EchoVideo: Embedding Media into Moodle via an Activity Link

The look and feel of the Player is changing! Upcoming changes are identified in this article by providing screenshots labeled "Old UI" and "New UI".

Prerequisites for using the EchoVideo Media Embed Activity:
1) A Moodle Administrator must have created the EchoVideo LTI activity tool for embedding media on your Moodle instance.
2) For Students to embed media, the Student Library MAY need to be turned on for your institution. OR Students can embed media from any Collection where they have the Post permission.

If a Moodle Admin has created it for your institution, you will find an EchoVideo Embed Media activity listed in the Add Activity list for your courses. The Embed Media activity tool opens the EchoVideo Embed media dialog box.

The EchoVideo Embed Media dialog box provides the ability to:

• Embed media from EchoVideo directly into your Moodle course as described on this page
• Upload a media file then embed it as a single process
• Create new media with Universal Capture then embed it in a single process
• Create a browser-based capture
• Post a link to the media (instead of embedding it) into Moodle
• Create a playlist and embed it directly into Moodle

This tool should appear in the Add an activity list, shown below, that pops up when you select to Add an activity to your course.

LMS-Embedded media provides view data such as view counts, heatmap data, and individual user viewing information. The data is displayed in the Analytics tab of the media details page. 

The steps below are for selecting media already resident in EchoVideo. The Embed Media dialog box lists all EchoVideo media you own and any audio, video, or interactive media in any Collection where you have the Post permission. If you need to upload or create the media first and need instructions, follow the links above for more information. 

These procedures add an Activity to a course Topic in Moodle. You can add the activity anywhere you are given the option. Contact your Moodle Administrator or refer to your Moodle documentation if you need assistance.

To embed existing EchoVideo media as an Activity

1. Log in to Moodle.
2. Open the Course in Moodle where you want to post the media.
3. If necessary, enable Edit Mode from the upper right corner.
   
4. Find the Topic into which you want to add the page to display the media, and click Add an activity or resource.
5. Click the EchoVideo Embed Tool button.
   

   A dialog box appears with a content selection screen, presenting your options. Click the Launch Media Picker option to choose from your existing content and see the EchoVideo audio, video, or interactive media you own and media in any Collection where you have the Post permission. If you need to upload media to embed, click the Upload Content option and refer to the instructions in the link if necessary.
   
   

6. If necessary, use the Search text box and / or Filters options to find the media you want to add.
7. Select the media you want to embed and click Next.

   The dialog box changes to show the selected media and playback configuration options, all of which are described below the figure.
   If you want to post a link to the media instead of embedding it directly into the page, enable the Link toggle and if necessary see Posting a Link to EchoVideo Media in your LMS / VLE Course.
   If you want to embed multiple items together as a Playlist, see Creating Playlists in your LMS / VLE Course.

   
8. From the Player Style drop-down list, select the style you want to be applied to the player.
   

   The Player Style drop-down only appears if your institution has created custom player styles. If you have selection options, pick the one for your department or organization (or the default) that you want applied to the playback of this media.
   Selecting a style may automatically select Size, Autoplay, and Automute options for you; these can still be changed.

9. From the Size drop-down list, select the size for the media playback. It is 640x420 by default.
   
10. If appropriate, enable the option to Autoplay the media (it will play as soon as a user opens the page you are embedding it into).
11. If you enable Autoplay, Automute is automatically enabled, to accommodate browsers that no longer allow autoplay with sound. You CAN enable Automute separately without Autoplay.
12. If appropriate, set a Start At time. If set, the media will begin playing at that timestamp, although viewers will be able to rewind/fast-forward the player to view any segment of the embedded media.
    This option is NOT available for interactive media.
13. When finished, click Insert.
14. If necessary, edit the Activity Name. It is the name of the media you selected but can be changed.
15. If desired, select Show more to expand the form to enter a Description for the media you are embedding. This may include instructions to students and/or a deadline for viewing the media.
16. Complete any other sections of the form as needed.
17. Click Save and return to course or Save and display as appropriate.

Once the item is added, students can click on the activity link to open the media and view it.

If you selected Autoplay or Start At configurations for the media, those are enacted for the user upon viewing.