SmitCast – The Story

I’ve always been a people person and an extrovert by nature; I could even talk to the most quiet person in the room.

As a Student Assistant at the Online Learning Center, I made every effort to reach out to as many students and faculty members as possible via digital media and talk to them about their experiences, Pace University, and living in New York. I subscribed to a YouTube channel called Beer Biceps, which is managed by Ranveer Allahbadia, a young man who interviews VVIPs and stars from all across India and wonderfully constructs the entire conversation for his audience. I was enthralled!

“Hey, let’s start a podcast?” I approached Brian one day while sipping my beloved Dunkin’ Donuts cappuccino. Which he said, “Let’s do this!”

I began by customizing the podcast’s structure and launched the International Student Edition series, in which I invited outstanding students to discuss their journey, concerns, challenges, and accomplishments in the city.

The goal of these podcasts is to teach and convey real-time information on how things function for each student confronting unique challenges. Furthermore, I want to set a good example for incoming international students and prepare them for life in New York.

Here’s my most recent interview with Kelly on how she got a full-time job offer one and a half years before graduating.

     

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July Update

Image: “SmitCast, Ep.1” thumbnail image.

Media Production in June

  • • 19 hours of consultations with faculty and staff in Pace Online, NACTEL, College of Health Professions, Haub Law, Pace Library, and ELI.
  • • 3 videos produced (53 minutes total) and 3 additional videos edited.

Updates and Highlights

  • – A big project last month was completing the production of “The World is Next” featuring Alford “Slim” Willock. With his graduation and a studio interview shot in May, this was our big editing project this month. Slim provided OLC staff with over two hours of additional video of his family and work life, making this rich 3-minute video possible. Congrats Slim!
  • – Another exciting project was the production and publication of Smit’s first video podcast episode featuring Minal Rita (thumbnail above). Smit hopes to create a series of interviews with Pace students discussing their experiences here in New York City, as well as their struggles and successes as international students. Awesome work, Smit!
  • – We have been developing our copyright-free audio track library, so we are better equipped to create original, engaging media.

Production Tip of the month: Did you know OLC staff are equipped for “field recording” on both campuses? This means we can shoot video on-site to capture the content you need to tell your story.

Please contact OLC staff to reserve studio time or collaborate with us.

The World is Next – Telling Slim’s Story in 3 minutes

The Pace Online team has recently produced and published a spotlight video about Alphur “Slim” Willock’s educational journey at Pace.

 

Background

In May 2023, Alphur “Slim” Willock graduated with a Master of Science degree in Information Technology from Pace University. He connected to his bachelor’s and master’s programs through the NACTEL (National Alliance for Communications Technology Education and Learning) and CAEL (Council for Adult and Experiential Learning). NACTEL is a CAEL-led partnership of industry employers and unions working with quality educators to create and sponsor online education programs that meet the needs of current and future telecommunications professionals.

Production

To highlight Slim’s experience at Pace, OLC staff conducted a 1-hour studio interview and captured his family celebrating at graduation in May 2023. With additional footage provided by Slim, we were able to illustrate his home life and work ethic. The video was edited in Adobe Premiere Pro, and also features music from our copyright-free library.

Credits:

  • – Camera: Brian Hughes
  • – Editing: Lara Gedeon (lead), Brian Hughes (supporting)
  • – Thumbnail artwork: Lara Gedeon (photo), Smit Goswami (design)

Do you have a student or graduate you’d like to highlight in your program? Reach out to OLC staff and we’ll collaborate!

Five Tips for Presenting on Camera

Nervous about being in front of the camera? We got you covered!

Master the art of presenting on camera with these top 5 tips! Whether you’re a faculty member or staff, this video is a must-watch before stepping in front of the lens. Enhance your presentation skills, engage your audience, and leave a lasting impression. Don’t miss out on these invaluable insights!

June Update

Image: Screenshot from the “Pace Online Graduation 2023” broadcast.

Media Production in May

  • 40 hours of consultations with faculty and staff in Lubin, Pace Online, School of Education, and University Relations.
  • 38 videos produced (419 minutes total) and 33 additional videos edited.

Updates and Highlights

  • – OLC staff produced Pace Online Graduation (see above). This included both pre-recorded videos (speakers), graphics, and a live broadcast via Zoom.
  • – The School of Education’s HEASA Capstone presentations took place, with five students presenting. Students also rehearsed a week prior to their final presentations. The presentations are recorded, shared with the students, and archived in Pace’s Institutional Repository managed by the Library.
  • – We recorded five student testimonials at Commencement at the National Tennis Center in Queens. Students were graduating from Pace Online programs, and their reflections will be shared with prospective students.
  • – Professor Marty Cohen collaborated with us to create short weekly lecture videos (16 total videos, about 10 minutes each) for his summer online course “Introduction to Business.” We also remastered (improved the visual quality) of a course we recorded last summer, “International Management.” These videos provide his editorial commentary on the course textbook as the students work through the material. This is a great example. of enhancing an online course with multimedia!
Image: Screenshot from Marty Cohen’s lecture series for Business 101.

