Lectopia @ UWA - Using the Lectopia Staff Tool

The Lectopia Staff Tool is a web-based tool that allows lecturers and other staff to interact with the information stored about their unit and the related lectures. Using this tool, it is possible to:

Attach a PowerPoint file (note: other types of files can be uploaded as well)
View or update unit level information

Update unit contact details
Update the lecture rating settings
Modify the way the lectures are listed for students
Generate student usage reports

View or update recording level information

Get web links to individual lectures
View lecture ratings (if they have been enabled at the unit level)
Update lecture details, such as speaker and topic
Manage associated files

Upload media files for new unit recordings or existing scheduled unit recordings (self-service upload)
Provide details of copyright material that has been used in lectures
View system notices (current and archived)

Gaining Access

To access the Lectopia Staff Tool, go to: www.lectopia.uwa.edu.au/lectopia/staff/

Login using your Pheme account (staff number and password). To request access to the Staff Tool, send an email to: lectopia@uwa.edu.au.

Staff Tool Tips

The following are a collection of tips using the Staff Tool.

Consider uploading your PowerPoint files before the lecture so that students can print off the PDF versions in preparation for the lecture.
Set the recording status to skipped or cancelled if the lecture will not be running, so that the lecture will not be recorded.
Upload files other than PowerPoint to be attached to your lecture.
See how students are using the lectures by viewing the Student Usage Reports.

Attaching Files

Attaching files to your lectures will provide students with easy access to your lecture material. When PowerPoint files are uploaded, they are made available in various PDF formats (3, 6 and 9 slides per page), as well as individual slide images that will are displayed in the Lectopia Caster. See the Lectopia Examples to view examples of recordings with PowerPoint slides.

Other file types, such as Excel documents and PDF files, can also be uploaded and associated with each lecture. For example, you may wish to upload an Excel spreadsheet that you demonstrated in an Accounting lecture, or a PDF document containing special fonts that you used in a Linguistics lecture. Links to these files will also be displayed in the Lectopia Caster.

To upload a PowerPoint file or another type of file:

Click the upload link that appears adjacent to the relevant lecture (note: you can also click the upload a related file link that appears on the Recording Details page).
Ensure the file is named with the appropriate file extension. If you are uploading a PowerPoint file, the file name must have ".ppt" as the file extension, e.g. "2007-lecture1.ppt".
If the file you are uploading is not a PowerPoint file, you should provide a short descriptive title for the file, e.g. "Supply and demand spreadsheet".
Click Browse... (or Choose File) to locate the file on your computer that you wish to upload.
Click Upload File. Once the file has finished uploading, a summary page will be displayed indicating that the file upload was successful - or an error will be reported if they file was larger than 200Mb. Note: files may take a while to upload, particularly if the file is large and/or you are accessing the Internet via a dialup connection.

Uploaded PowerPoint files will usually be available within an hour or so of being uploaded. Other file types will be available almost immediately as no processing is required. However the lecture list page is usually configured to display only lectures from on or before the current date. This default behaviour can be changed by modifying the way the lectures are listed for students (see below for instructions).

Editing Unit Details

Once you have logged in the Staff Tool, click one of the listed units to view the unit details page. The unit details page will provide a summary of the unit, including a list of staff that have been provided access. If you wish to modify the list of staff with access, send an email to: lectopia@uwa.edu.au.

The following is a list of things that can be achieved from the Unit Details page.

Update the unit contact details.
Enable the lecture rating feature.
Modify the way the lectures are listed for students. For example, you may wish to conceal the number of hits per lecture from students.

You can also generate reports that display the way in which students are using the Lectopia recordings for your unit. To generate a particular report, you need to first enter the date range for the report. For example, to view a report for first semester 2005 you might select 2005-03-01 ... 2005-06-01. The following are the different reports that can be generated.

Recording hits by lecture
Recording hits by user (student)
Recording hits by time of hit
Recording hits by week of recording
Recording hits by week of hit
Days after recording by recording hit

Editing Recording Details

Once you have selected the unit you wish to access, you can view or modify the details for each lecture by clicking the appropriate lecture in the recording list. The following is a list of things that can be achieved from the Recording Details page.

