Video Recording Tips
Creating engaging videos for students
There are plenty of tools out there for creating and hosting videos, but how do you know if you’re creating content that will really work in the classroom?
Creating videos for students can be a fairly daunting task. If you’re new to it, you may shy away from the camera or be outright horrified at the thought of your work/voice/talking head being immortalized in an online video.
Using video in an educational setting doesn’t have to be a sudden, immersive experience. Although total immersion is one method, remember the words of Confucius: “It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.” It’s okay to start slow while you get your footing.
Here are just a few of tips and considerations to help you incorporate videos into your courses.
Types of classroom videos
Webcam
Most laptops and web-enabled mobile devices today are capable of capturing video recordings. You can upload these videos into your online classroom as a way to provide asynchronous feedback directly to your students.
Screencast
While webcam videos capture a talking head, screencasts record a computer screen. This is a good way to demonstrate processes or review presentation materials. Screencasts can act as a simulation, allowing you to illustrate and explain materials.
Animation
Some platforms allow you to create simple animations and interactive elements as an alternative way to present materials in an engaging way. In some cases, your talking head can be replaced with an animated avatar.
Other
More advanced education videos might include a PSA (public service announcement) format, event videos, or external videos—such as relevant talks and presentations on YouTube.
Video planning checklist
What’s your one big idea?
When creating a video for your students, try to encapsulate a single big idea. This will guide your outline and help to streamline your delivery. If you have more than one big idea, consider chunking your production into more than one video.
There is mixed research regarding how long a video should be. Depending on your audience and the academic level of the curriculum, you may want to create short 1–3 minute videos that are cleanly chunked, or you may choose to create a 15-minute classroom video that is more comprehensive.
What three key points support your one big idea?
Ideally, you will outline your main idea and then provide supporting points to validate that main idea. These key points could include research, personal or professional experience, relevant anecdotes, examples in the literature, etc.
What software do you plan to use?
The type of education video you create will often determine the preferred software and equipment that you will need. If you are creating a casual video such as an overview announcement, then a simple webcam and associated software may suffice. If you plan on editing your video then you would need to plan accordingly.
You will need to determine how you will host your video. Many instructors post their videos on a private YouTube channel or upload the content directly into their learning management system (LMS). Others house their content on school servers or public file-sharing repositories. Be mindful of FERPA guidelines and institutional policies when housing course content online—particularly student feedback.
I hope that my video will ______.
Write a short mission statement for your classroom video that aligns with your one big idea. This is akin to a learning objective and will help you measure the efficacy of your video.
Are you protecting student privacy?
Remember that the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) applies to teacher videos, too. Take a moment to review FERPA guidelines if you have any questions.
Getting started
As you begin your adventure in using multimedia and creating videos for students, here’s some advice to get you started.
Invest in audio
Although many computers and recording devices come with built-in cameras and microphones, you’ll get better sound quality by investing in a recording device. Look online for good deals. Ideally, the microphone should be external (not part of your computer) so that you can position it to capture the presenter’s voice clearly without recording machine noise from the computer. In terms of multimedia, audio is in reality the most important aspect of the production - especially for student instructions and feedback. Even if your video quality is not stellar, if you have good audio then your video will appear more professional.
What’s that behind you?
Be mindful of your surroundings. If you’re recording a classroom video from an office, make sure there are no distracting items behind you. If you’re at home or on location, be mindful of what makes its way into the viewable area. Try to eliminate unnecessary or unwanted distractions from your surroundings.
Setting up your shot
There may be instances where you want to create a backdrop to eliminate or reduce backlight. (Backlight is when a source of light shines from behind you.) When you’re positioned directly between the camera and a bright light source, you may appear as a silhouette or shadow. You should aim to have light shining from behind the camera onto your face.
A tripod may also be a good investment, to minimize camera movement. Many cameras are designed to perch atop a monitor, which is fine. It’s not difficult to find cheap tripods of various sizes. If you don’t want to buy a tripod, you can improvise and build a stand from a pile of books. Any tripod would likely be better than creating a “selfie” video or having a friend hold the camera.
Eye contact
One of the more awkward processes of recording a video revolves around the fact that you are speaking to an audience, but are unable to make eye contact with them. A camera has a small hole behind the lens that allows light to pass through and be captured as images. This hole is the eyes of your audience.
You will receive no feedback from your audience, so be aware that they’re there. Make sure that you position yourself in such a way that you are comfortably able to maintain eye contact with your camera lens. You may need to adjust your seating with a pile of books or a yoga block to ensure that you are within the camera frame. Position your head in the top third of the frame rather than right in the center for a more appealing balance.
Ambient noise
Be mindful of the sound which may emanate from your surroundings and adjust accordingly. If you’re likely to receive notifications from your computer, phone, or other devices, mute them beforehand. If you’re at home, close your office door, if possible, and alert your family and kids that you will need some time without interruptions. (Perhaps it would be a good time for someone to take the dog for a walk!)
To script or not to script…
There has been lengthy debate in academia about whether to script your classroom video (i.e., read your notes) or not. Some of the benefits of scripting are that the video is:
Succinct and well organized, with no tangents or tendencies to ramble
Easy to caption or create transcriptions (e.g., for accommodation purposes)
Complete, without risk of neglecting content or details
On the other hand, some of the benefits of creating an unscripted video are that the video is:
More personable
Less rigid or “canned”
More likely to be full of life, enthusiasm, and spontaneity
A good approach may be to combine the scripted and unscripted approaches. First, create an outline where you delineate your support for your one big idea, and then draft a script for your video. Rehearse the script several times, but as you record the video, refer to the outline.This will allow you the benefits of being real and genuine for your students, while still following a general script that is concise and to the point. (A word of wisdom: Relying on scripting without proper rehearsal is lazy and can produce uninspiring, ineffective videos.)
Final advice
Creating videos for students doesn’t have to be a daunting and intimidating task. With practice and a little effort, your videos can really help to personalize your delivery of the content and enhance the learning experience for your class.