Media Innovation Services Guide

The SHSU Online Media Innovation team brings educational content to life. Let us help engage students with compelling video content, animations, or imagery throughout your online course. You can use information from this document to familiarize yourself with Media Innovation’s capabilities in enhancing online courses with multimedia content.

Offering a wide range of services, our team can scale its efforts to meet the needs of creators who wish to utilize our skills and resources. These include the areas of video production, lecture capture, captioning services, graphic design services, and others.

How Can We Help?

When creating your courses, you may find yourself in need of support with a wide array of instructional media and services. SHSU Online Media Innovation is here to help you meet your course development needs!

I Need To…

Record lectures for my online classes

Getting that personal touch in your course is important! Find out how we can help with our lecture capture services.

Have a video created in the studio or in the field

Our team can help to bring your video ideas to life. Find out more about our wide array of video production services.

Get prepared for my lecture recording

Everything is scheduled, but what do you do now? See helpful tips for making your video recording go smoothly.

Upload videos to my course

Kaltura is our one stop shop for course video. Learn about Kaltura and accessing videos through “My Media”.

Get my video lectures captioned

From general accessibility to meeting the needs of students with disabilities. See our options for captioning.

Have a graphic designed for my class

Infographics, presentation media, and more, we can help. See more about the graphic design services that we offer.

Create my own course graphics

You already know what you’re looking for. Learn more on how our self-service tools can help you do-it-yourself.

Know more about SHSU Online and online education

Keep up with the latest news in online education at Sam Houston. Check out the SHSU Online Newsletter.

Video Services

Lecture Capture

Point of Contact: Jessie Hobson

With the right technology and approach, creating engaging lecture videos can be a stress-free and rewarding process. Located in University Plaza Suite 102, SHSU Online Media Innovation provides recommended tools and processes for recording and producing videos as well as additional resources for faculty members interested in further exploration. In this studio, we specialize in rapid video creation, but in order to create, we need to prepare.

Lecture videos can be categorized into three basic types: PowerPoint and audio, PowerPoint with the instructor, and multimedia lecture. Consider which type of lecture video best suits your needs, and what constraints might impact the type of video you choose to produce.

Power Point and Audio

With PowerPoint and audio, you simply click through your lecture, all the while adding your voice to the project to add context to what is being displayed on screen.

PowerPoint With Instructor

With PowerPoint with instructor, we jump back and forth using our multi-input system between the instructor and the PowerPoint. This is probably our most utilized type of lecture.

Multimedia Lecture

Multimedia lectures are often the most engaging types of video we help produce. They involve a higher level of planning and preparation but offer numerous benefits to your students.

Getting the best from a session

Lecture Capture Tips

Here are a few tips you might keep in mind that could help to make the best of your lecture recording.

Keep lecture videos between six and nine minutes in length
Focus each video on a manageable amount of content to avoid overwhelming the audience
Start with an explicit agenda for students, noting the importance and scope of the topic
Call out the introduction, transitions, and conclusion
Use a normal speaking pace as if students are present

More info on best practices

Schedule a Lecture Capture session

A professor with gray hair and glasses gestures while delivering a lecture in a production studio. He stands before a green screen, positioned behind a desk with multiple monitors and recording equipment.

A professor with a beard and hair in a bun presents a lecture. He is filmed in a studio featuring a modern, blue-lit geometric textured wall.

A professional video recording of an SHSU employee. She is smiling against a stylized, pixelated background with an orange lower-third graphic identifying her name and title.

A media production specialist wearing headphones operates a digital audio mixing console and video switcher. The background monitor shows a multi-view production interface with a subject filmed against a green screen.

In Class Recordings

Point of Contact: Jessie Hobson

We can assist you in class recordings as well. A lot of the components mentioned in the lecture capture section above still apply, and like most productions, preproduction is still key. The more information you can provide leading up to the event, the better we can assist you.

Planning your In Class Recording

Key Questions

Having the answers to these answers can save a lot of time, and ultimately, help us deliver a better project in a timely fashion.

