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A welcome video is a short video of a tutor welcoming students to the subject. This guide will take you through the step-by-step process of making a welcome video.
Why use a welcome video?
A welcome video plays a vital role in students’ first impressions of the subject. There are several benefits, including:
- Belonging and connection: when students can see and hear their subject coordinator, they feel more supported, and more personally connected with the material and the teacher.
- Orientation: opening a new Canvas course can be daunting, and it’s reassuring to be pointed in the right direction on where to begin navigating the content.
- Motivation: a brief overview of the subject can help students connect this subject with the rest of their course and highlight what they will learn.
Example
In this example, the teacher introduces herself and the subject, and lets the students know how they can contact her:
Step 1: Plan
You will need:
- Notes on the information you’d like to include.
- The Canvas page where your video will feature.
- Ability to use your computer’s camera, or external webcam for recording.
- An understanding of using Kaltura to manage video in Canvas (optional).
First, consider where in your subject site you will place the video because this might affect the information you decide to include. The most common place is the Welcome Page in the Get started module.
Make brief notes on what information you want to say in your welcome video. Common features might include:
- The subject name, your name, and the names of tutors.
- A brief (two-sentence) overview of what students will learn, including how your subject fits into the course.
- A short description of the learning modes and expectations of the students.
- How to get started: the first thing students should do in your Canvas site (e.g. read the intro to Module 1).
- How students can contact you/when and how you will contact students next.
- Reference to important information and where to find it (typically the subject outline).
- What assessments students are expected to complete.
Your welcome video should be short and snappy (maximum two minutes), so don’t include too much information here. Focus on welcoming students, a general orientation and outlining the next steps.
If you prefer to try something scripted, you could use a free teleprompter app. You can also download this Welcome video template to assist you.
Welcome videos don’t require title slides or graphics, so don’t worry about your technology skills. It can be as simple as recording yourself talking to the camera.
Step 2: Practice
Rehearse what you want to say and avoid reading everything directly from a script. Instead, write down some dot points you can refer to during the video. This will help you feel more relaxed and make recording the video easier. You are aiming to make a recording that you don’t need to edit.
Try recording your practice run. This way, you can watch it back, notice your mistakes, and see what you think could be changed or improved. You never know, one of your practice runs could be good enough to use!
Don’t be overly concerned about your vocal ‘ums’ and ‘ahs’ – you’re human! That’s what we do when we talk and it can actually add meaning.
Step 3: Record
There are various ways you can record yourself speaking to a camera, and you should use whatever you are most comfortable with.
- Windows users: find your built-in camera app by going to Start and searching for ‘camera’.
- Mac users: go to your applications folder, select QuickTime and then File > New movie recording.
- Alternatively, you can book the LX.lab Self Recording Studio. This is a great option if you would like to show both your face and your slides.
You can also record via Kaltura Capture. More detailed instructions for this can be found at Make screen and webcam recordings with Kaltura Capture.
Step 4: Upload
Once you have recorded your video, upload it to Kaltura. Kaltura is the university’s supported media platform.
Quick instructions for uploading a video to Kaltura:
- Navigate to My Media on the left of your Canvas dashboard.
- Select ‘Add New’ and then ‘Media Upload’.
- Select ‘Choose a file to upload’ and find your video file.
- Enter the appropriate video details before selecting ‘Save’.
Step 5: Caption and transcribe
Adding captions and transcripts to videos is an easy way to make your subject inclusive and accessible. Kaltura will automatically caption your video, and you can review and edit the captions for accuracy.
Quick instructions for using captions and transcripts in Kaltura:
- Navigate to My Media on the left of your Canvas dashboard and select your video.
- Open the Actions menu (you might need to scroll down to find it) and select ‘+ Caption & Enrich’.
- Select the pencil icon to open the Closed Captions Editor. Edit your captions as needed.
- Save any changes.
A transcript can easily be downloaded via Kaltura: Make a Kaltura video transcript available in Canvas.
Step 6: Add to Canvas
The last step is to embed your video in Canvas.
Quick instructions for embedding a video in Canvas:
- Navigate to the page where you want to embed the video and select ‘Edit’.
- Place the cursor in the part of the page where you want the video.
- Select the Kaltura icon from the toolbar (you might find this in the Apps icon menu).
- Select your video.