In a not so recent post, I mentioned about the LAMS Audio Video Recorder as one of the new improvements in LAMS 2.3.  It is among the 5 newest tools included in this latest version.

The LAMS Video Recorder tool allows authors to record instructions for their learners and embed them into a sequence.

The Video Recorder comes as a seperate activity, which allows learners to upload their own videos and optionally comment and rate on each other's recordings, and the tool also includes a FCKEditor plugin, which allows Authors to record a video and insert it into "any activity" they choose.  As teacher, you can record a "starting point" video to start off the conversation, then the students can share their videos, add comments and ratings to each other's videos. 

In the Video Recorder Activity Authoring environment, all property sheets contain 3 tabs, namely:

• The Basic tab which controls the content of the activity
• The Advanced tab which controls how the activity behaves
• The Instructions tab which allows authors and teachers to comment on the activity itself. There is an additional Conditions tab where the activity allows authors to customize the activity outputs for branching or grouping operations.

• Title.  All Activities have a Web page title presented at the top of the activity page when displayed in the Learning Environment.  This is NOT the same title as the Title set in the Properties Inspector.


• Instructions.  All Activities have a text area presented beneath the title.  Here is where authors put the activity text to be displayed to learners.  The text can be formatted using the Rich Text Editor.  Image, Video, Audio, and URL content can also be displayed in the Instructions area.

A specific feature for the Video Recorder Activity is the Record Video which allows authors or teachers to record video from a webcam and play it back directly in LAMS.  To begin recording, simply click the Record button and record the message.

In the Advanced tab for the Video Recorder Activity are the following:

•  Lock When Finished feature which, when enabled, will not allow learners to upload, rate, or comment on videos once they have clicked "Next Activity and moved on in the sequence.  However, learners can still return to the sequence using the Progress bar and view the videos and comments.
  
  If the activity is left as Unlocked, Learners can return to the activity at any time and upload new videos and change comments and ratings.


• Add Notebook option which is available on all Activities. Enabling this option creates a Notebook as part of the Activity, which Learner's can use to reflect on the activity just completed. The reflections are personal (ie: not shared with other learners).

Advanced features specific only to the Video Recorder Activity are as follows:

• Allow the Use of Microphone Recording which enables or disables sound recording for learners.
• Allow the use of Camera Recording which enables or disables video recording for learners.

• Allow learners to see each others recordings.  In some cases, the author may want to keep learner's recordings private, and in other situations, the tool may be collaborative.
  The next two options are only available if learners are allowed to view each others videos.
  
  
  • Allow comments which enables or disables the commenting interface for other learners videos.
  • Allow ratings which enables or disables the rating interface for other learners videos.

• Locally include recordsings in Export Portfolio.  This option specifies whether or not the Author and Learner's recordings are stored in the .ZIP file that is exported for the activity.
  
  
  • If selected, the video is saved inside the .ZIP as an .FLV movie, and is viewable from the portfolio.
  • If deselected, the video is hyperlinked from the portfolio, and learners must connect to the LAMS server where the video was recorded to view them again.

• Export all recordings on Export Portfolio
  • When enabled, this option saves every recording from the author and each learner in each individual portfolio.
  • When disabled, only the recordings from the sequence Author and the Learner's own recordings are exported.

The Instructions tab contains the same features for all Activities.

It allows the Author to create specific instructions for the activity, as well as upload files that may be useful for running the activity (ie: support documents, etc.).  It is a resource that can be used by teachers who are running the sequence for their learners. (In the Monitoring Environment, the Instructions for an Activity can be viewed by double clicking the activity on the Sequence tab and then selecting the Instructions tab.

The instructions can be retrieved by other authors who open the activity, or by monitors running the sequence.

There are two types of Instruction possible, Offline and Online, depending on the mode that the teacher wishes to run the activity.  The feature is useful for teachers who are sharing sequences with their colleagues as it provides an area where the Author can describe any learning objectives and/or the specific purpose of the activity.

Conditions tab is basically for activities that support text-based conditions.  Learners can be assigned to "groups" or streamed to different "branches" according to their responses to an Activity.

More of the Video Recorder in the Monitoring environment in my next post.