Submitting Student Assignments With Kaltura Kaltura media can be used for Blackboard assignments that receive grades in multiple ways. Any standard discussion board, blog, wiki, or journal that you might already use in Blackboard will give you access to the WYSIWYG toolbar. From there you can create webcam records, screencasts, upload local media, and access the My Media repository. Students can add or create media as a Mashup anywhere in Blackboard where the WYSIWYG toolbar appears. Using the Mashup button on the WYSIWIG toolbar gives you all the same tools as with all Kaltura media. You can upload or create content from within the content item with the Add New button or search and select from My Media. Wilmington University edtech@wilmu.edu 1
You can add media for an assignment, discussion board, blog, etc. anywhere that the WYSIWYG toolbar appears, or you can also add it through the My Media module on the Blackboard landing page. Adding any media in any Blackboard area will also add it to your My Media list. Clicking the Add New button allows you upload a file, record from your webcam, or record your screen (create a screencast.) To upload a video file, click Media Upload and browse to the file you want to upload. 2
You can keep adding files to upload by scrolling down and pressing the Choose another file button. Kaltura will upload the file then add it to the content area you re in and also to your My Media list. You will then have the opportunity to change the title, add tags and other metadata, and more even while the video is uploading and processing. Adding accurate tags and descriptions is important because those are fields you can search later when you re looking for a specific video. All the videos in you My Media repository will always be available to you to insert as a course item later. 3
Along with uploading video files to your media gallery you can also record screencasts or record from your webcam. You can make a quick and easy screencast from anywhere that the Add New button appears. The screen recorder is a Java app, and you might get any variety of Java pop ups asking if you should run, allow, download, etc. Always answer in the affirmative for the Java when using the Kaltura screen recorder. If you are having difficulty you may need to update your Java software at http://www.java.com/en/download/index.jsp 4
If you re familiar with Screencast o matic you ll recognize the Kaltura screen recording interface. You can record anything on your desktop such as a web browser, PowerPoint presentation, and more. Select your microphone or headset from the menu next to the microphone and drag the handles to cover the area of the screen you want to record. ANYTHING INSIDE THE DOTTED LINE BOX WILL BE RECORDED. Be mindful of open email windows, social networks, and other privacy concerns on your desktop. 5
Press the red button to start recording. You ll have the opportunity to preview your screencast and restart it if you don t like it. After you press done you ll be asked to add tags and metadata, then press the upload button to add the video. The red record button will change to a pause button while you re recording. You can listen to what you re already recorded by pressing the play button, and you can even go back and re record part of your screencast by clicking in the middle of the timeline and recording again from that point on. This tool works well for projects like narrating a PowerPoint or other presentation assignments. You can also record directly from your webcam into Blackboard for things like video discussion boards, video blogs, speech presentation assignments, and more. Webcam recording works from anywhere the Add New button appears. 6
You may get a pop up asking to allow access to your webcam. You will need to select Allow for webcam recording to work. You will see a preview of your webcam after you press Allow. If you have multiple webcams you may need to select it from the drop down list. When you re ready press the record button. 7
When you re finished you will follow the same steps as with other videos to add a title and metadata tags, and the video will be added to your My Media repository and to the content item where you created it. All videos created from anywhere in Blackboard using the Kaltura Mashup or using the Add New button will always be added to your My Media gallery regardless of what area of Blackboard courses or organizations they originated from. When you submit the content using the Mashup button on the toolbar, you ll see your video represented in the text box, like this example. You can add additional text, links, images, etc. around the video if needed. You can also submit a video through Kaltura through an assignment link, such as when you submit a paper to the instructor. When you click on an assignment link, you will see a button labeled Write Submission. Clicking on that button will reveal the Blackboard WYSIWYG toolbar (the same as in discussion boards, blogs, and journals.) The Mashups button is in the third row on the toolbar, just as with other content areas. 8
However, the toolbar might appear to the student as a single row of buttons, with the other rows hidden. You will need to press the double down arrow to the right to reveal all the buttons. When you press the Mashups button you will be able to add Kaltura Media to the assignment right from the My Media Library or create or upload new media. A thumbnail will appear in the assignment, and they will be able to add other text or information for the instructor, if needed. Press the submit button at the bottom and the assignment will be sent to the instructor just as with an attached written paper, PowerPoint, etc. 9
The instructor will see the video embedded right into the assignment for easy grading and feedback, just as if you had submitted a document or PowerPoint. 10