Do you have needs outside a studio setting?
Do you have a guest lecturer that you need recorded for your course?
When and where is the recording event?
How many speakers will be present for the recording?
How soon do you need the project delivered?

More info on best practices

Schedule an In Class Recording

A presenter stands on a stage next to a podium, addressing an audience. Behind them, a large projector screen displays a title slide with a blue-toned image of the university clock tower.

A group of educators sits at tables in a classroom setting, viewed from behind. They are facing the front of the room where a large television monitor displays a digital presentation.

A professional workshop takes place in a brightly lit common room with circular tables. A woman stands at the front of the room leading a discussion, while a large monitor behind her displays an image of produce in a crate.

A behind-the-scenes view of a film production crew at work. A camera operator with headphones looks through the viewfinder of a professional cinema camera mounted on a tripod, while two other crew members stand nearby monitoring the shot against a white cinderblock wall.

Production Services

Point of Contact: Nat Conner

Production services take a more in-depth film making approach to creating video. Our team will meet with you to gather information about your vision and share ideas in consideration for the project. Together, we will review a tentative schedule, gathering additional information necessary to help you develop engaging content. Whether in the studio or on location, our producers will help you determine what locations are best suited for your needs. We will also contact potential on-camera talent and gather additional resources. The pre-production, conceptualization, and planning meeting helps us ensure the fulfillment of your vision and provide outstanding service.

In all stages, we engage faculty members as collaborators and co-creators of video productions. Once filmed, SHSU Online uses film stock, music archives, motion graphics, narration, and other video production elements to enhance the content.

Phases of Production

Pre-production

Scripting

Based on our first meeting, and other information gathered, our team will either develop a refined concept and script for the project, or help you format your script for use in our studio. A description of what the video will look like will be provided for larger projects, along with information about who we will hear from, and what we expect them to say. The script and treatment will provide a sense of the overall tone and message.

See an example video script

Scheduling

Upon finalizing the scope and needs of your project, our producers will secure time in the studio or at site-specific locations, and contact all on-camera talent to prepare for the shoot. A detailed itinerary for all days of production will be sent out after scheduling has occurred.

Production

On production day, our production team will meet you at the studio or at each scheduled location. We will have all the necessary equipment ready to capture your project or course content in an appropriate format.

Post-production

Once production is complete, videos will go through an editing process where film stock, music, motion graphics, narration, or other video production elements to enhance the content can be added to the video. A video draft will be generated, and the instructor will be consulted throughout rendering the final version of the video. Once feedback is received, editors. After all the changes have been made, the video will be re-submitted for final approval.

A wide shot of a multi-camera video production in a studio with blue backlighting. Two individuals sit at a desk with microphones, while a camera operator in the foreground monitors the recording through a professional viewfinder.

An interview taking place in a studio designed to look like a cozy library or study, featuring a brick wall, bookshelves, and leather armchairs. Two men sit opposite each other across a coffee table that holds a small globe and water bottles.

Field Production

Point of Contact: Nat Conner

Field production occurs anywhere other than the controlled environment of our studio. Requirements for these productions depend heavily on the characteristics of the location.

While each setting calls for unique methods, there are some elements of production that are similar in every situation. While there are several similarities between field productions and their studio counterparts, there are also several key differences. Because of these differences, there is a greater requirement for time in the pre-production phase.

Info about Field Productions

Special Considerations

Field projects can require extensive setup. Planning and preparation is key to using everyone’s time efficiently.

The field production process involves a much larger timeline than other projects. Because of the many variables when working in the field, issues are prone to emerge, and expectations need to be set well in advance.

Higher-level productions require substantial time for editing. Editing is one of the most powerful storytelling techniques, and especially with field production, editing is key to executing a compelling and appealing multimedia project.

Location Scouting

Done prior to recording day
If there is no location determined for filming, our team scouts for a location given the desired specifications of the client.

Travel

Day of recording
Keep in mind that traveling to a location takes time and preparation.
For productions on campus, we generally leave our office 30-45 minutes prior to arrival time..

