Video.edu: Video Remixing, and the Pain and Pleasure of iPads
Here's the latest online video news from the world of higher education:
USC Spin-Off Stroome Offers Online Video Remixing
The Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism at the University of Southern California has pushed browser-based video editing one step forward with the new Stroome online video suite, which launched on April 21. Developed by Annenberg graduate students Nonny de La Peña and Tom Grasty, Stroome allows users to upload and edit video, as well as share it with others who can then create their own edits and remixes. The Stroome editor is based on an implementation of the Kaltura Player/Editor.
The Stroome platform has been launched as a separate spin-off company, but the Annenberg School is its first licensing partner. The editing suite will be used in curriculum and in the school's Annenberg TV News site. The Stroome.com site makes the full suite available to the public, with the option to share videos through major social networks.
The Pain and Pleasure of iPads
Nearly a month since they started shipping iPads are still a hot topic for educators, especially as the first wave of students actually start using them on campus. Several major universities have reported problems with the way iPads are behaving on their campus networks. Despite some early rumors, it does not look like video-driven bandwidth is a culprit.
Princeton University has experienced issues with iPads holding on to their DHCP assigned IP addresses long after they're supposed to expire. Offending iPads threaten to disrupt other users, and so Princeton's Office of Information Technology says they may need to block these devices in order to " maintain the stability and reliability of campus network services." While some reports have said that Princeton is banning iPads, the more accurate characterization is that the university is blocking individual iPads that cause problems. As of April 26 Princeton has blocked 20 iPads out of the 32 which have been identified with the DHCP issue.
George Washington University is another place reported to have banned the iPad, but the truth is a little less sensational. GW's Division of Information Technology has posted a FAQ to dispel the notion that the device has been banned. Rather, the iPad is not compatible with the university's wireless security system, so iPads can't get online with the campus network. GW says it has two pilots underway to address the intercompatibility, and promises "to be at full functionality by spring 2011."
iPads aren't causing IT headaches everywhere, however. The library at North Carolina State University has a supply of the devices available for four-hour loans to students. The university also put iPads in the hands of five students who blogged about their experience for a week. In one post student Amber Kenney raves, "Do you remember those big travel VCR/TV's that you and your siblings watched Disney movie after Disney movie on? The iPad would be an exellent replacement for that cumbersome TV or DVD combo." But in her final post she acknowledges, "So iPad, did I love you? Of course. Do I need you? Absolutely not."
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