Panopto for Students: Using the Web Capture Tool for Assessments

This helpsheet introduces the Panopto Web Capture tool and the steps required for students to record videos and presentations within their Web Browser as part of a module assessment.

Accessing and Recording with Panopto Web Capture

To access the Panopto Web Capture tool, you first need to navigate to the module in Blackboard where a Panopto Video Submission Point has been set up. Here you will find details of how to submit your video once it has been completed.

1. You will find in Step 1 the text ‘click here to open your personal folder’ which will include a hyperlink to the Panopto website, hover your mouse over the text and click the link.

2. This will log you into the Panopto website, a ‘Create’ button will be displayed next to the search box at the top of the screen, click this and select ‘Panopto Capture’ from the drop-down menu.

Note: If you do not see the ‘Create Button’ as shown in the screenshot below, this means a Panopto Video Submission Point has not been correctly set up for you to submit to – please contact your tutor and ask them to review the submission process.

3. You will now be redirected to the Panopto Capture tool, which allows you to capture audio, video and additional sources such as your computer screen from within your web browser.

4. There are three settings that you will want to configure before starting your recording:

• Microphone – select the microphone you wish to use e.g. your internal microphone or a headset.
• Camera – you can turn on a built-in webcam or one connected to your computer.
• Additional Sources – this allows you to record and share your screen as part of the capture process. In the pop-up menu, be sure to click the preview of your screen, and then press the ‘Share’ button.

Note: We advise capturing your entire screen as this will record whatever you do on your device during the recording. You can also choose to record the sound from your computer for example if you are playing a video or a piece of audio.

5. When you have configured your settings, click the record icon (red circle), this will then start a five second countdown, after which the icon will change to a stop button (red square). You can now begin your recording by opening your PowerPoint presentation or talking to your camera.

Note: If you are recording your screen, you will have a few seconds at either end of the video as you start and stop the recording that you will want to remove. You can edit this out later in the Panopto Editor.

6. When you have finished your recording, click the stop button in the Panopto Web Capture tool (if recording your screen you will need to navigate back to the relevant browser tab).

7. A new browser tab will open and take you to the video processing page. Here you can rename the video and add a description.

Note: When using Panopto Capture, the video is automatically uploaded therefore even if you don’t enter a title or description at this point, the video will be saved and you will not lose your work.

Editing and Submitting your Recording

When you return to your ‘My Folder’ within the Panopto site, you will find the video that you have just finished recording, along with any that you recorded previously.

• To submit your video as part of an assessment, follow the steps detailed on the Blackboard submission point.

For further detail please see: Submitting a video assignment through Panopto.

• If you need to edit your video, hover your mouse over the recording you want to edit, and you will see a row of options display, click the Edit pencil icon.

To get help with editing your Panopto video, see ‘How to Edit a Video’ on the Panopto website.

Advanced Editing Guidance

You may wish to make more detailed edits to your video in a specific video editing software such as Adobe Spark Video or Adobe Rush. To do this, you will need to download your recording from Panopto.

• To download your video, hover your mouse over the recording, and choose the Settings cog.

• You can then select ‘Outputs’ from the left-hand menu. Underneath the ‘Video Podcast’ title, you will see a preview of your recording, and two drop-down boxes.

• If you have only recorded your webcam – you can click Download Podcast, as this will be your primary stream; an .mp4 file will save to your computer.

• If you have only recorded a secondary source like a PowerPoint with a narration – you will need to click the ‘Type’ menu, choose ‘Secondary Video only’, click ‘Apply’ and then click ‘Download Podcast’. Note: It may take a moment to process.

• If you have recorded both a secondary source and your webcam – you have two options from the drop-down menu. Select ‘Picture-in-Picture’ to have your webcam in the bottom-right corner or choose ‘Side-by-Side’ to download a widescreen video of both your streams next to one another.

Note: If choosing ‘Picture-in-Picture’ ensure there is no important content in the bottom-right of your screen capture or PowerPoint which may be obscured.