Kaltura Recording Tools vs Canvas Recording Tool

Last Updated

There are multiple options for students to utilize should a video be required in a specific course. While there is no wrong tool for creating and storing a multimedia file, there are better tools to select for longer videos. All students have access to Kaltura My Media as a multimedia repository to save and share videos. Within Kaltura My Media, two tools are available to create multimedia files. The files uploaded to Kaltura My Media can be integrated into a Canvas course using the Kaltura integration tool found in the Rich Content Editor. 

Note: If you are using Kaltura My Media for the first time, your account must be authorized and created.  To do this, go into Canvas>Account>My Media and follow the appropriate prompts for setting up your Kaltura My Media account.  

Canvas can store multimedia files, but it comes with many limitations including limits to file storage. The Canvas media recorder can be found in the Rich Content Editor and can be used to record a video with a microphone and web camera input. It does not include an option to record a screen capture. 

Instructors:

A basic comparison of the tools and media repositories

Multimedia Tool Comparison

There is no right or wrong way to utilize the tool, but tools do come with limitations that when used incorrectly can sometimes lead to frustration. The following chart is a basic comparison of Kaltura My Media video creation tools and the Canvas recorder.

Tool Characteristic  | Kaltura Web Recorder | Kaltura Capture Space | Canvas Recorder
Recording options  | Audio, web camera, screen capture | Audio, web camera, screen capture | Audio and web camera only 
Sharing capabilities  | Shared within a course, in My Media Repository, URL, Embed link | Shared within a course, in My Media Repository, URL, Embed link | Shared within a course
Editing features  | Creates clips, allows for basic editing features including clipping and trimming within an  editing tool found in My Media | Creates clips, allows for basic editing features including clipping and trimming within an  editing tool found in My Media | No editing tools available 
Captioning features | Automatic-machine generated captions and transcripts are available to create captions. Captions can be edited for accuracy using the built-in caption editor. | Automatic-machine generated captions and transcripts are available to create captions. Captions can be edited for accuracy using the built-in caption editor. | No captions or caption editor available
Operation requirements  | Internet browser-based (Chrome or Firefox); Mac and PC compatible; Tablet-friendly    | Desktop application; Mac and PC compatible   | Internet browser-based (Chrome or Firefox); Mac and PC compatible; Tablet-friendly   

Multimedia Repository

There are a lot of features to think about when requiring students to create and share videos within a course. Please see the following table to understand the differences between the multimedia repositories available. 

Repository Quality/Characteristic

 

Kaltura My Media

 

Direct Upload to Canvas

Multimedia file size limit | Can accommodate large files up to 2 GB; unlimited storage | Files need to be less than 500 MB; 5G total course storage available

Sharing capabilities (within a course) | Can share URLs and embed codes outside of Canvas | Videos are only embedded within Canvas; no sharing capabilities outside of the LMS

Sharing capabilities (with other people)  | Add other users as co-publishers, co-editors and co-collaborators  | No sharing options with other users

Technical Support  | UWEC LTS Help Desk Support; Kaltura Administrator; Kaltura Technical Support  | 24/7/365 Technical Support from Canvas

When should students use Canvas for recordings?

Canvas Instructions for Students: 
Tips for Instructors Assigning Canvas Recordings: 

When should students use Kaltura for recordings?

Kaltura Instructions:
NOTE: if you are uploading from a mobile device, access Kaltura My Media through Canvas in a browser as if you are on a computer – do not use the Canvas Student app. You will not have the necessary features to use Kaltura through the Canvas Student app. Do not download a Kaltura app either. The browser should function but will involve pinching and zooming to access the buttons accurately on a phone.