Bruincast: Faculty FAQ

What is Bruincast?

Bruincast is a service offered and subsidized by the Office of Instructional Development to video stream and/ or audio podcast regularly scheduled undergraduate lectures.

Video Streaming – Video Streaming allows students to review the class after lecture is over.  They can see the instructor, the whiteboard, slides, and any image that is showed through the video/ data projector.   Streaming video is beneficial because it is not stored on the viewer's computer taking up hard drive space, nor can it be easily recorded and shared, and viewers can easily seek and navigate to any point in the lecture.   Video Streaming requires that the viewer is connected to the internet with a high speed connection (DSL, Cable or LAN).

Podcasting – Audio podcasting can be a very powerful review tool when combined with materials made available through an instructor’s course websites.  The biggest advantage of podcasting is that students can subscribe to a course and have that course lecture automatically download to their computer when it is available.  It eliminates the need to manually check the Bruincast webpage.  Once downloaded to their computer students can transfer it to a portable listening device and listen to the lecture anywhere without the need of being connected to the internet.  If they choose not to download the lecture and just click on the "Audio" link they can begin listening immediately but they cannot navigate to a point in a lecture until the download has reached that point.  This is due to the fact that the Audio files are progressive downloads while the Video files are streams.
Return to top                                         

What is the difference between BruinCast and iTunes U?

Here are the main differences between the Office of Instructional Development’s BruinCast service and UCLA on iTunes U:

•UCLA on iTunes U offers the faculty a place to log in and post their own content, whereas the content via BruinCast is solely class lectures recorded by the Office of Instructional Development.

•BruinCast is a seamless process for faculty, from creation to posting. OID does the recording and posting of content to the site. Faculty do not self-manage content in BruinCast as they do in UCLA on iTunes U.

•With BruinCast, faculty have the option of making their content public or not, whereas with UCLA on iTunes U, all content is public. BruinCast also offers both streaming media (via Real) and audio podcasts. If the content is available via podcasting, like with UCLA on iTunes U, users can subscribe and have content automatically delivered upon publication.

For more information regarding UCLA on iTunes U, our local instance of the program, please see:
iTunes U Project site
Return to top                                           

Where is the service available?

Video Streaming - Courses that are located in streaming equipped rooms are given priority over rooms that would require more technical and human resources to capture the day’s lecture.  Currently the three locations that support video streaming/ audio podcasting or combination thereof are Haines 39, Humanities A51, and LaKretz 110.

Audio Podcasting - This service is restricted to rooms that are equipped.  Current locations are:

What equipment & personnel will come to my class?

Video Streaming
A camera operator will arrive well before lecture to set up a single video camera and a single wireless lavaliere microphone.  In streaming equipped rooms (Haines 39, Humanities A51, LaKretz 110) there will be nothing more to set up.  In rooms that are not streaming equipped and require auxiliary equipment to capture the day’s lecture a rack of equipment to process the audio and a portable laptop to process the video will be brought in.  Setups that require multiple microphones or cameras are beyond the scope of the basic service, will be considered on a case by case basis, and will require that the participating courses department be charged accordingly.

Audio Podcasting
Audio Podcasting does not require a technician to come to the participating instructor’s class.  Audio Podcasting is almost entirely transparent process.  At the beginning of the quarter we arrange for a lavaliere microphone to be checked out to the instructor for the duration of the quarter from Audio Visual Services.   The instructor is responsible to turn on the mic for the duration of the lecture.  The recording is scheduled at the beginning of the quarter for each recurring lecture and is automatic.   Therefore we encourage instructors to turn on the mic only for the lecture and to turn it off immediately after.  The automated software process edits out long spaces of silence, and then the file is pushed live on the web.
Return to top                                         

Is there a charge associated with the service?

The basic service assumes a single lecturer using a single microphone.  The basic service is subsidized by the Office of Instructional Development except for Summer Sessions.  Setups that require multiple microphones or cameras are beyond the scope of the basic service, will be considered on a case by case basis, and will require that the participating courses department be charged accordingly.  Additional lectures and make up lectures that meet outside the regularly scheduled time also require a charge to the participating courses department.
Return to top                                         

Is the recording method fail safe?

No, although we make every effort to ensure a quality recording sometimes things do not go as planned and for one reason or another the recording is not captured and not available. It can be something as simple as a bad battery in the wireless microphone to something as complex as corrupted coding that prevents us from getting the recording. We will do our best to keep you informed should a class not record and provide help in any issues surrounding that particular instance.
Return to top                                         

Can I restrict access so that only enrolled students may access the material?

Yes if you choose to have your course restricted to students enrolled in your course they will have to log on using their UCLA log on ID.  In addition you can grant access to guests through a process.
Return to top                                         

How is this different from my normal classes?

Our goal is to make it no different than any other class you teach. We have put (and will continue to put) a great deal of effort into making what we do as unobtrusive as we possibly can. However we have no illusions that our presence will not have some impact on what you do in the classroom.  At every lecture, a camera operator sets up equipment in the projection booth if available in the lecture hall where class is meeting. Having the operator in the booth will make it easier for the students to forget about the webcast recording. You will see the operator and the camera but over time you forget they are there. You should feel free to do whatever you normally do in the classroom. It is the camera operator’s job to follow you, rather than for you to make any special accommodation to the camera.
Return to top                                         

Do I need to do anything special at the beginning of each class?

