educast.nrw

Before the start of the winter semester, educast.nrw will be introduced on the eCampus learning platform. Educast.nrw is the new state-wide video service for universities in NRW and is based on the same software, called Opencast, that the University of Bonn has been using as its eLecture portal since the beginning of the pandemic. For the implementation, disconnection from the existing Opencast eLecture platform is unavoidable, which is why all video content with a metadata date (start date) from 1.9.2021 will be transferred (migrated) to the new portal.  Therefore, the changeover will also result in only a few changes in handling. The previous connection of the migrated videos to the learning platform will remain in place.
The old eLecture portal will be available until the end of the winter semester to allow subsequent downloads for personal archiving (login via https://admin.electure.uni-bonn.de). Videos with a start date prior to 1.9.2021 can also be migrated by adjusting the date on eCampus accordingly (e.g. 1.9.2021). Changes to the start date as well as necessary video uploads for upcoming projects must be completed on the old platform by the end of August in order for the videos to be migrated. Otherwise, these videos will be offline (error message) on eCampus after the mid-September migration and will not be available for subsequent download after the end of the winter semester. Videos uploaded to the old platform after August 31, 2022 cannot be considered for migration.

What is a metadata date or start date in Opencast and how can I change it?

It is a date that users can set themselves when uploading the video and change later. It is mainly used for orientation, e.g. when the actual course (recording) took place.
The start date of the video can be found on eCampus in the Opencast object in the "Start" column. You can change it by clicking on the " Aktionen" button and then selecting the " Metadaten bearbeiten" (edit metadata) function in the menu that opens.
Alternatively, this is also possible in the Opencast interface (Admintool). To do this, log in with your UNI-ID at https://admin.electure.uni-bonn.de. In the "Actions" column, select the button with the three blue bars ("Sandwich") and change the start date in the window that opens.

Why can't both the old and new platforms be available on eCampus at the same time?

For the coupling with eCampus a PlugIn is used ( Object Opencast). This PlugIn only supports one Opencast instance and cannot be installed multiple times on eCampus.

What is the migration process and how long will it take?

Since the videos will be transcoded again, the process will take several weeks. There will be several runs, which will be completed in early September. In mid-September (expected 13.9.2022), the Opencast PlugIn will be reconfigured so that video retrieval will then take place via educast.nrw.

What changes in handling will result from the system change?

In the beginning, the recording tool (Opencast Studio) as well as the online editor (video editing) will only be available via the Opencast Admintool. Step-by-step instructions for this workaround will be available on the eCampus website during the lecture-free period.

Where will the data be transferred to?

Educast.nrw is hosted by the University of Münster. A backup system for emergency failures is available at the University of Cologne.

What happens if I do nothing?

Your videos with a start date of 1.9.2021 will still be available if uploaded by the end of August 2022. All other videos will no longer be listed on eCampus after the changeover on the learning platform (mid-September) (error message) and will not be available for subsequent download after the end of the winter semester. Videos uploaded to the old platform after August 31, 2022 cannot be considered for migration.

What happens to videos uploaded to the previous Opencast platform between September 1, 2022 and mid-September 2022?

They will remain on the old platform, which will remain in place until the end of the winter semester, but will not be migrated and will no longer be listed on eCampus after mid-September 2022. In this case, the videos would have to be uploaded again, but then on educast.nrw.

Is account information such as name and email address also transferred?

In Opencast there is no account area for managing personal data. Besides the video material, it is only metadata that is migrated. When you upload a video to Opencast, your University ID is stored in the metadata as the user rights holder.

Why are we abandoning our own system in favor of the state platform?

The outsourced server operation and the savings in licensing costs will free up resources that we can best use elsewhere (e.g. consulting, training, conception and media equipment) in order to achieve an increase in quality. In addition, the operator of the state portal is in a very good position to accelerate further Opencast developments (e.g. transcription services, annotation tools, livestreaming and anonymous user data analysis).

The videos of my course are not listed in the admin tool. How is this possible?

Most likely, the videos were uploaded by another eCampus course administrator. If you have problems, it is best to contact eLecture Support [Email protection active, please enable JavaScript.] .

The switch to eCampus occurs during an exam preparation. Is this a problem?

If the videos have been migrated, the transition will be seamless and they will only be unavailable during the maintenance window.

I have also published my videos outside of eCampus (e.g. WebSite, Confluence). What do I need to consider here?

After shutting down the university's own platform at the end of the winter semester, these videos will no longer be available. You should replace the old link with the new link (educast NRW) during the winter semester.

Where can I find the web interface (admin tool) in the future that lists all my videos?

Log in with your university ID on the admintool of educast.nrw: https://manage.uni-bonn.educast.nrw/.

How do I get more information about educast.nrw and who can I contact if I have more questions?

You can find more information about educast.nrw at https://educast.nrw/de/ . If you have any further questions, please contact the eLecture team at [Email protection active, please enable JavaScript.]. You can reach us by phone Mo-Fr from 8-16 o'clock: 0228/73-5744