Lightboard Studio at Lamont

The Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory is excited to announce that a new teaching tool called Lightboard is ready for use. The Lightboard Studio is a dedicated studio to help faculty, researchers, and staff produce high-quality videos of their lectures, presentations and tutorials through the use of a lightboard. The Lightboard is best described by its inventor, Michael Peshkin at Northwestern University, as “a glass chalkboard pumped full of light. It’s for recording video lecture topics. You face towards your viewers, and your writing glows in front of you”. 

Here are two examples of Lamonters using the LDEO Lightboard setup

This setup allows the possibility to incorporate PowerPoint slides (download the PowerPoint Lightboard template) and other graphics into Lightboard videos for annotation.

Lightboard applications 

  • Record your Lightboard Studio presentation

  • Conduct live sessions via Zoom

  • Graduate students are encouraged to use the Lightboard Studio for their class presentations, student organizations, etc.

Create lectures using Lamont’s Lightboard

Our Lamont Lightboard Studio is installed on the first floor of the Geoscience building, room 105B.

Getting ready to use the studio

  • If you would like to use the Lightboard Studio, please reach out to Phil Fitzpatrick at [email protected].
  • The first time you use the lightboard system, open a ticket with AskIT.
  • Review your Zoom settings and arrange your Zoom meeting if creating a live session instead of or in addition to a recording.
  • Create a PowerPoint overlay presentation if desired and bring it on a flash drive.
  • Bring a flash drive to store your recording.
  • Create your notes and practice your presentation. 

Useful tips 

What markers to use:

  • Use only the markers provided in the lightboard room. 
  • Other types of markers may not pick up the light from the lightboard and could permanently mark the lightboard.

What to wear:

  • Dark clothing will help you blend in without disappearing.
  • Though dark clothing is good black clothing will make you completely disappear.
  • Avoid using clothing that has writing on it. Text on your clothes will appear backward due to the mirroring effect generated by the video, which can be distracting for students.

When using the board:

  • When hosting a live session using Zoom or recording it helps to stay close to the light board. Stepping back from the light board will cause you to appear in shadow to the camera. The camera may also temporarily blur the video as it attempts to bring you into focus from your new location.
  • Be conscious of the lightboard space. There is a frame set by the placement of the camera that places a limit where you and your presentation can be seen in frame. Some presenters prefer to mark the edges of the available space out of frame.
  • Design your presentation to keep your face unobstructed. Move to the side as you write so that your face is not covered by the text. Working this way makes it easier for the remote viewer to see you and read the board.
  • When you are speaking about a talking point that you have written or drawn on the light board point to it from the side and not from the back. Avoid using the markers to point at anything. This will make it much easier to see what you are pointing to.
  • When you are not writing, always look at the camera to engage the audience.  Avoid introducing noise like capping the markers during your presentation. The markers will survive being uncapped for the duration or your presentation.
  • Use light pressure when writing or drawing with the markers. Pressing down on the markers with a lot of pressure when writing may cause them to emit a loud, distracting squeak.

Before you leave the studio

  • Clean the lightboard. You should be able to clean the glass with a dry microfiber towel that you will find in the Studio room. 
  • Log off the computer. 
  • Power off system.
  • Lock the door.

 

You can find more detailed information about the Lightboard studio and its uses at:

https://www.lightboard.info/

More online resources at:

Lightboard Best Practices (from Notre Dame)