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With the holidays around the corner, I’m reminded of what I’m thankful for this season.

And strangely enough, BruinCast is somewhere at the top of my list of blessings.

BruinCast is a service that provides Internet-accessible videocasts and audiocasts of currently selected lectures. Because of the fast-paced, time-constrained, dense nature of lectures, BruinCast is an essential supplement to learning because it allows students to review lecture material at their convenience.

Although all classes could benefit from offering BruinCast, only a fraction have this privilege, at 17 classes this quarter.

Fortunately, the figure has risen steadily since last fall when BruinCast was first launched as a pilot program.

The service initially met with controversy because of fear of lower attendance rates. According to Stan Schein – a psychology professor teaching two webcasted classes this quarter, Life Science 2 and Psychology 115 – attendance has dropped in LS 2 but not in Psych 115.

Students suggested this difference could be due to older, more experienced students in Psych 115 who appreciate going to lecture and use the webcasts as supplements to learning instead of replacements, unlike the younger students in LS 2.

True, BruinCast can be an invitation for abuse. However, it wouldn’t be fair to make it unavailable to those who would correctly use it because of its potential misuse.

And those who do attend reap great benefits. According to some responses that Instructional Design & Technology Coordinator Daniel Bustos received from instructors, “(Professors) spend less time explaining (lecture material). Students come to office hours and ask better formulated questions because they understand the subject better.”

Furthermore, recorded lectures help students find the precarious balance between trying to listen while taking notes at the same time. BruinCast relieves the pressure to jot down everything on the board, as webcasting assures lecture availability. And less writing means more listening, which leads to better mastery of the material.

“When you have the option (of BruinCast), you have more excuse not to go to class,” said Shuk Chan, a second-year biochemistry major and LS 2 student.

“But people who do use it are usually the ones trying to learn,” said Chan, who attends all lectures and also watches lectures via BruinCast about twice a week for review.

In some cases, however, BruinCast has been necessary for that reason: Students cannot make it to class.

According to Schein, the lower attendance rates in LS 2 initially convinced him to drop the BruinCast program.

However, he retained the program when he discovered that a student could not make it to lecture and resorts to BruinCast due to childcare issues.

In such situations, BruinCast offers equal accessibility to lectures, regardless of personal circumstances.

Webcasts should by no means substitute in-class lectures, but when no other alternative exists, it’s nice to know the offer is there.

BruinCast’s video element also proves especially vital because in classes with heavy visual components, such as anthropology and organic chemistry, audiocasting is of little help.

I don’t know about you, but I don’t have the money nor the technological aptitude to purchase a video camera. Videocasting gives all students a technological edge.

Luckily, financial constraints do not seem to be a great obstacle with BruinCast, which is currently available in seven campus lecture halls.

According to Bustos, the costs are a “one-time investment per room” with the installations of video systems at $6,000 per room and audio systems at $400 per room.

“If the equipment is replaced every three years and you average 10 courses per room, the basic (video) infrastructure cost per course drops rapidly to around $60 per course (not including manual labor fees),” Bustos said.

Not too heavy of a price tag, if you ask me.

It’s true that the greatest blessings don’t necessarily have the highest monetary values. Consider it a gift from the university, if you will, because ’tis the season to be thankful – and to learn.

If video cameras are on your wish list, e-mail Yoo at jyoo@media.ucla.edu. Send general comments to viewpoint@media.ucla.edu.