Video and Other Helper Tutorials

Bob Jensen at Trinity University

Video Tutorials --- http://www.cs.trinity.edu/~rjensen/video/ 


(Also see http://www.trinity.edu/rjensen/HelpersVideos.htm )

• ACCT 1302 --- Managerial Accounting Course --- http://www.trinity.edu/rjensen/#Courses 
• ACCT 5341 --- Accounting Theory Course --- http://www.trinity.edu/rjensen/#Courses 
• ACCT 5341 --- Accounting Information Systems --- http://www.trinity.edu/rjensen/#Courses 

General Video Tutorials --- http://www.cs.trinity.edu/~rjensen/video/Tutorials/ 

• Camtasia Recording and Producing --- http://www.cs.trinity.edu/~rjensen/video/Tutorials/ 
  
  I prepared a Camtasia video on how I record Camtasia avi files and how I "produce" a copy of the file as a rm RealMedia file that will play on most computers without having to download the Camtasia Player.  You can read about Camtasia and download a free Camtasia player from http://www.techsmith.com/ 
  (If you can play the rm RealMedia version, you do not need the player to view the videos.)
  
  Note that if you want to record audio as well as video in Camtasia, it is best to have the microphone on a stand or clipped to your shirt.  You will probably need both hands free for use of the keyboard.
  
  Also note that you should set up a hot key to toggle between "Record" and "Pause" (I assigned the F9 key for this purpose).  It is common while you are recording to have to do something (such as taking time to bring up another file or refresh you memory on how to perform a task) that you do not want in the video.  To pause the recording process, I simply click on F9.  When I am ready to commence once again, I click on F9 to renew the recording process.  I also assign the F10 key to end the recording process.  You can assign these "HotKeys" in the Camtasia Recorder menu choices (Options, Preferences, Hotkeys).
  
  Camtasia has panning and zooming options even though the video is not being captured in a "camera."  Panning effects are created by moving  the "camera" (usually from side to side) while keeping the subject in the viewfinder.  Zooming entails making the image more or less magnified.  Camtasia offers panning and zooming effects even though the video is taken automatically from screen captures, and there is no actual camera used in capturing the videos.
  
  Flesh in PowerPoint, Excel, or other presentations with video and audio.  Camtasia works great for both capturing dynamic computer screen presentations in video accompanied by your audio explanations.  Your video files may take up more space that you are allowed on your Web server.  However, you can save them to CD-R or CD-RW disks that can be sold to students for around $1.00 per disk. You can learn more about Camtasia from http://www.techsmith.com/ .  You can make CDs by simply dragging files to a blank CD using Windows Explorer if you first install Easy CD (http://www.roxio.com/en/products/ecdc/ ).
  
  

Message from Richard Campbell on on July 1, 2002

Attached is a link to a downloadable Demoshield CD browser which can be used as a front end for Camtasia videos. I have implemented a "silent install" of the Techsmith codec to facilitate the playing of the videos. If you do have the Techsmith codec already installed, it will not install again on your computer.

Since on my own computer I do have the codec already installed, I can not test whether it it installs correctly. I would appreciate feedback on whether it installs properly on non-Camtasia equipped computers. If the movie does not play properly, it is not installed. On a CD, I could include an autorun.

This is a single-file-executable and is 3.8 megs.

http:/216.247.124.69/public/vpdemo4.exe  

Thanks. 
Richard Campbell [campbell@RIO.EDU] 

Some Camtasia questions from Rick Johnson accompanied by off-the-wall answers from Bob Jensen

Johnson
Here are the specific questions I have. Below that, I briefly describe some of the things regarding the videos that I am thinking about. Finally, I provide a link to a math prof at Michigan State that has a number of videos (downloadable and streaming) that you may want to check out... Thanks!

1. Has your enthusiasm regarding the use of Camtasia type videos in accounting increased, decreased, or shifted over time? 

Jensen
My enthusiasm has not diminished, but my students did run into problems with the sad state of audio on most of our lab computers. Students have to check out earphones, and the audio does not work properly about half the time.