Setup

Day of recording
Setting up on location generally takes between one and two hours. This varies given the location. Please allocate time for us to set up before the oncamera talent arrives.
If the client already has an aesthetic and relevant location, our setup time can be drastically reduced.

B-Roll

Day of recording
When applicable, we record (on location) supplemental footage that is incorporated into projects during the editing process.
We want to produce the best content possible for each client. Understanding each shot takes time to prepare, requires patience and helps set expectations for recording days.

A behind-the-scenes view of an outdoor film production. A camera operator with headphones and a baseball cap focuses a professional cinema camera on a subject standing in front of a brick building on a university campus.

A professor speaks during an interview in a forensic science laboratory. In the background, numbered yellow evidence markers and anatomical models are visible on lab benches under dim lighting.

A professor stands in a natural, swamp-like outdoor environment, addressing the camera directly. The background features a wetlands landscape with tall, thin trees and standing water under bright, natural light.

A wide shot of a video production taking place inside a scientific research lab. A professor in a white lab coat sits for an interview while a film crew manages multiple cameras, monitors, and lighting equipment around large gas cylinders and lab workstations.

Video Best Practices

Point of Contact: Nat Conner

The SHSU Online Media Innovation Team has collaborated with faculty and staff over several years to create thousands of pieces of instructional media. We’re eager to utilize the experience we have cultivated by continuing that collaboration with you!

You can expand any of the selections below to view best practices and tips we have gathered relating to various aspects of video creation and production.

Tips on planning your video

Script Development

Whether you plan to use our lecture capture studio or create a video in the field, a script is always an important tool. A quality script, in addition to helping you focus your instructional content, can act as a powerful point of reference for collaboration with our team of producers. We realize that you are the expert, and by providing us with a strong script, you help us stay on the same creative page, and ensure that the information that you intend to convey is effectively delivered.

While videos are often used as a direct analog to in-person lecture, they can also be used to summarize a grouping of learning content. In fact, several of the SHSU professors we’ve collaborated with have suggested that videos around six minutes or less have stronger student engagement. Breaking longer lectures down into smaller, more focused, chunks is a solid strategy for holding students’ interest during the semester.

See an example video script

Visual Aids

Once your outline is ready the next step is preparing the visual presentation. Preparing engaging slides is a crucial step in prerecording. Make your slides simple and concise. Use keywords or phrases, expanding on each item verbally in your lecture. Organize ideas using bulleted or numbered lists. Incorporate a variety of media to convey your message, including relevant photos, graphs and charts that will add interest and variety and make your video more engaging for students to watch

Help with preparing to be recorded

Tips to Prepare

Before your video begins shooting it here are a few steps that you can take to ensure that you’re ready.

Read over your full script several times.
Practice reading through the script out loud, and substitute words that trip you up.
Remember that using hand gestures and head movements reduces the appearance that you’re reading from the teleprompter.
Make sure that your presentation media is saved to a flash drive or network drive that is accessible from a campus computer.

Attire

Listed below are a few things to keep in mind about your attire that will help prevent any problems or distractions that could occur during a recording.

Solid color clothing or clothes with larger patterns look best on camera.
Wearing something with a defined collar or a jacket allows us to easily clip on a microphone.
Consider bringing an extra shirt/jacket/suit top in case you need other wardrobe options.
Avoid wearing excessive or noisy jewelry that could be visually distracting or interfere with recording audio.

If you are recording at our studio at University Plaza

Avoid wearing clothing with small repetitive patterns, or finely knitted clothing.
Dressing light may keep you cooler within the sound insulated walls and bright lights of our lecture booth.

If you are recording in Studio B on campus

Try to avoid wearing solid black so as not to blend in with the set.

Using a Teleprompter

When using our services to record your lectures, you will have access to a teleprompter. The teleprompter makes it easier to keep concentrated on the content you want to cover, whether the video is focused on you presenting in person or a screen recorded power point.

