Student-created video is a great way to increase engagement and presentation skills. However, recording and upload options on PCs and Macs can be confusing and do not take advantage of mobile skills that many students already have. Kaltura MediaSpace Go (KMS Go) is a mobile companion app to UAF Kaltura MediaSpace at media.uaf.edu. KMS Go lets users upload, view and download video within media.uaf.edu on their mobile devices. It also allows instructors or students to manage their own media content—from lectures to resources—on the go.

The app can be downloaded for free from either the Apple App Store for iOS devices, or the Google Play Store for Android devices.

Functionally, the app allows users to do nearly everything they can do on the main UAF Kaltura MediaSpace site. They can watch videos featured on the site or upload video to their accounts for later sharing on Blackboard or elsewhere. The app also allows students to download small versions of videos to the app for local playback, a useful solution for students who only have intermittent access to a robust internet connection.

Using the App

Once the app has been downloaded to your device, type in media.uaf.edu into the address bar. This will direct the app to display the UAF version of MediaSpace. A UAF logo will appear and the public channels on the landing page will display. To watch more videos that require a login, or to upload your own, log in with your UA username and password. In iOS, click the person icon at the top left. In Android, the icon is in the top right.
The app itself is fairly simple, with four main buttons for navigating or completing actions: Home, Upload, Search and Inspire Me. Home brings you back to the landing page. Upload lets you select a local video or record a video live from your camera (iOS) or camcorder (Android) apps.    The next screen will allow you to trim the beginning and end of the video before it is sent to Kaltura MediaSpace. Once the transfer is complete, you will see it appear in your “My Media“ area under “Media I Own“ both on the app and in the web version of the app. Keep in mind that videos that you’ve uploaded can be trimmed further if needed, and metadata such as titles, descriptions, and tags can be changed as well.

The search feature in the app is straightforward. Remember that only videos that are public or you have permission to view or edit will appear in the results. Remember to log in before searching to ensure that you’re able to find what you’re looking for.

The “Inspire Me” feature is the one bit of serendipitous design in this small app. It lets users find random videos within a certain time range and watch them automatically. It’s like the scan feature on AM/FM radio, but for UAF educational video.

Any video, including video quizzes, can be played back remotely or downloaded locally to your device. Videos can be played back at different speeds, from half speed to double speed, and captions can be displayed by tapping the screen during playback. You can leave comments on videos that allow them. Swiping down from the top of the playback screen will bring you back to the home screen, but your play point in the video will remain saved at the bottom should you choose to return.

Kaltura’s MediaSpace Go app is designed to be user-friendly and convenient. Sometimes it can be difficult to access course media content due to intermittent internet and busy student schedules. By familiarizing yourself with and integrating the use of this mobile app, you can enhance accessibility to course content.

Sean Holland

Associate Director of Learning Innovation

smholland@alaska.edu

Joseph Jackson

Joe Jackson, B.Sc., is the Media Studio Production Designer at UAF CTL. He hopes to use his perspective as both a former student and current media professional to enhance online teaching and learning at UAF.