Educational facilities worldwide are turning to AV over IP solutions to save money while improving communication and collaboration. TAFE Queensland, one of Australia’s largest vocational education and training providers, is no exception. The organization continually strives to modernize its facilities and infrastructure to provide its students with the best possible learning environment—one comprised of both in-person and online resources. The installation of Matrox Maevex 6020 Remote Recorders is just one of the latest examples of how TAFE Queensland is using technology to enhance its educational offerings.  

Matrox Video spoke with Daniel Hausin, Project Manager of Media Systems and Support at TAFE Queensland, about the training provider's use of Matrox Maevex 6020 Remote Recorders and how they've helped to improve the institution's ability to record, distribute, and manage educational content.

Background

TAFE Queensland offers more than 500 entry-level certificates to degree-level courses across a wide range of industries, with over 50 campuses located throughout the state of Queensland. The organization records many of its lectures so that students can access and review the material online at their convenience. The recording aspect is critical for programs that involve a more hands-on approach, as it allows the instructor to demonstrate a task or process while creating a future resource for students.  

TAFE Queensland's South Bank Campus in Brisbane contains a demonstration kitchen for its culinary programs managed by Le Cordon Bleu, where lectures are recorded daily. For this setup, TAFE Queensland required a new approach to video management that met all the organization’s criteria, from the correct certification to the desired features. Ultimately, TAFE went with Matrox Maevex 6020 Remote Recorders to capture and record their lectures.

Challenges:

TAFE Queensland’s solution for video management would require the following features: 

• Panopto™-certified: A Panopto™-certified hardware device has been tested and proven to work seamlessly with the Panopto video management system, a software TAFE Queensland uses to record, edit, and share video content. Fully integrated with Panopto, Maevex 6020 is purpose-built for capturing, encoding, and streaming live and recorded video. 
• Dual-input recording: Dual-input recording allows two sources to be recorded simultaneously. For TAFE Queensland, this is a useful feature of Maevex 6020 for creating training materials as they often use more than one camera to record their lectures. 
• Compatible: TAFE Queensland required a solution that would work with their existing setup so they could easily swap out units without reconfiguring their network. A selling point for TAFE Queensland was that Maevex 6020 contains an HDMI connection, which was crucial as it allows for the connection of the units using the cabling they already have in place. 
• Budget-friendly: Maevex 6020 comes at an attractive price point, making it an excellent option for budget-conscious organizations. It is also easy to install and register, which avoids the need to hire expensive consultants.

Solution:

TAFE Queensland decided to outfit campuses with Maevex 6020 units to capture, stream, and record lectures for live viewing and on-demand playback from any location. A Maevex 6020 has been deployed in Le Cordon Bleu’s demonstration kitchen, enabling them to record four lectures per day, typically back-to-back.  

TAFE Queensland described the setup of the Maevex 6020 as simple, with the device being quickly integrated into the Institute’s network (LAN). The teachers required little instruction on how to use the Maevex 6020 to schedule their classes for recording. Once the unit was set up and hidden in the rack, it did not need to be touched again since it could be monitored and managed remotely.

Results:

After six months, TAFE Queensland reports the Maevex 6020 remote recorders have helped the organization improve operational efficiencies and reduce costs. The recordings have also benefited students and staff, providing a valuable resource for learning and reference. 

“Having the recording available supports the learning of all students, especially those who may have difficulties with English literacy,” said Jerome Magisson, a teacher at Le Cordon Bleu who regularly performs tutorials in the demonstration kitchen. “Students can also use the high-resolution videos to watch the key technical aspects of our course. At Le Cordon Bleu, we noticed that the students who improve the most during their 30 weeks of study are the ones who access video recordings regularly.”  

Overall, Maevex 6020 has been a positive addition to TAFE Queensland by allowing the Institute to deliver content with ease, as well as enhance the remote learning experience for all students.