Upgraded DIY Recording Booth open for all staff

Photo by Craig Pattenaude on Unsplash

By popular demand, Educational Innovation’s DIY Recording Booth has been upgraded with new equipment. It is now available for any University of Sydney staff member to book and use to record and edit high-quality educational videos.  

What’s in the Booth?

The DIY Recording Booth video and podcasting stations

The DIY Recording Booth is a well-equipped, sound-proof space purpose built for people who would like to record and edit their own educational media. It is a free resource available to all University of Sydney staff, with academic and professional staff preparing teaching videos given priority. 

There are now two stations in the DIY booth.  

The video recording station has the following equipment:

  • Windows PC equipped with Camtasia (easy-to-use software to record and edit your presentations), Microsoft Office and Zoom (to show slidedecks).
  • Professional-quality microphone and camera (these are connected to the PC).
  • Soft lighting.
  • A comfortable chair (great since you’ll never want to leave).

The podcast recording station has the following equipment:

  • Desktop iMac equipped with Adobe Audition (user-friendly software to record and edit audio).
  • Two directional microphones on adjustable arms.
  • Audio interface so you can plug in your own headphones.
  • Another comfortable chair.

How do I get access to the booth?

A screenshot from the online orientation module showing the anatomy of the Camtasia screen

The DIY Recording Booth is Room 206 of the Education Building (A35)

Access can be granted to any University of Sydney staff member during business hours (8am – 6pm weekdays) via swipe card. To gain access to the booth, follow these steps:

  1. Register to complete or attend an orientation session. You may complete an online orientation session (Canvas module you can do at your own pace) OR attend a 1.5-hour face-to-face session in the Booth. Opportunities for face-to-face sessions will be advertised on the EI events page from late May 2023. These sessions will be run a few times each month and will be limited to three people per session.
  2. Once you have completed or attended an orientation session, you will be given swipe card access. This may take up to a week to process.
  3. After you have completed or attended an orientation session and have swipe card access, you are free to book the booth in 1-2 hour slots.

More details on the booking process will be outlined in the orientation sessions and after you have gained security access to the space.

The DIY Recording Booth operates under a do-it-yourself model. This means that we want staff to be empowered to make media themselves, and minimal support is provided beyond initial orientation with the equipment. We highly recommend the training resources available on LinkedIn Learning for tools such as Camtasia and Adobe Audition. 

Want to know more?

If you are interested in developing education videos for your teaching, check out the following resources:

  • The Modular Professional Learning Framework. Professional learning opportunities for staff who teach or support teaching at the University. Check out Module 15 on Creating and Using Educational Media for best practice tips on how to develop media for teaching.  
  • Educational video design and recording consultations. If you would like to learn how to develop your own media using Canvas Studio or discuss how best to integrate media content in to your Canvas Unit of Study site, schedule a 30 minute video call with a member of our team. Please note: If you are a new user of the booth and you’d like help with setting up your recording, reserve a session in the Booth and then book an ED Consultation through the ‘Using the DIY Recording Booth’ service.
  • Educational Innovation media team. If you need help with developing high fidelity videos for your unit of study, our team of videographers and educational designers can assist in making your video idea come to life. To get started, email [email protected].  
  • Training sessions on editing videos.If you are interested in editing videos using Adobe Rush (which you can access free as a staff member via the Creative Cloud), sign up for a training session in the Educational Innovation Events Calendar.

If you have any queries regarding the DIY Recording Booth, please email the team at [email protected].

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