Swivl is a device that’s useful for recording your classes without having a camera dominate your classroom. It consists of a base to hold a device and multiple markers that allow tracking of the presenter and audio to be recorded around a classroom, meaning the camera can follow who is speaking. This makes it exceptionally useful for capturing discussions and Q&A sessions. Swivl requires the use of a mobile device and an app to set it up, available on both Android and iOS.
Getting and Setting Up Swivl
Champlain faculty and academic staff can borrow a Swivl from the Center for Learning and Teaching. Please email clt@champlain.edu to learn about procedures and availability. You will need to use your own mobile device to run the app.
To set up the Swivl, consult Swivl’s written instructions or watch the video below. If you want to record student discussion around the room, simply power on one or two of the additional markers and place them where you would like to hear student conversations.
Video Capture
Capturing video is very straightforward once the Swivl is set up. Swivl provides a full list of steps. To record a full-length class, you will likely need to go into settings and reduce the recording quality of your video from HD to SD so your device has enough storage available. Here’s how to record yourself with a Swivl.
Viewing Videos
As a part of Swivl’s default settings, your video will be uploaded to your Swivl cloud account. From here, the video can be shared with another Swivl user with their Champlain email address, or downloaded for offline viewing. You can also upload downloaded videos to Panopto to share them easily with your classes. Learn more in our Getting Started with Panopto tutorial.
Commenting on Videos
When you are viewing your video in Swivl Cloud, you can create time-stamped comments on your own videos. This can be useful in noting parts of your lecture you wish to improve or things you’d like to do differently in the future.
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