Session 2 – Technology: Platforms and Lectures

 

Text Transcription of Session 2 (Microsoft Word DOC) (updated with links and references – 6/17/2020)

 

MP3/Podcast version

  • Elmer Masters’ Slides (PPT) (PDF)
  • John Mayer’s Slides (PPT) ( PDF)

Poll results - what LMS do law faculty use

Poll results - What LMS does your law school use?

Law Faculty Poll - Have You Ever Taken an Online Course?

Q&A from Session 2

Links mentioned in the session

Welcome to “Technology: Platforms & Lectures,” the second session in CALI’s mini-course. There are many choices for platforms, tools, and LMSs to use. We can’t possibly cover them all. Besides, we know that many of your law schools have already selected the LMS and maybe even the tools. We will cover some guidelines for deciding which technology to use and some tips on using technology, such as video and audio. 

In the first session, we suggested you form a student group. If you have not done so, we’re going to repeat this suggestion. Study groups play an essential role in learning for law students. Use this mini-course to experience study groups as your students will if your courses are online. If you didn’t look at Professor Nicole Lefton’s lesson on forming study groups for Session 1, consider running it now. 

If you have formed a study group, consider meeting on different platforms. Popular among students are Zoom, HouseParty, and Google Hangouts. Watch2gether is also useful as it allows you and your students to view videos, such as from YouTube simultaneously. 

 

Speakers:

The speakers leading this session are CALI’s own Executive Director, John Mayer, and Director of Technology, Elmer Masters. 

Learning Outcomes:

At the conclusion of this session you should be able to:

  1. Distinguish between a LMS and a tool.
  2. Explain how you could use video in your course.
  3. Create an audio or video recording.
  4. Compare when you could use recorded video or a podcast in your course.

Readings:

Tools:

Here are some tools that you may find useful. Consider this list as a starting point for investigating tools for online teaching.

Audio Recording Tools

  1. Windows 10 Voice Recorder
  2. Mac – iPhone Voice Memos
  3. Recorder from Google for Android 10 (produces nifty transcripts, too)
  4. Looking for the record function on any other device? Google “[device] voice recorder” 

Open Source Audio – Editing

Audacity – https://www.audacityteam.org/

Help manual – https://manual.audacityteam.org/man/faq.html

Here’s an example of one of CALI’s short podcasts., by Professor Jennifer Martin. Each podcast includes a transcript in Word, where students can take notes.  Procedurally, Professor Martin started with the transcript. After drafting it, she asked a colleague to review it. Professor Martin then revised the transcript if necessary and later recorded it using Audacity. If Professor Martin misspoke or a dog barked, she would briefly pause. She would start the paragraph or sentence over and continue with the recording. The “pause” and restart of the material made editing easier. 

Video Capture and Recording Tools

  1. Zoom! Launch a Zoom meeting and hit record.
  2. OBS – Open Broadcast Software – https://obsproject.com/

Video Editing Tools

  1. Camtasia from Techsmith – https://www.techsmith.com/video-editor.html
  2. Openshot (free) – https://www.openshot.org/

 

Assessment:

  • After completing the session’s readings, please attempt this short quiz. (5 minutes) You will need to login to the CALI website. The author of the quiz (Deb at CALI) will be able to see your scores. 
  • Listen to a peer’s audio recording in the discussion forum. In your teaching journal, note any style choices or techniques that their recording included that you could adopt for your course? Consider whether you stayed engaged through the whole recording? Why or why not. 

Zoom Poll:

Have you taken an online course, besides this course?

  1. YES
  2. NO

Discussion Forum:

  1. Create a 1-3 minute audio recording explaining one concept or case summary from your course that students typically have questions about. Before Session 3, post it to the discussion forum. In selecting a topic, think about what types of questions you get after class or during office hours. Post your recording here. 
  2. Have you used any audio or video tool in your courses that you would recommend. Briefly explain why you are recommending it. Respond here.