Not particularly.  However we have found that it is beneficial and produces a less abrupt beginning and ending when an instructor announces the beginning of the lecture with a phrase such as “Let’s begin” and ends the lecture with something like “That’s all for today.”   You can let the camera operator know if you have any special requirements for your lecture. If you plan on doing anything out of the ordinary, it might be good to warn the operator in advance. The more the operator knows about your lecture style and approach, the better he or she will be able to adequately capture what happens in your class.  Please make sure that you are wearing the wireless microphone and that it is turned on and working.
Return to top                                         

What should I wear?

You don’t need to make any particular accommodations in your wardrobe for the webcasts. Generally (whenever you will appear on camera) you should avoid very light or very dark colors. High contrast usually makes the camera’s job tougher. If you wear something very white, the camera will see that as the brightest thing in the picture, correct accordingly and make your face very dark and hard to see. If you wear something too dark, you will probably get lost in the shadows. Finally, it’s best to avoid fine stripes, since they will often cause a moiré pattern that can be distracting.
Return to top                                         

How should I handle questions from the class?

Since only you will be wearing a microphone during the class, questions from the class will not be picked-up on the webcast version. Please restate or summarize the question before you answer it. That way we will have a complete record of the interaction in the classroom.
Return to top                                         

Can I use PowerPoint and other visual support?

Yes, we hope you do. The camera operator will follow the action and focus on the screen at the appropriate times.  Please keep in mind that the video image that will ultimately appear on student’s computer screens is quite small. If you try to put too much on a PowerPoint slide, the detail may be lost in the streaming version. An easy work-around is to make the PowerPoint slides available on the course website so that students can follow along as they watch the webcast.  Please be aware that if you choose not to restrict your webcasts the world at large will be able to view your lectures. Pay particular attention to the use of copyrighted material in your lectures. If the use of copyrighted material cannot be avoided, please inform the camera operator ahead of time.  As with any class, please plan to arrive early to allow sufficient time to connect your laptop to the projection system.
Return to top                                         

Can I use the chalkboard/whiteboard?

Yes, of course. The operator in the booth will follow the action during your class. If you choose to use the chalkboard, he or she will ensure that a good clear shot of what you have written is held on the screen long enough for students to read it and copy it down.
Please keep in mind that the video image that will ultimately appear on student’s computer screens is quite small. If you limit the length of the lines you write, the camera will be able to frame what you have written closer and make it appear bigger on the screen. An effective strategy is to divide the board into a number of narrow sections. If you plan to make extensive use of the board, please consult with the camera operator.
Return to top                                         

Will students be able to watch the on-line version of the lecture while it is happening?

No. At this point we are not making the on-line lectures available as a live webcast. Normally, lectures will be available for viewing the day following the lecture. If you have a special request to make them available earlier or later we will make every effort to accommodate your request.
Return to top                                         

Does this mean that at a lot of students will watch the lectures online instead of attending class in person?

While there is nothing to prevent students from skipping class and watching them on-line later, this is not usually the case.  There is no better time in a student’s busy schedule to attend class than at the time it is offered.  The purpose of our online material is for review and reinforcement of what was covered in class.  Large classes >250 seem to report the larger drop in attendance.  In some cases attendance drops as much as 20%.  At the same time, faculty that remind the students of the importance of attending lecture and warn that they will discontinue streaming if attendance doesn't improve have had positive attendance results.
Return to top                                         

How do students access the webcasts?

Courses are listed on the Bruincast page.
Return to top                                         

What should I do if my students are having problems with the podcast website?

Please have them contact us via email at bruincasthelp@ucla.edu.  Part of our service is to provide support to the student's so that they can view the podcast content. We are very familiar with the common issues that can affect the viewing of streaming content. Some of these issues are specific to a students particular situation and others exist on a more universal user experience. We would like to avoid having instructors being put in the place of  troubleshooting these issues and encourage you to direct the students to us so that we can resolve issues that the students might be experiencing.
Return to top                                         

How long will the lectures be on the website?

Course content will be accessable on the website for one academic year.  After the academic year is over the files will be archived.
Return to top                                         

Can I get a copy of my lectures on DVD?

At the request of the instructor a DVD data disc will be made at no charge at the end of the quarter.  These discs will contain the edited Real Video File & MP3 audio file.  Data discs or copies of files before the quarter is over will be charged at  $10 per disc regardless of the length.
Return to top                                          

How do I sign up?

Sign up online.  Sign up to have your course video streamed or audio podcast as soon as you know the location.  Each quarter we set out to maximize the number of courses and students impacted with the available resources.  Priority is given to faculty teaching in streaming equipped rooms. 
Return to top                                                                                

If I participated in past quarters will I automatically be signed up for the next quarter I teach?

No. You will not automatically be signed up again. However, we do make every effort to send invitations to instructors who have previously signed up. Should you wish to have your class podcasted you can usually sign up ahead of the quarter at the following link. https://www.oid.ucla.edu/webcasts/courses/bruincastsignup
Return to top                                         

Who do I contact for more information about BruinCast?

Email bruincast@ucla.edu

Return to top