articulate Rapide e-Learning Development Suite 2009.  The LINGOs team has been following the new release with great interest and many of  the new features for Articulate Presenter 2009  (in particular) are especially exciting.  For example, the new audio recording utility allow developers to circuvent the process of editing sound files in a separate application; the new interface design allows developers to edit audio, animations and scripts in a single window; and the 2009 version allows courses to be outputed directly into a podcast format!

I know many LINGOs members share our enthusiasm for the new version, since I have received a number of inquiries over the past month regarding LINGOs’ plans to upgrade.  Good News!  Last week we completed a discusson with the Articulate team and LINGOs will be upgrading to the new version before the end of January.  More information about the exact date and the upgrade process will be forthcoming.  In the mean time, be sure to visit the Articulate site to learn about the new features included in all of the products that make up the Articulate Rapid e-Learning Development Suite v2009.

Integrating Virtual Worlds into Your Training

Over the past two years, there has been much interest expressed in the integration of virtual world applications like Second Life into training activities.  A couple of interesting articles crossed my desk this week that explore two innovative (yet distinctly different) approaches to this question.

The first case study comes from Harvard Law School, where a father/daughter teaching team has been using Second Life to conduct moot course sessions.  The video on this site extends 60 minutes and the content is thoughtful and informative from beginning to end.  The first half of the session focuses on the perspective of the father – a more theoretical and pedagogical reflection on the use of Second Life for training. The second half of the video focuses on the daughter’s perspective (scroll forward to minute 29 of the presentation), who provides an enormously interesting overview of the practical elements of developing learning environments in Second Life.  (Note:  I had some difficulties opening the Harvard link in Internet Explorer – try Mozilla Firefox if you have difficulties.)

The second case study comes from Tom Kuhlman, author of the Rapid e-Learning Development blog.  Tom introduces a very interesting idea whereby he uses the avatars developed in virtual worlds to serve as the “characters” in his e-learning courses developed with Articulate Presenter.  His blog post is an excellent read – and as a special bonus –  Tom includes the source code for the example course he provides as a proof of concept.

Integrate Teleconferencing in Your Elluminate Live! Session

Elluminate has released version 9 of its Live! On-Line Classroom application and it has added a number of outstanding features!  One in particular, is the addition of integrated teleconferencing to your Elluminate Live! session.  Now, when you set up your Elluminate session, you have the option of managing audio via VoIP, teleconference, or a blended approach that includes both VoIP users and teleconference participants!!  (note:  the teleconferencing phone number must be located in North America.) 

I have experimented with the teleconference integration and it works wonderfully!  For those of you who have wondered how to engage a group of training participants in an Elluminate session while they are gathered around a single computer – here is your answer!

If you are interested in testing out this functionality, you must first log in to your Elluminate account and select the button to SCHEDULE A MEETING.   Then, select the button SHOW DEFAULT SESSION FIELDS at which point, you can schedule your meeting, but be sure to select the version choice of 9.0 SLL INT (tip:  once you have selected this version, click the SAVE CURRENT SETTINGS AS DEFAULTS button so that all future meetings default to version 9.0.)

Now you are ready to go!  Elluminate has great support materials that explain how to set up your next session using a teleconference utility.  I followed those instructions and was able to set up a session with integrated telephony within minutes. 

I did, however, run into one snag in getting my teleconference utility to log in correctly to Elluminate.  My free conference call utility requires that I call a number, enter a pin, AND then respond to a confirmation query that my pin number is correct.  Elluminate has anticipated this challenge and has designed a process that allows your Elluminate session to automatically navigate through a multiple code input sequence.  The guidance to solve this challenge is not immediately “findable” on the site, so I am linking to the support URL here.  IMPORTANT:  This support URL  provides the key to working with a number of conference call utilities that require multiple input codes.