I am hoping that the lab situation will be fixed up this summer.

Johnson
2. Do you still have a strong preference for the Real Media format over AVI? 

Jensen
Our students cannot install the Camtasia reader or any other software on lab machines on campus. These machines get :rebuilt so often that we cannot rely upon the installed Camtasia reader being there when students need to use the files. The lab machines can always play RealMedia, so that is a real RM plus.

Also RM files take up much less space on the server.

Johnson
3. I noticed that you don't use streaming videos on your site (yet?)... Are you interested in them for the future or do you feel that downloadable/distributable cdrom files are more reasonable for education? 

Jensen
Yes, I would like that but Trinity is a long way from serving up streaming media. I do not recommend running your own server for any files that students depend upon. Serious servers need constant backup and maintenance, which is something that accounting professors should not be doing. 

Johnson
4. What has the student reaction/perception to your videos been so far?

They don't particularly like them in class. They do like them outside class, especially my videos on MS Access.

Johnson
5. Are there lingering technical problems that hinder the use of production and distribution of the videos?

Jensen
The process is a bit slow and takes some practice. The files also take quite a lot of server capacity. This is not a good alternative if your university is stingy with server space.

Audio can be a pain in the tail, especially since Camtasia will only capture microphone audio and not from pre-recorded audio. For example, suppose you want to capture a video/audio segment that is on a file inside your computer. The only thing you can do is turn your speakers up full blast and hold the microphone if front of the speakers. Even then, I can barely hear anything in my Camtasia recording.  (In a subsequent message, Rick Johnson said he has had luck with a trick wire connecting the Audio Out and Microphone In ports on the back of the computer when capturing computer audio.)

Johnson
6. Have you gravitated toward specific frame rate captures or screen resolution?

Nine frames per second.

Johnson
Here are a couple of the things that I am currently testing regarding the videos:

1. I'm testing the use of screen shot captures from ebook versions of texts using the actual end of chapter problems in the videos. Frequently, my students don't understand what the question/problem is asking so this might allow me to highlight passages or sections and explain. My concept is to video capture a horizontally split Windows screen with the Question displayed on top and an Excel spreadsheet on the bottom in which I can develop the solution. Hopefully, when necessary and appropriate, I can toggle full screen on either section and back again. [Jensen, Robert]

Jensen
That should work OK unless there is audio in your eBook.

Johnson
2. I'm testing the incorporation of the animated characters from Microsoft called Agents to narrate parts of the videos through the use of a program called VoxProxy www.voxproxy.com  . This approach would require some editing with the Camtasia Producer. I'm not sure if it will be worth it. So far, I've noticed a big increase in file size. Maybe in the end, I'll learn that the no-edit approach is the most reasonable? 

Jensen
RM file size may save you space.

Johnson
Finally, here is the Michigan State University Math Professor's website with Camtasia videos - http://www.math.msu.edu/~winter/106/avifiles/lecture13.avi 

Thanks in advance for your reply (if possible),

Rick Johnson
Richard A. Johnson [rjohnson@mail.frostburg.edu] 

A video about how to navigate Bob Jensen's Website --- http://www.cs.trinity.edu/~rjensen/video/Tutorials/
If your computer can playback RealMedia video and you have some troubles navigating my Website, you may want to view JensenWebsiteOverview.rm

Microsoft Access Video Tutorials --- http://www.cs.trinity.edu/~rjensen/video/acct5342/ 

•  Camtasia avi files require a downloaded free Camtasia Player from http://www.techsmith.com/ 
  (Since these files are nearly twice a long as the rm RealMedia versions, I don't recommend downloading the avi versions that must be played after the Camtasia Player is installed.)
  
  
• The RealMedia rm versions should play on most computers that have audio capabilities.  If not, you can download the free RealPlayer from http://www.real.com/ 
  
  
• The MS Access video tutorial file names nearly all begin with PQQ since they relate to "Possible Quiz Questions" in my ACCT 5342 Accounting Information Systems course. See http://www.cs.trinity.edu/~rjensen/video/acct5342/ 
  
  
• Bob Jensen's Microsoft Access helpers are located at http://www.trinity.edu/rjensen/acct5342/helpers1.htm 

Microsoft Excel Video Tutorials --- http://www.cs.trinity.edu/~rjensen/video/acct5342/ 
(Note both the Excel videos and the Pivot tutorials.)

