Case Study: University of Essex achieves scalable, low-cost on-demand nursing-simulation recordings and innovative video feedback with Panopto

How the University of Essex turned an upgrade of a Nursing Skills Lab into an opportunity to deliver on-demand recordings and innovative video feedback to nursing students

The University of Essex faced a capacity and cost challenge when upgrading its Nursing Skills Lab: simulations that students needed recorded for feedback were overwhelming the existing CCTV‑style system, which produced long continuous videos that staff had to manually clip. With a new seven‑bed lab and extra consultation rooms, the School needed a scalable, integrated solution that could capture multi‑camera video and audio, automate scheduling, allow ad‑hoc control, support live streaming, and restrict access by module and enrolment — all without the prohibitive cost of simply expanding the old system.

Essex’s IT team repurposed their Panopto lecture‑capture platform, prototyping a rig with IP cameras and synchronized audio, integrating with timetabling via API, and scaling to cover ten recording positions with remote management and automated workflows. The result was a lower‑cost, scalable multi‑camera solution that saved staff time, delivered individual recordings for formative and summative feedback, enabled self‑ and peer‑review, attracted sector attention (featured in Nursing Times), and set the university on course to replace legacy systems and expand the approach across campus.

University of Essex

Matt Softly

IT Manager