Axio Learning

One of the many additions to Axio 4.0 is the new Flash video feature, which allows for the streaming of FLV, SWF, MP3 and MP4 formats uploaded and published within your courses. Streaming of videos is not a new idea – YouTube.com and news agencies such as CNN.com have been using this technology for quite some time to make videos available for immediate playback in an Internet browser using Adobe Flash Player.

“With this new feature, your videos can be easily watched directly within your course, without students having to download a specific player, or even your video.” said Bryan Vandiviere, Axio’s web presentation technology coordinator.

Instructors have always been able to upload and publish videos in their Axio course, but, prior to this new feature, students would often be required to download and view the video outside of Axio.

“Requiring your students to download and then playback your video can cause issues for a variety of reasons. The file may be too large and take a long time to download, and, once downloaded, your video could easily be shared with others not enrolled in your course. Also, the student may not have the required player installed on their computer to view the video,” said Vandiviere.

“For example, a WMV (Windows Media) video must be watched in the Windows Media player, a QT (Quick Time) video requires the Apple Quick Time player. If your student did not have the player installed on their computer, they could not watch your video.”

If you have videos that are not in a streaming format (FLV, SWF, MP3 and MP4), do not fret; another new tool, the Flash Video Bryan Vandiviere Conversion Wizard, allows you to convert non-streaming video formats, such as AVI, QT, MPG, MOV and WMV, to an MP4 video file.

“After the video is in streaming format, you will be able to choose how it appears in your Modules. You can choose for the player to be available in the Modules page so the student just needs to click play, have your students click a link which opens the player in that same page or have the player open in a new Internet page,” said Abhishekh Padmanabhan, Axio application developer.

“We’ve also provided the instructors with the embed code for the video, so they can copy and paste the video embed code into their Welcome Message, Announcements, assignment questions or wherever they choose.”

This video conversion feature will initially only be available to a pilot group. However, automatic streaming of FLV and MP4 content will be available to all users. If you would like to participate in the pilot group, contact Scott Finkeldei at info@axiolearning.org