Listen to lectures.
Update recording details such as Speaker, Topic, Related URL and Outline. This information is displayed to students in the lecture list.
If the lecture is yet to be recorded (Status is scheduled), you can set the Status to cancelled or skipped. In this case, the lecture will not be recorded, however the lecture will remain in the list.
Get a unique web link for the lecture currently being viewed.
Upload a PowerPoint file or a file of other type. You can also delete links to files that have already been uploaded.
View the ratings and feedback from students (if you have enabled this feature at the unit level).
Report on the use of copyright material in your lectures.

Using Self-Service Upload

Self-service upload is a step-by-step wizard that allows staff to record and upload their own audio or video media files for processing and delivery through the Lectopia system. Staff can upload their file(s) to a new unit recording, or an existing scheduled unit recording. Self-service upload is accessed via the Lectopia Staff Tool by clicking on the 'Upload New Recording' icon shown at left. Please note that this feature is currently only available to staff on request. To request access or assistance regarding self-service upload, send an email to: lectopia@uwa.edu.au.

Desktop lecture capture

Staff may use a desktop lecture capture program (e.g. Camtasia or similar) to capture and edit an audio or video presentation. Examples may include using a microphone or webcam for narration of software demonstrations or PowerPoint slideshows, or audio-only presentations. Some of these programs also facilitate post-production editing, allowing staff to 'top 'n' tail' their recordings, or insert additional edits or other media. Once complete, these recordings can be saved or exported to common audio or video formats that are supported for upload and processing through the Lectopia system.

Student productions or presentations

Students enrolled in courses requiring production of digital media-based materials, e.g. digital video, animation or music created in multimedia editing software, can use self-service upload to process and deliver their files through the Lectopia system via WebCT or a dedicated unit web page.

Field-based or adhoc recordings

Recordings captured on portable electronic devices such as MP3 recorders, dictaphones, iPods, memory cards or hard drive recorders, or direct-to-laptop using multimedia editing software, can be easily uploaded for processing and delivery through the Lectopia system, provided the files are available in common audio or video formats.

Reporting Use of Copyright Material

This section provides instructions on how to report on copyright material that has been recorded in a Lectopia recording. This includes commercial music material and broadcast audio visual material.

To begin, you will need to be viewing the Recording Details for a particular lecture in which material was recorded.

Click the Add Copyright Material Record link immediately below the Recording Details heading (or the Add new record for this recording link in the Copyright Material Records section of the page). The Copyright Record Details page will be displayed.
Select the relevant Agency.

Select Screenrights for broadcast audio visual material.
Select AMCOS (Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society) for music material that appears in the AMCOS list (PDF file).
Select ARIA (Australasian Record Industry Association) for music material that appears in the ARIA list (PDF file).
Select PPCA (Phonographic Performance Company of Australia) for music material that appears in the PPCA list (PDF file).

Enter data into each of the fields as required.

For broadcast audio visual material you need to enter details such as Program Title, Source, Date/Time, and Audience. The Audience is the number of students that are enrolled in the unit.
For music material you need to enter details such as Title, Composer Album Title. This information is usually on the cover or insert of a CD, cassette or LP.

Click Add.

In cases where multiple items are used in the same lecture (e.g. multiple CD tracks or segments from different TV shows) , each item must be individually added. To add multiple items for the same lecture, simply follow the steps outlined again.

You can also update or delete previously entered records by using the options available in the Copyright Material Records section of the Recording Details page.

For assistance is entering copyright material records, please contact the Lectopia team (lectopia@uwa.edu.au or on 6488 8757 or 6488 4679).

Other Features

The following are a few additional features that have not been outlined in the previous sections:

Notices that have been posted by support staff are posted at the top of the page, immediately under the banner. To access archived notices, click the View notices archive link on the main menu.
You can see a snapshot of the current recording activity by clicking the View current recording activity link on the main menu.