In order to take full advantage of the teleprompter, we recommend providing a script document that covers word for word what you would like to say. This type of script allows you to stay engaged with the camera rather than looking down at your slides and results in more interesting lecture videos.

What to expect once you’ve recorded

Our Process

While the earlier phases of our process depend on the type of production, most aspects of the post-production phase remain the same.

Once a video has been recorded, we will process the footage and begin the editing process. If any questions arise during this step, we’ll always reach out to get your input. In the case of larger scale projects, we may also send drafts of edited videos for feedback before delivering the final video.

After editing is completed, we will deliver the video through either Kaltura or occasionally YouTube depending on any preference you indicated earlier in the production process.

Timeline

Videos generally take anywhere from one to three days for lecture capture to at least two weeks for studio production videos and field production videos to complete. Overall, production depends on:

Overall length of the script(s) that were recorded.
How accurate and efficient the lecturer was while recording.
The number of adjustments to be addressed in editing.
Current workload of the Media Innovation Team.
The timeline provided by the client.

A professional teleprompter setup in a recording studio. The screen displays a script for a faculty member, with acoustic foam panels visible on the walls in the background.

A close-up of a hand inserting a black and red USB flash drive into the side port of a large digital touch-screen monitor, illustrating a common step in setting up presentation media.

A close-up of a person's arm and hand as they use a stylus on a digital tablet. The person is wearing several large, metallic, and beaded bracelets, illustrating how excessive jewelry can be a visual or auditory distraction during a recording.

Captioning

Kaltura REACH

Point of Contact: Jessie Hobson

We’re excited to improve accessibility in our online courses by offering access to easy-to-use captioning for all Blackboard users through Kaltura REACH. REACH is a new service that provides automatically generated captions for videos uploaded to Kaltura. This happens automatically for every video that is uploaded to Kaltura without the need for any user input. Because Reach is a feature of Kaltura, its capabilities are conveniently built into the same Kaltura My Media page you are already accustomed to using.

Capabilities of REACH

REACH usually takes just a few minutes to generate auto-captions, but in some instances, there may be a processing time of several hours.
While the captions autogenerated by REACH are designed to be at least 85% accurate, you can easily edit any mistakes using the online Closed Captions Editor in your Kaltura My Media Library.
You can upload multiple subtitles and caption files (SRT, DXFP, and VTT) and transcripts (TXT) to a single video and viewers will be able to select and toggle between different language subtitles and captions

More information about editing captions on Kaltura can be found here.

A screenshot of a video showing captions at the bottom of the screen.

A hearing-impaired student watching a presentation with captions.

Design Services

Graphic Design Requests

Point of Contact: Dane Classen

Our team provides faculty graphic resources to help in each step of the course design and development process. We also provide Word and PowerPoint templates that are available for download from our self service SharePoint page, and other course assets needed by the faculty members.

The timeline for each project can vary. Smaller process-oriented pieces such as banners and template design take about one week. The timeline for custom publications, animations, and other large complex projects is generally longer, and is normally discussed and agreed to in the initial planning stages. Digital ads and events graphics take about two weeks to complete, animations one month, and design consulting one month.

For all types of media, we strive to exceed the expectations of the faculty and staff and are always looking to ensure the quality of the final product. Our goal is to help improve the online teaching and learning experience for both faculty and students.

Get Document Templates from SharePoint

Types of graphics we create

We can help you create:

Course Content

Pre-designed syllabi
Infographics, graphs and charts
Redesign of low resolution or “out of date” graphic files

Branded Media

Templates and presentation media
Zoom backgrounds
Word and PowerPoint templates

Digital and Print Design

Social media ads
Informational flyers
Posters

Animations

Motion graphics
Motion typography
Visual effects

Layout Design

Editorials
Typography

Branding Info & Design Tips

Branding Information

Typefaces

Both SHSU Online’s primary typefaces of Panton and Roboto and the broader SHSU primary typefaces of GT America and GT Flexa are unavailable by default on most computers. Since these typefaces aren’t commonly on hand, it’s recommended to use the more widely available Arial typeface in the Microsoft Word or PowerPoint programs. When styling text in Blackboard it is recomended to stick with the default Open Sans typeface.

