“Course media” and “media” are terms that have many meanings depending on the situation or context. We understand that everyone will come into course development with their unique viewpoint or understanding based on their prior experiences. With that said, it’s important that we come to a shared meaning so we can collaborate effectively.

For our purposes, we define course media as:

• A digital visual/audio learning resource
• Created by the developing faculty
• Collaboratively produced with an MPL specifically for a UW Extended Campus supported course
• A foundational course resource that won’t need to be updated before a scheduled revision of the course (courses are typically revised every 2-3 years)

Examples

• A presentation deck with audio narration and visuals that explores a particular topic
• A video introducing students to the course
• A screen recording demonstrating how to use software

An OER is a learning resource that is made available to the public at no cost. Typically, OERs are electronic, not copyrighted, and made available on the Web. OERs can include everything from textbooks to educational videos.

“Just in Time” content includes videos or screen recordings that have been created and posted in a short time to address a time-sensitive or situational need. An example would be a video response posted on a course discussion board.

The Media Services team does not provide active support on OERs or “Just in Time” content. Faculty should consult with their instructional designer (ID) about OERs. For “Just in Time,” faculty can reference our self-help technical guide on Kaltura Capture or reach out to their campus IT desktop support.

Media Consultation

The media consultation is a meeting between faculty, the ID, and the MPL where course media ideas are generated. The MPL and ID will help faculty cultivate these ideas by asking questions, making suggestions, advising on best practices, sharing examples, and even proposing new ideas or alternative approaches. This ideation process may wrap up in just one meeting or continue on past the consultation, ultimately leading to a completed media plan.

Media Plan

The media plan is a complete detail of all the course media being produced. It briefly outlines each media piece’s purpose, format, and location in the course. This information is typically recorded in the course alignment map.

Faculty Development

First, faculty will author their course media. This could be, but might not be limited to, organizing and audio narrating a PowerPoint slide deck, writing a script for a video, or recording a screencast. Your MPL will ensure you can successfully tackle any of these tasks by providing 1:1 training, self-guided resources, and sometimes software or hardware.

ID Review

Second, your ID will review your course media files. They may come back with questions or suggestions that may necessitate you to make updates. In some instances, they may proactively make pedagogical additions or adjustments to your course media. This might include splitting a presentation slide into multiple slides, reorganizing text content into a more graphical layout, or adding relevant imagery. These design choices are done in service of the student experience and focus on the layout and structure of your content and not the content itself.

Media Production

Third and finally, your MPL will put your course media through our production process. This includes editing audio and video, graphic creation, animation design, and hosting media files.

After your course media has been through the media production process, it is reviewed by your ID and embedded in the course. At this point, it is expected that faculty will review the produced course media and provide any crucial feedback before course launch.

During this phase, the produced course media is actively transcribed. All produced course media has a downloadable transcript, closed captions, or both. At this point, course media development is complete!