Echo360 Universal Capture

Install and log in to Universal Capture

Log in and out of Universal Capture

When you first access Universal Capture, you will be prompted to log in to the application.

A new window will open in your browser and you will be instructed to enter your University email address, followed by your University login credentials.

Important: Use your username@unimelb.edu.au email address when logging in to Lecture Capture.

Live streaming in Universal Capture

Enabling live streaming from Universal Capture will make your recording available to students in real time from the Lecture Capture page in the LMS.

Note: live streams have a maximum duration of four hours and are only available for captures that are published to a Lecture Capture course.

Starting a Live Capture

Follow the steps to create a new recording, ensuring to select the Live Stream checkbox.

Start the capture to begin your live stream.

A LIVE icon appears in the top-right corner of the Universal Capture interface to indicate this recording is currently streaming live.

Viewing a Live Capture

Live captures will appear with a LIVE tag in the Lecture Capture page, along with a green dot to indicate the session is in progress.

To watch the session, click the title of the capture next to the LIVE icon, then click Show Live Stream.

Editing, sharing and using recordings

Once uploaded to Echo360, recordings can be edited to remove unwanted parts of the recording, shared with other users, and added to subjects in combination with presentation slides or activity slides, all within the Lecture Capture system.

You can also open up the Q&A feature to allow students to engage in conversation on recordings.

See our Lecture Capture staff guides for more information.

Why create screen capture videos?

A common way to create online video presentations for the LMS is to capture the computer screen while recording the audio and video of the presenter via a webcam. Echo360 Universal Capture is the University of Melbourne’s recommended screen capture software. The software allows capture recording to be published to the Echo360 Lecture Capture server, providing streaming server access to recordings. These links to screen capture videos can then be made available to students via the LMS.

Benefits of screen capture videos

• Provide flexibility to students in regards to accessing learning and attendance requirements
• Students are able to pause and review recordings as many times as they wish, suiting different learning preferences and language competencies
• Catering to different learning styles
• Provide video content or instructions to students to review prior to face-to-face sessions, allowing for more interactive and collaborative tutorial or lecture time
• Can easily be reused for future delivery of subjects
• Provide a rich visual media to explain concepts to students.

Uses of screen capture videos

• Short messages to personalise your LMS e.g. welcome to the subject
• Create pre-course videos of required background subject content
• Explanations of LMS content or other software or websites
• Replacement of presentations or lectures as mini video lectures
• Recording of a visiting lecturer or industry experts at a time preferable to the visitor or for future students
• To create presentations to support understanding of the learning material
• To clarify concepts that often cause confusion in an engaging way
• Response to a debate or reflection from a lecture or discussion board posts
• Explanation of requirements for the assessment
• A weekly summary of the course or requirements for the coming week.

Best practice when creating screen capture videos

There are different steps for creating a screen capture video. Below are some hints and consideration at each of the steps in creating a screen capture video.

Things to think about for screen capture video

• When watching videos students prefer chunked content in short: 5 -10 minute segments. They are unlikely to watch a 10 minute capture. If a concept takes longer to explain, find natural breaks to create multiple videos. Students will continue to watch the following captures if they are interested.
• Motivate the audience and explain what they will get out of watching the video
• Story telling is an important part of a capture – tell stories with a beginning, middle and end, explain the ‘why’ as well as the ‘what’, providing real examples
• Captures are a one-way media. Consider adding questions or prompting reflections within your capture. This gives the appearance of dialogue, make the capture more personal and may promote deeper level thinking.

Create and design your capture presentation using PowerPoint or Keynote

• Set the aspect ratio to 16:9 in Page Set up in PowerPoint or via the Inspector in Keynote
• Slides need to be clear with high quality images and limited amounts of words. Complicated busy slides overwhelm the audience
• Make content look visually interesting
• Use colour, not just black and white
• For readability ensure a minimum font size 24pt
• When using screen capture only (i.e. not using a webcam) including a photo of yourself in the presentation to aid to student connection
• Keep the look, the banner, and fonts consistent
• Consider designing your own graphics to avoid copyright issues.

Copyright considerations

• If you are using material that you did not create yourself in your capture, check whether it can be recorded – for example, commercially purchased music and commercially purchased film content cannot be recorded on a capture. If you need help, contact the Copyright Office.
• Review the Copyright Office's information on Copyright & Teaching, in particular using Copyright Material in lectures.
• For capture recordings that contain copyright material and are uploaded to the LMS, the same regulations apply to that copyright material that would apply if you were to upload that material directly into the LMS.
• Always cite your sources.
• Put Copyright citations at the end of your presentation or below images.
• Be aware if a capture is to be made publicly available Copyright requirements are more stringent and you should contact the Copyright Office for advice.

Before recording

• Write a script for your capture or rehearse what you are going to say. Rehearsal will improve your performance; you will come across as more relaxed and be able to focus on audience engagement. It will also shorten the editing process.
• If using a webcam, think about what you wearing. A bold single colour looks better in camera. Avoid patterns and white and rattling jewellery.
• If using a webcam, think about the background behind your screen, is it distracting or does it portray the impression you want to your audience?
• If using a webcam with two speakers, make sure both are in camera
• Close down any software programs on the computer you are not using in the capture
• Magnify the computer screen where you can – webpages and Excel in particular
• Know the short-cut commands or where the pause and stop keys are for easy access during the capture recording
• Good audio is crucial to engagement. Run a short test recording to ensure the microphone captures audio correctly before starting your actual recording.

During recording

• The camera is your connection to your audience – good camera interaction is important. Think about connecting and engaging with your audience through body language and expression
• If using a webcam, make sure you maintain eye contact with the camera keeping your head still. It is distracting if your eyes are roaming
• Show enthusiasm for your subject through facial expressions, voice and hand gestures to display personality, curiosity and interest
• Speak clearly, at a moderate speed
• If using a webcam, get close enough to the camera so that your audience can read your body language but do not fill the screen
• Think about explanations that have resonated with your students in the past, use clear explanations, preferably with visuals to support. Waffling will disengage your audience
• You can use annotation on your screen or within the presentation software to add to your explanation and the visual engagement
• When explaining websites or software move your mouse slowly and allow time to show hover hints
• If you muddle your words, start the sentence again. You can edit the mistake out later.
• If using a script consider how you are going to read the script and maintain eye contact with the camera
• If recording two people talking, the presenters can move between looking at each other and the camera

Editing

• Depending on the amount of editing needed in the capture, you will allow some time for the editing and upload process. Editing can take 5-10 minutes for every one minute of the original capture.
• You do not be a perfectionist, if the capture shows passion and provides a clear explanation, students will understand the odd word stumble.
• If you are not confident with the editing process, review help guides and videos available before saving changes to the raw capture
• Play back the entire recording before publishing or exporting
• Ask another person to review the final capture before making it available to students

This guide was last updated 25 Nov 2022.
Please report any errors or omissions in this guide by submitting an LMS support request.

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