Colors

SHSU ORANGE
PMS
PMS 021C
HEX
#F56423
RGB
(245,100,35)
CMYK
(0,72,90,0)

SHSU WHITE
HEX
#FFFFFF
RGB
(255,255,255)
CMYK
(0,0,0,0)

SHSU JADE
PMS
PMS 316
HEX
#004853
RGB
(0,72,83)
CMYK
(100,10,29,68)

SHSU STONE
PMS
PMS 4253
HEX
#BAA596
RGB
(186,165,150)
CMYK
(20,28,37,5)

SHSU DENIM
PMS
PMS 4137
HEX
#465D7B
RGB
(70,93,123)
CMYK
(74,49,22,27)

SHSU LIME
PMS
PMS 2299
HEX
#A3D237
RGB
(163,210,55)
CMYK
(38,0,94,0)

SHSU SAND
PMS
PMS 468 50%
HEX
#DDCDAE
RGB
(221,205,174)
CMYK
(8,14,33,0)

SHSU SKY
PMS
PMS 7457
HEX
#BBDDF6
RGB
(187,221,246)
CMYK
(25,0,0,0)

Design Tips

Course Imagery

Because of the improved responsive way imagery is presented in Blackboard Ultra using images, infographics, and videos is now easier and more effective than before. Course imagery prevents courses from looking bare, keeps text from being overwhelming, and keeps students engaged in course content. We recommend using pullouts, charts, or graphics from readings or videos, whenever possible.

When selecting images, considering resolution is important to keeping course content loading quickly and looking crisp. Keeping images in the ballpark of 1200 pixels wide insures that they display optimally in Blackboard while retaining both detail and a reasonable file size.

Equally important to including imagery is avoiding imagery that does not contribute to the subject matter, as it may be distracting to students. Images of word clouds, images that mostly contain text such as the title or subject of the lesson, and overly cliché or dated stock imagery can risk reducing students’ interest in course material.

A view of two social media advertisements for SHSU.

An image showing an infographic focusing on academic continuity.

A screenshot of a visually exciting video transition that makes use of bold typography

A screenshot of a stylized animation depicting a worker in a dangerous factory control room.

Self Service

Kaltura

Point of Contact: Nat Conner

Kaltura is SHSU Online’s streaming video platform. It works similarly to other video platforms like YouTube, but is used exclusively for Sam Houston faculty, staff, and students. Kaltura is very flexible and can interpret and play many file types in different browser environments. There are many reasons to use Kaltura over other services when uploading videos you have created for your course.

Creating a Library

Most instructors use a mix of videos they self-produce and videos that SHSU Online helps them create. If you use SHSU Online’s lecture capture or video production services, you will receive and place the video in your course through Kaltura. Managing your videos is easier when all your videos are in the same place, so we also recommend that you upload any self-produced videos to Kaltura as well.

We Can Help

Our team has direct access to videos hosted on Kaltura and is ready to assist with complex editing or redesigning graphic elements. We are happy to help with any editing or postproduction, even for self-produced videos.

Services connected to Kaltura

Kaltura Connected Services

Blackboard

Blackboard interfaces with Kaltura directly within the “My Media” link under the “Tools” section of the top-level navigation. You will find several self-service tools there that enable you to do things like adjust video names and descriptions, use a basic video editor, upload video thumbnails, and self-manage deletion of recordings.

Captioning

We can provide direct pop-up captioning support for videos hosted through Kaltura. While videos hosted on other non-SHSU services (like YouTube) can still be captioned we can only provide captions as a transcript file.

Zoom

Any Zoom meetings that a user has chosen to cloud-record are automatically available in Kaltura for SHSU users. Zoom also provides automatic captioning that is applied to these videos.

Kaltura Capture

Kaltura also offers Kaltura Capture, a standalone screen recording tool, which can automatically upload recordings to Kaltura.

