Panopto is a recording tool used to capture screen activity, audio, and video for instructional content, presentations, and demonstrations. You might choose Panopto when you need to record a lecture, walkthrough, or explanation directly from your computer, especially when the recording needs to be shared securely with a class or campus audience. It’s well suited for narrated slides, software demos, and voice-only recordings.

1. Accessing Panopto

• Go to the Dickinson Gateway
• Click the green Panopto icon

Note: if using a Mac, Google Chrome works best

2. Setting Up Video Capture

• Click Create in the top left and select Panopto Capture

3. Adjusting Screenshare Settings

• Adjust your Audio, Video, and Screenshare settings
• If you’re only recording your screen, remember to select Audio, and click the checkmark so that it turns to an “X” to ensure your voice won’t be captured

• Do the same thing for Video to ensure you won’t be seen in the recording

• Select the tab or window you want to record
• If you want the audio to come with it, be sure to switch the Also share tab audio toggle on
• Click Share

4. Starting the Recording

• Hit the record button
• You will be given a 5-second countodwn
• Consider waiting a second or two after the countdown finishes before playing what you want to record so nothing gets cut off

5. Stopping the Recording

• Navigate to the tab where Panopto is open and press the Stop button
• Once you have stopped the recording, Panopto will process the file
• In Panopto, once the processing has finished, click the gear icon on the recording preview image

6. Downloading the Audio Only

• Select Outputs from the menu on the left
• At the bottom, select Download Audio Podcast
• This will download the file to your computer as an .mp3

7. Downloading the Video

• If you want to download both audio and video, you will need to select Primary Video Only from the Type dropdown
• From the Quality dropdown, we recommend selecting 1080p (30 fps)

Note: You will need to wait until the video finishes processing again before you will be able to download the file.

Microsoft Teams is a video conferencing and collaboration tool commonly used for classes, meetings, and group work. If you’re familiar with Zoom, many of the core features in Teams will feel familiar but they may be located in slightly different places. This guide focuses on helping those who have previously used Zoom to get up and running quickly in Teams.

1. Getting Started

• Open Microsoft Teams (desktop app or web browser)
• Sign in using your institutional Microsoft account
• You will land on the Teams or Calendar view

2. Joining a Video Call

• Click the Calendar tab on the left
• Find your scheduled meeting and click Join
  • Or click a meeting link shared via email or chat
• Choose your camera and microphone settings
• Click Join now

3. Audio and Video Controls During a Call

Once in the meeting, controls appear along the bottom of the screen:

• Camera icon: Turn video on or off
• Microphone icon: Mute or unmute
• Leave button: Exit the meeting

4. Chatting During a Call

• Click the Chat icon to open the meeting chat
• Type messages to everyone in the meeting
• Links and files shared in chat remain available after the meeting

5. Sharing Your Screen

• Click Share (rectangle with arrow icon)
• Choose what to share:
  • Entire screen
  • A specific window
  • A PowerPoint presentation
• Click Stop sharing when finished

6. Managing Participants

• Click People to view participants
• See who is muted, speaking, or has video on
• Meeting hosts may have additional controls

7. Recording a Meeting

• Click More options (three dots)
• Select Start recording
• A notification will appear for all participants
• Click Stop recording when finished

Recordings are saved to Microsoft OneDrive or SharePoint, not locally.

8. Ending or Leaving the Call

• Click Leave
• Hosts can end the meeting for everyone if needed

Helpful Tips for Zoom Users

• Teams meetings are often accessed through the Calendar, not a separate “Meetings” tab
• Chat and files persist after the meeting so nothing disappears when the call ends
• Screen sharing is more app-focused, which helps avoid sharing private notifications
• If something feels “missing,” check the More options (⋯) menu

Subtitles and captions make videos more accessible and easier to understand in noisy or quiet environments. YouTube provides automatic captioning tools that can be edited for accuracy, making it easy to add captions during or after upload.

This tutorial walks you through adding and editing captions after a video has been uploaded to YouTube.

1. Navigate to the Subtitles Section

• In YouTube Studio, select Subtitles on the left side

• Select the video you’d like to edit

2. Edit YouTube’s Automatic Captions

• With Subtitles selected on the left, under English (Automatic), click Duplicate and Edit

• From here, you can now edit the existing text

3. Publish Your Captions

• Click Publish when editing is complete
• Captions will now appear as an option on your video
• Viewers can turn captions on or off using the CC button

Helpful Tips

• Always review automatic captions before publishing
• Speak clearly in your video to improve auto-caption accuracy
• Captions should reflect spoken words, not paraphrases
• Include important non-speech audio when relevant (e.g., [music], [laughter])
• Captions improve searchability and viewer engagement

You’re Ready to Caption Your Videos

Adding captions to YouTube videos is one of the easiest ways to improve accessibility and reach. Start with YouTube’s automatic captions, make quick edits, and publish with confidence.

For more information, visit YouTube’s Help Center.

Meshmixer is a free 3D modeling and mesh-editing tool commonly used for preparing files for 3D printing. You might choose Meshmixer if you want to modify existing 3D models, repair files, add or remove details, or customize objects without starting from scratch. It’s especially useful for learning practical 3D workflows and turning downloaded models into something uniquely your own.

In the below video, we walk you through the basics of using Meshmixer focused specifically on modifying bird beaks for a class project.

Audacity is a free, open-source audio editing and recording tool that’s widely used for podcasts, voiceovers, and basic sound editing. You might choose Audacity if you want a straightforward way to record audio, clean up sound, remove background noise, or edit clips without needing expensive software. It’s a great option for learning core audio concepts and producing solid-quality audio for class projects, presentations, or creative work. And the best news is, it’s free to download on both Apple and Windows devices.

In the video below, we walk you through how to edit audio and we share some tips and tricks for using Audacity effectively.

iMovie is a free, user-friendly video editing app available on all Apple devices that’s great for getting started with video projects. You might choose iMovie if you want to edit quickly, learn the basics of storytelling and timeline editing, or create polished videos without a steep learning curve. It’s ideal for simple projects, class assignments, and personal videos, especially if you’re new to video editing and want professional-looking results with minimal setup.

In the video below, we walk you through everything there is to know in iMovie.

Adobe Premiere Pro is a widely used, industry-standard video editing program found in film, television, marketing, and online content creation. You might choose Premiere Pro if you want a familiar, timeline-based editing experience that integrates seamlessly with other Adobe tools like Photoshop, After Effects, and Audition. While Premiere Pro does require a paid student subscription, it offers powerful editing features, strong collaboration options, and skills that translate directly to many creative and professional media workflows.

In the video below, we walk you through basic video editing using Adobe Premiere Pro.

DaVinci Resolve is a professional-grade video editing and color correction tool used across film, television, and online media and it’s available to download for free for both Windows and Apple devices. You might choose DaVinci Resolve for more creative control, higher production quality, or experience with software used in real-world media and creative careers. It’s especially well-suited for narrative projects, documentaries, advanced editing work, and anyone interested in learning industry-standard workflows.

In the video below, we cover how to use Davinci Resolve for basic editing.