•  Camtasia avi files require a downloaded free Camtasia Player from http://www.techsmith.com/ 
  (Since these files are nearly twice a long as the rm RealMedia versions, I don't recommend downloading the avi versions that must be played after the Camtasia Player is installed.)
  
  
• The RealMedia rm versions should play on most computers that have audio capabilities.  If not, you can download the free RealPlayer from http://www.real.com/ 
  
  
• ExcelConditionalFormatting.rm Click Here 
  (This video tutorial illustrates conditional formatting in Excel)
  
  
• ExcelDHTML.rm Click Here 
  This video tutorial shows how to save Excel tables and charts into interactive DHTML Webpages.  Users can then change values, make journal entries, or whatever in Internet Explorer without having to run Excel.  Illustrations of interactive tables and charts are provided at http://www.trinity.edu/rjensen/dhtml/excel01.htm 
  
  Note that this video begins with a black screen accompanied by audio.  The black screen was an accident, but if you are patient for a couple of minutes, the black screen turns into video for the remainder of the tutorial.)
  
  
• ExcelGoalSeek.rm Click Here 
  This video tutorial shows how to use the Goal Seek utility in Microsoft Excel.
  
  
• ExcelSolver.rm Click Here 
  This video tutorial shows how to use the Solver utility in Microsoft Excel.
  
  
• MicrosoftPivots Click Here 
  This is a folder of Excel workbooks that were downloaded in Years 2000 and 2001 from Microsoft Corporation's Webpages for Investors.  The video tutorial can be downloaded from PivotMicrosoft.rm 
  
  
• PivotChart01.rm Click Here  
  This video tutorial shows how to make pivot charts in MS Excel.
  
  
• PivotDHTML.rm 
  This video tutorial shows how to save a pivot table spreadsheet into an interactive DHTML Webpage such that the pivots can be manipulated in Internet Explorer without having to use Excel.
  
  Also see ExcelDHTML.rm 
  
  
• PivotMicrosoft.rm Click Here 
  This video tutorial shows how to download pivot tables and charts provided by Microsoft Corporation for purposes of analyzing the financial history of Microsoft.
  
  
• PivotTable01.rm Click Here
  This video tutorial shows how to make pivot tables in MS Excel.
  
• Related Links
  Bob Jensen's Microsoft Excel helpers are located at http://www.trinity.edu/rjensen/HelpersVideos.htm 
  Bob Jensen's Microsoft Excel illustrations are located at http://www.cs.trinity.edu/~rjensen/Excel/ 

Accounting Theory Video Tutorials --- http://www.cs.trinity.edu/~rjensen/video/acct5341/ 
(Watch for more of these videos during Spring Semester 2002)

•  Accounting Theory in General
  (Watch for more of these video tutorials during Spring Semester 2002)
  
  
• Accounting for Derivative Financial Instruments (FAS 133, FAS 138, and IAS 39)
  (Watch for more of these videos during Spring Semester 2002)
  
  
• Accounting Theory Documents --- http://www.trinity.edu/rjensen/theory.htm 
  
  
• Accounting for Derivative Financial Instruments (FAS 133, FAS 138, and IAS 39) Documents --- 
  http://www.trinity.edu/rjensen/caseans/000index.htm 

JavaScript Tutorials --- http://www.trinity.edu/rjensen/HelpersVideos.htm 

Miscellaneous Helpers

• Bob Jensen's Threads --- http://www.trinity.edu/rjensen/threads.htm 
• Bob Jensen's Glossaries --- http://www.trinity.edu/rjensen/245gloss.htm 
• Bob Jensen's Bookmarks --- http://www.trinity.edu/rjensen/bookbob.htm 
• Bob Jensen's Homepage (including helpers for educators) --- http://www.trinity.edu/rjensen/