Learning Platforms and Notre Dame Studios of the Office of Information Technologies have recently collaborated on the installation of a Lightboard in the Rex and Alice A. Martin Media Center. A lightboard is similar to a chalkboard or whiteboard, except it is totally transparent. It allows an instructor to create video lectures and directly interact with handwritten notes and diagrams while facing the camera, making the content both easier for the viewer to follow and more interesting to watch.
A lightboard is comprised of a large sheet of tempered glass for writing, in a structural frame, illuminated with LED lights around the edge. Facing the camera behind the Lightboard, one writes on the glass with fluorescent dry erase markers. While the lighting makes the writing glow and visible, a digital video camera records the reversed image and produces a video with highly legible text or drawings. Video lectures are recorded in short sections, suitable for posting in the Sakai Learning Management System (LMS), on websites, blogs, or embedding in presentations. The Lightboard meets the students' need for clear and informative lecture capture while offering the instructor a quick and effective method of video production that includes visual aids. Notre Dame faculty can use Lightboard videos for blended learning, combining digital media with traditional classroom methods.
The lightboard is ready for scheduling, along with the professional guidance of the staff in Notre Dame Studios. To book the Lightboard, submit an “ND Studios Request” at scheduling.nd.edu. Also look for future workshops to explore how you can leverage the technologies in the Rex and Alice A. Martin Media Center for academic or administrative projects.
Bringing new technologies and teaching methods to classrooms is integral to Notre Dame’s dedication to providing an unsurpassed education to its students. The Lightboard installation reflects the effort by teams in the Office of Information Technologies, who are constantly working to test and deploy new technologies that will benefit the Notre Dame academic community.