New Recording Studio Enhances Online Statistics Courses

As the Department of Statistics develops its new Master of Applied Statistics online program, faculty now benefit from an in-house recording studio to create high-quality course content. And it’s just a walk down the hall to a small office in their building, Snedecor Hall.

Department of Statistics Chair Dan Nettleton said the studio is a comfortable space for instructors to focus on their recordings “without having to wonder if the audio and video will be up to technical specifications.”

For online classes, CELT Media Production Manager Andrew Sevcik said videos made intentionally in a studio geared toward online instruction are best.

“It provides that step up in quality from sitting in their home or office recording on Zoom, Webex or Canvas Studio,” Media Production Specialist Kyle Solberg said.

The CELT Media Production Team worked with faculty in the department to assess needs, and how to best meet them.

That solution consists of a lectern cart that holds the equipment, a computer, a monitor mounted on the cart, a high-quality webcam, a wireless mic system, a Wacom tablet that allows presenters to draw on their notes, a light kit, and a backdrop with custom branding.

The elevated recording quality provides a better student experience and a sense of consistency across courses in the program, Sevcik and Solberg said.

That uniformity, Nettleton said, lets students “focus on learning our course content without the distractions and frustrations that can come from lower-quality media.”

This is just one example of CELT working with a strategic program to advance student-centered learning. Is your department wrestling with providing the best experience for online students? The CELT team is happy to discuss options and best practices.