Help with using Kaltura

View and Manage Recordings in My Media

Select the “Tools” option from the sidebar of Blackboard.
Select the “Kaltura My Media” option.
From here you can add, remove, and edit videos in your My Media library.

Placing Kaltura Media in Course (Ultra)

Use the insert content option in the top right of the text editor window and select “Content Market.”
Select “Kaltura Mashup” and choose the “Embed” option beside your video from the “My Media.”
Name your video in the popup box and click “Insert.”
The video is now accessible in your course.

Placing Kaltura Media in Course (Ultra)

Click the Build Content dropdown menu.
Under “Mashups”, select “Kaltura Media.”
Click the “Select” button for the desired video.
Title your video, add any additional information in the text box and select the corresponding options in the “Options” section.
Click “Submit.”
The video is now accessible in your course.

A screenshot of a user's "My Media" collection within blackboard.

A screenshot of a closed captions editor for a video within blackboard.

Tools For Designers

Point of Contact: Maxwell Giddens

Delivering courses in an online format puts a spotlight on instructional content. From videos and graphics down to the text itself there are many opportunities to enhance the look and feel of instructional content and strengthen the delivery of course concepts. To help you get the most out of your course content the Media Innovation team has developed a web-based application we call the Online Course Styling Tool.

This tool includes a collection of several helpful features that enable you to painlessly employ a variety of consistent and attractive stylings that can add visual interest and instructive context to your course content.

Text Content Styling

Textbooks are a prime example of how course content is at its best when presented in an organized system and displayed in an easy-to-understand way. While text styling options included in the new Blackboard Ultra interface are acceptable in most cases, they don’t always leave room for deeper customization of text-based course content.

The text content styling features of the Online Course Styling Tool allow you to circumvent the base level of styling and use more advanced styling in line with that of a textbook.

A screenshot of the home page of the Online Course Styling Tool

A display of several unique visual stylings for course content that were produced with the Online Course Styling Tool

Capabilities of the Style Tool

Style Your Instructional Content

The Online Course Styling Tool includes several features that enable the utilization of a several repeatable styles with a variety of specific uses. A few examples of these styles are:

Outgoing Links – Button-like styling for links that take a student to content outside of Blackboard
Key Points – A titled list of key information, sometimes including a subtitle
Content Highlights – Outlined boxes that can contain important information, quotes, or questions
Section Headings – Headings that break lecture documents into digestable sections
Next Steps – Boxes with distinct styling that lay out what to do once a lecture is completed
Basic Image Cropping – Crop images to predetermined sizes that work well within Blackboard
Full-width Video Embeds – Embedded videos that fit the full width of a blackboard document

If you need help while using the Online Course Styling Tool, you can find helpful tips and text explanations for each section at the top of the web page.

Check out the selection of styles

Course Banners

Course banners are a simple way to visually identify and contextualize a course and its content for students. The course banner feature of the Online Course Styling Tool allows anyone with access the ability to quickly create banners for courses using a collection of images and options.

Banners made with this feature have a “pixel” styling, similar to what is used in SHSU Online marketing, as well as a primary color that is overlayed on the chosen background image. The banner colors help courses stand out in the course selection menu and can strengthen the identity of courses when also used for content elements throughout the courses.

A screenshot of the course banner creation feature of the Online Course Styling Tool

A display of several unique course banners that were produced with the Online Course Styling Tool. Each featuring a stylized pixelation effect

What if I can’t find an image?

If you are unable to find an appropriate option from the available selection of images, you may now upload an image from you computer to temporarily use in the the tool during your current session.

Build a banner now

Video Thumbnails

Implementing cohesive thumbnails or “poster images” for the videos in your course is small touch that can add context and continuity to instructional content. To make creating these assets quick and simple the Online Course Styling Tool now includes a video thumbnail creation feature. Thumbnail images created with this feature also have the benefit of visual consistency with course banners and other text styling that can be created with the tool.

