What is ReView ?
ReView is a Teesside University’s media streaming service. This easy-to-use video recording platform powered by Panopto can be used for lecture capture, personal capture/screencasting and streaming video content. In Blackboard Ultra ReView recordings can combine audio, video, PowerPoint slides and screen capture in a format that can then be accessed by students at any time using a computer, tablet or mobile device.
Any audio and/or video content that you wish to use in your Blackboard module should be uploaded to ReView, rather than uploaded directly into the module. This will manage your module quota allocation, as well as providing a more effective solution for students.
This guide will explain everything you need know to get started using ReView.
What can I Use ReView for?
The ReView service is backed by a powerful, yet versatile video recording platform, Panopto, that can be used to create many different video resources for teaching and learning. Here are a few of the most common ways in which you can use the ReView service at Teesside University.
- Lecture Capture – Use ReView to record your lectures and allow students to refer back to them at a later date.
- Personal Capture / Presentation – Record your own videos from within Blackboard Ultra.
- Existing Audio and Video Content – As well as recording lectures and personal captures, you can upload any existing videos that you use as part of your teaching and embed them within your Blackboard modules.
Using ReView to record a video in Blackboard Ultra
Follow these steps for recording a presentation within your module using the Panopto recorder application. These steps are the same for recording your lectures.
- Open Blackboard Ultra and open up the relevant module.
- In the module, click on Module Tools under the Details & Actions panel.
- From the side panel that appears, click on ReView Video Library. If you can’t see ReView Video Library listed, click Browse all module tools
- Click on the orange Create button at the top of the page. From here, you can select the appropriate option:
Panopto for Windows will allow you to record a session using the Panopto recorder software.
Panopto Capture allows you to record using your browser.
Upload Media allows you to upload existing audio/video content you may already have.
For the rest of this guide, we’re going to use the Panopto for Windows option. - Select Panopto for Windows. A pop up window will appear, asking you to Open Panopto. Follow the prompts and wait for the Panopto software to open.
- You will see in the interface load up, and it’ll list both the Folder and Name. “Folder” is the module where you’ve instigated the process, and “Name” defaults to the current date and time. If you so desire, give the recording a different name.
- Select the appropriate Primary Sources. For Video select the appropriate web camera from the drop down menu and for Audio select the microphone. Adjust the volume slider if required.
In GPT rooms and lecture theatres, there should be a boundary microphone listed which is recommended – Microphone (USB audio CODEC).
Note: Ensure that you plug in the input devices (i.e. web camera/microphone) before launching the recorder. - Set Quality to High. Check Capture Computer Audio if you choose to record any audio that plays on your computer.
- Once you have selected your video and audio inputs, select the relevant Secondary Sources. If you are using PowerPoint, tick Capture PowerPoint. Alternatively, if you wish to record any screen activity (including presentations) on your primary monitor, tick Capture Main Screen. The software will automatically detect any additional screens, and you can choose these if desired. You may also choose to capture additional video/web camera feed by clicking Add Another Video Source.
- Depending on your media will dictate the next stage.
Option 1 – Delivering a session using PowerPoint
If your PowerPoint is already open, the software should identify this and you should get the message “PowerPoint is open but is not currently presenting”. Check the “Start presenting when recording starts” and then click the large Record button to start recording.
If your PowerPoint is not open, click Open a Presentation. Browse for your file and click Open. This will prompt a message to “Begin recording after PowerPoint opens?”. By clicking Yes, this will launch your PowerPoint to presentation mode and start the recording for you.
Option 2 – Recording the screen
There is a “Enable Screen Capture Preview” option to allow you to make sure you are recording the correct screen, handy when you have multiple screens. Once you are happy with your Primary and Secondary sources, click the large Record button to start recording. - When finished, click the Pause or Stop button. You may need to open the Panopto software in order to stop the recording as it may have minimised, depending on what you are recording. When you click Stop, a Recording Complete window will pop up. Click Done if you are happy with your recording, or click Delete and record again to record again.
- You can now embed the video in your module (detailed below).
Upload Media to ReView
As well as lecture capture/personal capture, ReView can be used to upload existing media content to share with your students. ReView supports a wide range of audio and video formats including AVI, MP4, MPG, WMV, MOV, QT, ASF, 3GP, WMA and MP3. You can also upload video files downloaded from Collaborate to generate editable captions in ReView.
- As above, open Blackboard and navigate to your module. From the Details & Actions panel, access the Module Tools.
- Now select ReView Video Library.
- Click on the Create button at the top of the page. From here, select Upload media.
- Follow the prompts to add your recordings, and your media will begin to upload to the ReView Video Library.
- Once the upload has completed, close the window. The video will continue to process behind the scenes, ready for you to embed (see below).
Embed your video into the Module Content area
Once you have created or uploaded a video, it will sit in your ReView Video Library. You now need to make it visible to students. Please note that videos stored in the ReView Video Library are not private, even though there’s no direct link in the module. If a student is using the Panopto app, they can access the videos.