Production Tip of the month: Did you know we can broadcast via Zoom and switch between multiple camera angles on both campuses? This can create a more impactful presentation, and allow us to highlight diverse presentation materials.

Please contact OLC staff to reserve studio time or collaborate with us.

May Update

Image: Professor Jim Davis in a video tutorial to help students make “30-second” pitches to prospective employers.

Media Production in April

  • 41 hours of consultations with faculty and staff in Dyson, Lubin, Haub Law, Seidenberg, English Language Institute, Pace Online, and University Relations.
  • 33 videos produced (173 minutes total) and 18 additional videos edited.

Updates and Highlights

Image: Acting students Sommer and Jack perform a scene for the Senior Showcase class.
  • – We wrapped the recording of Senior Showcases (BA, Theater) led by professors Nora Woolley and Anne Davison.
  • – Pace Online published NACTEL promotional videos, led by Program Advisor Kate Mulhollem. See Kate’s Introduction on our YouTube channel.
  • – We completed the recording of videos for the Paralegal Certificate Program (194 videos in total!). With over 37 hours of instructional video featuring 8 faculty members, the program is designed to unfold over 14 weeks with weekly learning goals and real-time interactions with faculty. It is slated to launch in September (there is currently no website).

Did you know we can help you enhance your home studio? Please contact OLC staff to reserve studio time or collaborate with us.

Using Audacity to Create a Podcast

Podcasting is becoming an increasingly popular way for people to express themselves and share their ideas with a wider audience. In order to produce a high-quality podcast, it is important to have the right tools at your disposal. One of the most important tools for podcasting is audio editing software, and Audacity is one of the most popular choices for both novice and professional podcasters.

Audacity is a free and open-source audio editing software that is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux operating systems. It is a powerful tool that can be used for recording, editing, and mixing audio files. In this blog post, we will explore the basics of podcasting using Audacity.

Recording

Before you start recording your podcast, it is important to make sure that you have the right equipment. You will need a microphone, headphones, and a quiet room to record. Once you have everything set up, you can start recording.

To start recording in Audacity, click the red “Record” button. Make sure that your microphone is properly connected and that you are speaking into it clearly. You can monitor the recording levels by looking at the “Input Level Meter” at the top of the screen. If the levels are too high, you can adjust the input volume to avoid distortion.

Once you have finished recording, click on the “Stop” button. Audacity will automatically save the recording as an audio file.

Editing

Now that you have your recording, it is time to edit it. Editing is an important step in the podcasting process because it allows you to remove any mistakes or unwanted noise from the recording.

In Audacity, you can use the selection tool to highlight the part of the recording that you want to edit. You can then cut, copy, or paste the selection as needed. You can also use the “Effect” menu to apply various effects to the recording, such as noise reduction, equalization, and compression.

Exporting

Once you have finished editing your recording, it is time to export it as a final audio file. To do this, click on the “Export” button and choose the format you want to save the file in. MP3 is the most popular format for podcasting because it is widely supported by podcast hosting platforms.

Conclusion

Audacity is a powerful and easy-to-use tool for podcasting. Whether you are just starting out or you are a seasoned podcaster, Audacity has everything you need to create high-quality podcasts. With its intuitive interface and wide range of features, Audacity is the perfect choice for anyone looking to produce professional-level podcasts.

April Update

Professor Janet Jones recording with the Smart board in the Pleasantville studio.

March was a busy month, with new collaborations in both New York City and Pleasantville. Are you curious how you could use video in your courses or to promote your program? Join our webinar on April 26th (12:10pm – 1:10pm) to learn more about the studio in Pleasantville and current OLC collaborations. An email with RSVP information will be sent to faculty in early April.

Media Production in March

  • 35 hours of consultations with faculty and staff in Dyson, Lubin, Haub Law, CHP/Health, English Language Institute, and University Relations.
  • 61 videos produced (281 minutes total) and 6 additional videos edited.

Updates and Highlights

Some current OLC collaborations:

  • – Dyson Performing Arts (“Senior Showcases”)
  • – Lubin (“30-sec pitches”)
  • – Pace Online (“About NACTEL”)
  • – Alumni Relations (“Spirit of Pace Awards”)
  • – Office of Gender (“Lived Names”)
  • – University Relations (Faculty profiles)

Studio maintenance notes:

  • – NYC: Replacement of TriCaster Mini X (new 12/22!) due to graphic card failure. Covered under Newtek warranty.
  • – NYC: Replaced the Magewell USB-to-HDMI device in AV rack (due to daily crashes of existing unit)
  • – PLV: Teleprompter set-up

Please contact OLC staff to book studio time or begin a collaboration. Did you know we can help you tune up your home studio over Zoom?

A Studio in Pleasantville

 

faculty use a smart board
ELI faculty try out the Smart Board in the Pleasantville studio.

The OLC studio in Pleasantville is open! The Pace Online team hosted an Open Studio event last week to announce the opening of the space. Several faculty visited to learn about the studio, and how all Pace faculty can use it to create multimedia course materials.

Featured in the picture above is our Smart Board, which you can use as an interactive prop to create more dynamic instructional videos.

Please contact OLC staff to learn more and book studio time. We look forward to collaborating!

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