A screenshot of the video poster creation feature of the Online Course Styling Tool

A display of a video embedded in a blackboard course. The video has a poster image generated with the Online Course Styling Tool featuring a stylized pixelation effect

Applying a thumbnail in Kaltura

Applying thumbnails to your videos is a straightforward process that can be done in just a few steps.

Go to the “Tools” section of the left-hand navigation in Blackboard and choose “Kaltura My Media” from the menu.
Find the video to which you want to add a thumbnail and click the pencil icon on the far right of the video list item. (If you have a large library, you can use the search bar at the top of the page to locate specific videos.)
On the “Edit Video” screen, go to the “Thumbnails” tab located below the video and select “Upload Thumbnail” to choose your thumbnail image file.

Create a Video Thumbnail

Design Resources

Point of Contact: Dane Classen

Creative Cloud

Follow the relevant link below for information on how to install Creative Cloud:

Design posters, infographics, and other educational graphics
Edit photos and videos with professional grade tools
Create appealing presentations and reports

Help installing Creative Cloud

Follow the relevant link below for information on how to install Creative Cloud:

Storyblocks

Through Storyblocks.com, SHSU Online now has unlimited access to a library of over one million royalty-free downloads. Team members can search through thousands of stock assets using their own accounts and have unlimited stock media downloads, including images, videos, audio, and template collections.

Storyblocks also has a built-in custom editor called “Maker.” With this anyone can create amazing graphics using the many customizable templates available.

If faculty members wish to use an image or video resource from Storyblocks, they can contact their SHSU Online instructional designer who will be able to assist in obtaining the necessary resources.

Visit Storyblocks.com

Royalty Free Resources

Royalty-free images are images that can be used without the need to obtain specific permission from the copyright owner. These images can be used for a variety of purposes, including in publications, on websites, or in presentations, without worrying about infringing on the copyright owner’s rights or having to negotiate licensing agreements.

Options for royalty free images

Below are a few websites that offer large collections of royalty-free images. It is important to note that some of these images may require attribution, so be sure to check the specific terms and conditions of each image before using it.

A Note About Copyright

If you are unsure whether an image or other content you intend to use in your course may potentially infringe on copyright, please refer to the following resources for guidance.

More about copyright & fair use

Copyright and Fair Use Guide: shsulibraryguides.org/copyright
Fair Use Tools and Resources: shsulibraryguides.org/copyright/fairuse
TSUS Policy & SHSU Policies: shsulibraryguides.org/copyright/shsu
SHSU Designated Copyright Agent: shsu.edu/intranet/policies

If you have questions about copyright and fair use related to teaching or research at SHSU, please reach out to the Scholarly Communications Librarian.

News

SHSU Online Newsletter

Point of Contact: Maxwell Giddens

The SHSU Online Newsletter is our way of keeping the university community informed and engaged with what’s happening in the world of online education at SHSU. Each issue is written by our instructional designers and SHSU Online staff, who share their experiences, tips, and perspectives to support teaching, learning, and innovation across campus.

Inside, you’ll find updates on Blackboard and other digital tools, news about emerging technologies, highlights from major SHSU Online projects, and spotlights on the faculty, staff, and students who make this work meaningful. We also share practical guidance and thoughtful insights that can help shape your approach to online instruction and support student success.

Behind each edition of the SHSU Online Newsletter is a creative effort to make important stories stand out and feel connected to our broader university community. The Media Innovation team works to bring each issue to life, translating the insights and expertise of our instructional designers and staff into something that’s not only informative, but engaging and easy to explore.

Read The Latest Newsletter

Live Broadcast

Live Events and Streaming

Point of Contact: JT Bounds

SHSU and higher education have moved into more accessible and open discussion driven initiatives, SHSU Online has adapted to help accommodate many forms of event-based and streaming content. Here at SHSU Online, we are here to help bring ideas to life and help departments and colleges understand what they want and/or need from their events or streams. This guide will help individuals break down their ideas and try and answer questions that individuals might not know to ask, as well as give ideas about what else might be possible or needed.

