Part of your coursework as a Relay GSE student will involve videotaping samples of your teaching to submit for feedback and evaluation. As such, it’s imperative that every Relay student has access to digital camera equipment. Below we outline options & recommendations available to our San Antonio students. Please review them carefully and determine which option works best to support your success as a graduate student.
Technology Requirements:
- Video camera (see options below)
- Memory card (if applicable)
- Tripod
Purchasing A Camera
We highly encourage all graduate students to purchase the recommended equipment. Our technology team has surveyed the use of phones as video cameras and found that the sound quality is particularly unreliable. Additionally, storage is limited depending on your device. We recommend the Sony CX405 Handycam (full retail price of $229.99), a compatible SD card, and a tripod.
Using Your Phone’s Camera
If you choose not to purchase a camera package, you may be able to use your phone's camera. If you choose this option, test your phone's video capabilities for full 45-60 min recordings, paying special attention to sound quality and compatibility for uploading to Canvas.
You’ll also want to pay attention to file size settings (ideally the right balance of best quality and smallest file size) and the storage capacity of your phone. Certain assessments will require you to film full 45-60 minute lessons, so if you choose to use your phone, be sure that it can store a video file that large.
You can find more about compatible file types here.
We recommend testing your phone’s video format on Canvas early in the semester to ensure that you don’t run into unexpected complications when it comes time to upload footage for formal assessments.
Please note that some video samples that you’ll be required to provide could be up to 40 minutes long, so if you’re going to use your phone to record, please be sure you have adequate storage available on your device.
Also, note that you will need a tripod for your phone so that you can set it up easily to record while you work.
For questions about this policy or camera procurement, please reach out to the Support Center at support@relay.edu.