‘Potcasts’ were a natural progression from the audio and video examples. Each is based on a 4- or 5-minute annotated video of anatomical specimen pots, with a voice-over commentary by an academic. The video is captured by filming the specimen while the academic uses a light pointer to indicate the key anatomical landmarks being described. The landmarks are highlighted by overlaying transient areas of colour onto the video image to make the anatomical structures stand out. In some cases, the videos are enhanced with arrows and text. The annotated video files are saved in .wmv and .mp4 formats and published on a streaming server with links to Blackboard courses and a dynamic web page. The files can then be viewed by clicking on the web links, or downloaded onto a hard disk, or synchronized with an iPod or laptop through Blackboard. The advantage of the last approach is that students are then able to visit the anatomical museum with their mobile device and view a description of the specimen pots which they might be examining. |
