Digital Media Tutoring Center & Virtual Reality

Purpose

The Digital Media Tutoring Center (DMTC) provides equipment for the creation of audio, video, and image-based projects in support of personal and class projects.  In addition, we offer a virtual reality area for people to explore this technology and imagine possibilities. To help you, tutors are available at scheduled times.

Equipment

For content creation and editing, the Center has three high-end workstations, and two monitor stations with external mice and keyboards for connection to NMU issued or personal laptops.  These workstations and monitor stations are available anytime the Library is open.  Help is available only when a tutor is scheduled. You can reserve the use of a workstation or a monitor for up to two hours. 

In addition, the DMTC provides creation equipment like camcorders, point-and-shoot cameras, tripods, computer microphones, and audio recording devices available for check out at the Public Services Desk (227-2250)

The virtual reality area has three Oculus Rift workstations. The VR workstations are only available when a tutor is scheduled. Use the links below to reserve specific workstations for up to one hour per day. Reservations are not required to use the VR equipment, and drop-ins are welcome.  Exploration time can be extended by DMTC tutors if no-one is waiting.

VR workstation reservation links
Workstation 1Workstation 2Workstation 3

Apps

Creation
The three desktop workstations have the entire Adobe Suite of software and other open-source apps.  Key apps include:

Key Adobe suite of software, and other open source apps
Adobe Premiere Pro (video)Adobe InDesign (desktop publishing)
Adobe Audition (audio)OBS Studio (screen recording)
Adobe Photoshop (images)Blender (3D computer graphics)
Adobe Illustrator (drawing)Adobe Animate (animation)
Open source video and audio editing apps are available to download on NMU issued or personal laptops.
Kdenlive (video editing)Audacity (audio editing)

 

Virtual Reality

Each of the VR workstations has a variety of apps, from educational to games.  We have compiled a key list of apps per workstation for you to browse.  For faculty interested in finding apps for use in their classes contact Scott Smith of the Center for Teaching and Learning

Policies

The Center’s workstations are available to NMU faculty, students, and staff, and the general public.  A barcode on an NMU-issued ID or community borrower card is needed to access the workstations. If you forgot your ID or are a community member without a borrower card, a DMTC tutor can log you into a workstation.  If a DMTC tutor is not present, ask for assistance at the Public Services Desk (227-2250). 

The workstations and monitors are not intended for playing video games, watching videos, surfing the internet, or checking email. There are other workstations in the Library for such work.

Please do not modify, move, unplug, or change in any way the computer equipment, including cables, keyboards, mice, etc. If you need assistance, consult the DMTC tutors or the DMTC supervisor, Kevin McDonough.

Please do not attempt to download, install or uninstall software of any kind. If you need something that is not available on a computer, please make a request to Kevin McDonough.

The use of virtual reality can cause motion sickness and has other risks.  Please be aware of these policies and considerations before using VR equipment.

File Storage

The DMTC does not provide file storage when working on the creation and editing workstations.  Although you can store files on the D: drive of the workstations, all files will be deleted weekly.   Consider bringing your own memory stick or DVD, or check out storage devices from the Public Services Desk

Copyright

Reproducing or distributing copyrighted works, including but not limited to, images, text, or software, without permission of the owner, is an infringement of U.S. Copyright Law and is subject to civil damages and/or criminal penalties including fines and imprisonment.  

Generally, there is no issue if media projects are used for educational purposes and not made available to the public, or use small sections of copyrighted works, and give credit to original sources. If in doubt, please contact Kevin McDonough, DMTC supervisor (227-2118), for clarification. Ultimately you are responsible for any copyright violations.

Multimedia Resources for Faculty

The Center for Teaching and Learning and Digital Media Tutoring Center can help you and your students with media based projects.

Center for Teaching and Learning

  • Help you to design projects for your class
  • Help you to know how to set up for video/audio projects
  • Help you develop rubrics for grading your projects
  • Help with video/audio capture tools and best practices
  • Help with editing and special effects
  • Help with producing/ formatting
  • Help with upload to Wildcast
  • Help with embedding in EduCat

 

Ideas for Digital Media Projects

  • Considerations
    Remix - From the University of Notre Dame, Remix helps college teachers develop engaging activities that involve images, video, and sound.  
  • Creating a Digital Media Assignment - overview on assigning media projects from the University of Louisville's Digital Media Suite. End of the page has additional three links from other universities that provide excellent guidance on assigning media assignments.
  • Individual Examples
    Breast ironing in Cameroon - NMU student project in Patricia Hogan's HL 322 course, Issues in International Health. Example of aggregating different media content onto a web site that addresses a specific issue.
  • Renewable Energy Public Service Announcement - NMU student project in Wendy Farkas's EN 110 course, Good Books. Example of a project incorporating still images, video, and audio to advocate for renewable energy.
  • Washington D.C. Mountain Biking: The Urban Trail Chaser - a student at Georgetown University documents his experience trying to find nearby mountain biking opportunities. Simple video documentary. Not technically advanced, but well done.
  • An Enduring Gift - A short documentary made by students at Georgetown University examining the story and influence of the Japanese gift of cherry trees to Washington, D.C.
  • How to Bake a Cake - Student shows how to bake a Betty Crocker boxed cake. Gives the appearance of being developed by Betty Crocker
  • Collection of Examples
    Top 15 Student Media Creation Projects - Chris Clark, University of Notre Dame, Assistant Director of the Kaneb Center for Teaching and Learning
  • 10 Ideas for Classroom Video Projects - from Dr. Alec Couros, Professor of Educational Technology and Media, University of Regina
  • 20 video project ideas to engage students - from Matt Miller, author of Ditch That Textbook

Grading Rubrics for Media Projects

Digital Media Tutoring Center

Lydia M. Olson Library 223 Harden Hall 

Northern Michigan University 1401 Presque Isle Ave. Marquette, MI  49855-5301  

Feedback

Please let us know how the DMTC is working for you by responding to a two-question survey.

Contact Information

Kevin McDonough
DMTC Supervisor
Email: kmcdonou@nmu.edu

 

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