You’ve probably heard this story before. It’s 1895 and an entire audience is running out of their local cinema screaming because they think a train is about to hit them. But it’s not – it’s just one of the first motion pictures ever, and people just weren’t used to seeing a moving image.
Fast forward to 2023. Times have changed and continue to keep changing. Audiences aren’t as easily amused as they used to be, and we need to keep updating our tricks to keep students watching. Unfortunately, the novelty of translating a classroom lecture to a video is gone. When creating engaging educational media videos, we need to do more than just flip content, but rather create new, purposeful videos with richer learning opportunities and focus on key takeaways.
The following are some things to consider to help you get started (or keep going!) with creating your own purpose-led educational videos.
For a more step-by-step approach, check out our online media resources, which have recently been divided into two distinct collections by our expert team:
- Creating video content – explore effective ways to create rich video content for learning and teaching.
- Managing videos in Kaltura – guidance to add and manage your videos in Kaltura, UTS’s supported video and audio platform.
1. Focus on Purpose
Deciding on the purpose of your video is important as it will affect the content, structure and execution. You may wish to record a live action video, maybe a screen recording, or perhaps record an interview. Whichever the case, stay on topic as studies have shown that under 6 minutes is the ideal length for a video, with students being the most engaged with videos under 3 minutes.
Another question to ask yourself is should it even be a video at all? Videos are a visual medium, so if it’s not visual, why bother? Perhaps it would be better off as a Canvas announcement or an audio recording.
Once you’ve considered your purpose and method of execution, you should next consider the skills required to put this video together. Don’t forget – the LX.lab Media Team is always here to help.
2. Put accessibility first
Making a video accessible couldn’t be easier these days, and the benefits may surprise you. Research shows that captions on videos can support all students and lead to better engagement and better grades. Thankfully, captions are added automatically in Kaltura so it’s a fairly easy process.
However, you’re not completely off the hook! Be sure to consider both visual and audio accessibility, such as the PowerPoint layout and to also narrate the visuals on screen. A good rule of thumb is to make sure you are always saying what you see and seeing what you hear. Our new resources give pointers about considerations for specific video types.
3. Frame and activate
Just because a student watches a video, it doesn’t always mean they’ve retained the information. Think of how your online content relates to tutorials. Try to introduce and frame your video content, and design learning activities in and around your video. These activities could range from comments, quizzes, polls and discussions to ensure the video has modified their understanding of the topic. Do not let your video become a passive experience. Make it an interactive one.
Back to the story of the train in the cinema. It may be an urban legend, but it resonates because we all know what it feels like to be at that level of engagement with a piece of content. We’ve all had similar learning and teaching experiences in the classroom so there’s no reason as to why this can’t be the same case with educational video. By focusing on purpose, making the content accessible and encouraging interactivity, your learning and teaching videos can be just as engaging. Preferably without your audience running away from their screens.