We recommend that initial contact to SHSU Online occurs as soon as possible so that all the wants and needs can be met, as well as giving the team ample time to work through the planning and logistics of making an event or stream happen.

A camera operator with a headset and beanie films a crowded event from an elevated position. The professional broadcast camera is aimed at a brightly lit stage in the distance, while rows of spectators fill the dark arena seating in the background.

A wide shot of the Sam Houston State University Commencement ceremony. A speaker stands at a wooden podium on a stage decorated with plants and university banners, backed by a large blue screen displaying the event title.

A large, brightly lit Christmas tree stands at the center of an outdoor nighttime celebration for SHSU's Lighting of the Tree. Two vertical plumes of white smoke or steam rise on either side of the tree, illuminated by festive red and white lights.

A mobile production unit is set up outdoors next to a white van. The setup includes multiple monitors, equipment racks, and wireless transmission antennas on stands, with a brick university building visible in the background.

Live Events Services we offer

Services and Timelines

Events require time for preparation and planning. We are here to help every step of the way and work with everyone to ensure that events are successful.

Initial Meeting

For events and streams, we usually have an initial meeting to discuss expectations, as well as options for the event. In this meeting, we walk through a timeline for media, setup, and staffing so that each party can properly prepare.

Major Events

One or more months needed for preparation

Major events include presidential events such as Graduation, Tree of Light, and Ring Ceremony, or events with large audiences such as New Student Convocation or the White Coat Ceremonies.

These types of events take longer to plan due to the larger media playback requirements and lengthier duration of the event, and they require a script. These events typically require a larger number, typically five or more of our staff, and can also take more time when it comes to planning. They involve coordination with venue managers, planning of event logistics, and the physical setup of the event, which often requires eight or more hours to complete.

Smaller-Medium Streams

Three weeks to one month needed for preparation

Examples of these are Open Forums, such as the Academic Policy streams, Conversations with Administrators, or Committee Searches.

These events are typically hybrid events with in-person attendees and a stream to either Blackboard or YouTube. Blackboard streams require a custom-built webpage, which takes some time to create. In addition, these streams do require some personnel (three or four) to operate the equipment and set up the event.

Virtual Zoom Streams

Two weeks needed for preparation

These types of events are perhaps the most user-friendly events. They do not require many people to staff the event (typically one or two), and can be managed remotely, which omits physical setup times.

When requesting events to be streamed through Blackboard, we ask for at least two weeks’ notice for planning so that we can properly schedule.

Critical info to keep in mind

Critical Information

In general, there are a few important considerations to be aware of when planning your event.

Target Audience

Is this event focused more on students, faculty, staff, or a combination of the three? If the event is geared to faculty and staff, we can utilize Blackboard to stream only to those specific audiences

Does the event involve students? If so, we may consider streaming to YouTube, so parents or guardians have a chance to see their student on the live stream.

If the event’s goal is audience or crowd engagement, the event may be better served as in-person only and not streamed encouraging more individuals to show up in person and enhancing the overall event. Livestreamed events, or events that will be posted afterward, will need cameras to function, which adds another element to the event, including more personnel.

Media Needs

Will there be a PowerPoint presentation, videos, or graphics involved in the event?

Where should the media be displayed? Certain venues have built-in screens that we can project media upon, or SHSU Online may be able to provide our own screens to project media.

Microphone Options

Who will be speaking at the event, and what will they need?

How many people will be speaking at the event, and what type of microphone will be needed?

If there is more than one speaker, we may need to discuss different types of audio setups for the event.

Location of the Event

Certain venues are better equipped with technology for livestreams or events than others, so SHSU Online may need more time to ensure the venue is prepped for a stream or event.

Event Script

Some events are lecture-based, and do not need a script, timeline, or program, and simply last however long they need to.

Other events may be on a strict timeframe and may have a script or program to follow along with to ensure the event runs exactly as desired. SHSU Online encourages those who are requesting event services to provide our team with a script or program in advance, so that we can better prepare for the event and make certain that the stream runs efficiently, and media is delivered exactly as required.