Information Technology
E-Learning
Area Overview, Duties, and Responsibilities
Introduction:
Extended Learning, or E-Learning, a division of Information Technology, serves as the primary user support for all electronic based education delivery. The departments mission is rooted in the purpose of extending a variety of electronic based learning options to students while maintaining the quality of the educational experience.
Primary Duties
- Record, edit and prepare lectures for distance delivery.
- Provide assistance to professors relating to video requirements for various course supplement needs.
- Compress and upload lectures to the USG’s podcast server.
- Duplicate and publish class lectures for DVD distribution.
- Manage, staff and program GHTV
- Produce and provide programming for GHTV
- Assist various departments with video production.
Overview of E-Learning
The Extended Learning Department is responsible for the production of electronic-based accredited courses and electronic based supplements to courses. This includes complete courses and additions/supplements to courses. The department also programs and operates the college television station, GHTV, and provides video assistance to various college departments and divisions.
The mission of the Extended Learning Department is to provide electronic-based accredited courses to GHC students through nontraditional methods of course delivery including Georgia Highlands Television, DVD, internet, and other electronic methods to enable students opportunities to utilize time resources to obtain course credits.
College by DVD, digital video disc, allows students to purchase a series of DVD’s to view class sessions and complete assignments on their own schedules. Courses, which are produced on campus with Georgia Highland’s faculty, are accompanied by traditional text, handouts, and online supplements. An on-campus orientation session at the beginning of each semester provides students with course syllabus, all introductory materials, and discs. Periodically during the semester students will meet with the instructor on campus for tests, labs, etc. The courses are also made available On-Line through the USG’s podcast server.
GHC On-Line courses offer students a great deal of flexibility in scheduling as well as access to information and communication resources not found in the traditional classroom. Courses are constructed and administered from a course website where students can view the syllabus, policies, assignments, lecture notes, multimedia presentations, and interactive tutorials. Some courses may require an initial orientation in a face-to-face meeting on campus and may require additional meetings during the semester for testing, labs, or for other administrative purposes. Most of the communication with the professor and other students is via e-mail, electronic discussion forums and blogs. Students who are the most successful in these courses are self-directed, independent learners who demonstrate the basic computer skills outlined above. These courses can be ideal for students who are prevented by time and location from attending traditional classes.
GHTVprovides distance learning courses to subscribers of Comcast Cable in Floyd County on cable channel 4. Each GHTV telecourse class airs at least 3 times—once during the scheduled meeting time and twice in a weekly block over the following weekend. Students generally travel to campus for exams, labs, etc., though some of these activities can also take place online.
The purpose and mission of GHTV:
- To produce and provide for credit or noncredit college classes in an electronic format delivered via cablecast.
- To produce and provide educational and informational programs promoting various programs and opportunities available through Georgia Highlands College.
- To produce and provide programming of community interest provided it contains educational and/or artistic merit.
- To extend the educational opportunities of Georgia Highlands College via distance learning.
- To inform the Greater Rome Community of Georgia Highlands College activities and insure a close relationship between city/county and college.
- To program and schedule various programming from other educational providers in Floyd County.
The following is a list of common duties and responsibilities associated with E-Learning:
Editing Directing
Shooting video Operating live switcher
Scheduling Programming Ingest
Scripting Publishing
On-line video preparation
Description of Duties and Responsibilities
- Editing
The process of editing raw segments of digital videotape into a completed segment, lecture or program. Final Cut software is used with a Mac platform. Various special effects and graphics are also utilized.
- Directing
Overseeing the video project. The director is responsible for the total look of the completed project. He provides direction to the talent and crew.
- Shooting video
Usually refers to an ENG, electronic news gathering, environment whereby a single videographer is responsible for shooting video along with recording sound for a video project.
- Operating Live Switcher
Refers to a studio operation whereby the director mixes the video in a live environment. GHTV utilizes a three camera studio with a live digital switcher.
- Scheduling programming
The management of GHTV requires that the programming be scheduled on a daily basis. Each semester a schedule is developed to insure proper playback of programs. This schedule is used as a guide when programming the system for playback.
- Ingest
In order to schedule and playback programming on GHTV, the video first has to be ingested into the system. This requires either lifting the file or playing the video in real-time. The end result is that the video is in a usable format. The same process is used to transfer video into a format whereby it can be edited.
- Scripting
Scripting or script writing involves writing out the ideas needed to convey the message. With video production a storyboard is usually a part of the process. The end result provides traditional script along with any technical direction or movement that needs to be conveyed.
- Publishing
The college by DVD program requires that the DVD’s be published prior to delivery. This involves the transfer of data to the disc and designing proper labels that are then attached to the disc.
- On-line video preparation
This process refers to preparing the video for on-line delivery. Compression is used in order to maintain the proper file size.