Video assignments

It is strongly recommended that you export your video as an MP4. Doing so will greatly reduce the size of your video file and therefore the amount of time required to upload it, without loss of quality.

If you have already exported your video file in a format other than MP4, you can use the open-source software VLC to convert it to MP4. Watch this video to see how this can be done.

Accessing the submission link before the deadline does not constitute a completed submission, you must have uploaded all relevant files and saved them before the deadline to ensure your submission is on time.

Video files take longer to upload than documents, so leave at least 30 minutes before the deadline to submit your work.

Upload speeds can be impacted at busy times, especially if you have slow broadband where you are uploading from - so give yourself plenty of time to upload, check and submit your submission.

If your video is a piece of group work, you will need to nominate one individual to be responsible for submitting the work on behalf of the whole group.

Keep a record in a shared notebook or collaborative document of who is submitting the work, and make sure you support each other by reminding yourselves when the deadline is approaching.

On the Panopto home screen, select Create in the top right-hand corner. This will open a drop-down menu with several options.

If you’re using Windows, you can record a video using the Panopto desktop app (available through AppsAnywhere). If you’re using your phone, you can also record videos using the Panopto mobile app. However, usually the simplest method is to select Panopto Capture to record in your browser. This will open a recording interface that you can use to record either your computer screen or yourself. Your recordings are automatically saved to your private folder on Panopto.

If you’ve already made your video and just need to upload it to Panopto, select the Create option as before, and choose Upload Media. Your file will be uploaded to your personal folder by default, but you can change this during the upload process if required.

For some of your assignments, you might want to make edits to your video before submission. In Panopto, navigate to My Folder, highlight a video and select edit. Once the editor has opened, you can cut content, add media, or change the video details as needed.

Note: If you prefer to use dedicated video-editing software with more advanced options, such as Microsoft Clipchamp, you can also use this to prepare your video before you upload it to Panopto.

By default, all of your content will be saved into My folder, which is your own private folder associated with your account. If you’re working on multiple projects, you can select Add folder, enter a name, and then click and drag videos into your desired location.

If you’re working on a group project and need to share content, open your folder to access the options menu, then select Share.

Go to the module area on Minerva and open the Assessment and Feedback folder, followed by Submit my Work, where you should find the link to open the assessment submission.

This will open a page that will give you further information about the assessment, including a description, the submission deadline, and the number of attempts remaining. If your assessment is marked using a rubric, you can view this as well. When you’re ready to continue, select View instructions. This will open the submission point for the assessment.

Your submission window will initially show any instructions that have been included with the assignment. Make sure to read these carefully before submitting your work.

Your submission box will appear as a text box with different options included along its toolbar. Depending on your assignment, you might also see a separate section for file uploads underneath this.

Click on the + icon at the far right of the toolbar. This will open a drop-down menu. Select Content Market, and then Panopto Student Submission.

At this point, the interface provides you with the option to Choose, Upload, or Record your video.

Note: it is strongly recommended that you do not choose to record at this stage, as you will have fewer opportunities to edit your video prior to submission. Please make sure that you have already recorded your video earlier in the process. It is possible to upload a video at this point, but be aware that the video will have to be processed by Panopto, which may increase your waiting time. If uploading, always wait until the green tick appears next to your video before submitting.

If you select Choose, make sure that you are looking in the correct folder using the search bar at the top of the screen.

Select the correct video file and review the embed options. For example, you may wish to show captions if precise language is required at any point in the video. When you are ready, select Insert, and ensure you are naming the video in accordance with your School or tutor’s guidelines. Finally, select Submit to complete the process.

Important Note: If you close this window before selecting Submit, your video upload will be lost and you will have to start again!

You should check that you have chosen the correct file by watching the video when it loads – at this stage, you can resubmit a different file if you need to, but only up until the assignment deadline.

When you are ready to submit your work, choose Submit in the bottom corner of the page. Note that this means that there are two Submit buttons to select before your assignment is marked complete!

To submit multiple videos as part of the same assignment, simply repeat the above process starting from Adding file(s) to your submission. You can also submit more than one type of file as part of the same assignment. To upload, for example, a Word or a PDF document alongside your video, use the file upload box within the submission window.

If your submission is a group assignment, the submission will still look the same with you able to see your peers’ names.

Please note that you do not receive an email receipt for group video assignments.

Being adequately prepared and submitting before the deadline will help you be certain that you have submitted your work correctly.

If you encounter problems during the submission process you should report them to IT Services.

Do not use the file upload box to upload your video directly to Minerva. This may seem like a simpler method, but Minerva struggles to process larger files, such as videos. Please use Panopto to avoid unexpected problems with your submissions.

Once a video has been submitted as an assignment attempt, a new file is created and it cannot be changed. This means that any further edits made to the video in Panopto will not transfer to the submitted version. If you need to make any changes (and you still have time before the deadline), this will need to be resubmitted as a second attempt.