Design learning activities in and around videos

Some people approach watching video content as a passive activity, in which clicking play is enough to learn and understand what’s being said. Of course, many studies have demonstrated that students learn better when they’re actively engaging (Mayer, 2014; Mayer et al., 2020).

The resource Introduce and frame your video content looked at how you can contextualise and introduce your video on Canvas. You can use the same framing devices to add activities to shift that student mindset from passive to active, and to support students to appreciate the value of engaging in learning materials.

Before the video

An activity set before watching the video can be used to invite students to reflect on prior knowledge, understanding or attitudes.

You could use a comment box to initiate a student discussion, a poll to assess levels of knowledge or, for a more detailed reflection, use an H5P element like Documentation Tool. The H5P Documentation Tool is shown in this example:

During the video

Activities done while students are watching the video can reinforce learning. Students can review difficult concepts in real time (remember they can pause, rewind and replay the video), you can load quizzes to the Kaltura video, or simply ask students to take notes or reflect on key points.

After the video

Ideally, we want students to see their own growth and change through their learning. Pairing before- and after-video activities is an effective way to do this.

You could ask students to consider:

• How the video has modified their understanding of a topic.
• If the video changed their view or perspective.
• If they have knowledge they didn’t have before.
• I they can do something they couldn’t do before.

Image 2 shows how the tutor has added a post-video Comments Box to record students’ ideas.

Tools for learning activities

Comments Box

Adding a Comments Box before or after a video is easy and can be used in many ways, from collecting feedback to generating discussions. Settings allow for anonymous posts, individual comments or threaded replies for discussions.

Social Poll

The Social Poll tool is used to ask questions with multiple response options to gauge students’ understanding of topic/s. You can add feedback for each option, ask students to explain their choices, and even flag options as right or wrong.

Kaltura Video Quiz

This tool can be used to add questions directly into your Kaltura video at key points so students can test their understanding and quickly review the content. Take a look at the Build a quiz in Kaltura resource for more information.

H5P

There is a large range of options in H5P – too many to list – but the Documentation Tool is particularly good if you want students to answer more complex questions and keep a copy of the answers.

For more information about using H5P, including different content types and ideas for using them in learning and teaching, see our resource collection Creating interactivity with H5P.