Creating a video step-by-step
Video length
Normally teachers have a lot to say about the subjects they teach. When it comes to video crea-tion, however, time is of the essence, and certain level of digital savvy is required. Research on instructional videos shows that learner engagement with videos begins to drop after the 6-minute mark—and it falls dramatically after 9[7] . So it’s essential to be concise and clear and keep it short, so each video covers a single learning objective or task, and nothing more. Multiple short videos are better than one long video.
[7] Miller, A.(2019). Student Engagement with Video Instruction—How to Engage 7th-Grade Social Studies Students and Diverse Academic Abilities with Video in the Classroom. (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/etd/5413
Studies[8] also show that the best instructional videos are highly focused, use visual cues to high-light key information, and minimize the use of on-screen text. The slides that a teacher would use in a lecture may not work in a video—it’s critical to build a slide deck that is clear, simple, and visually compelling. Learning to create a high-quality instructional video doesn’t happen over-night. It requires continual trial, error, and innovation. So start planning, grab some recording software, be yourself, and have fun!
[8] Ibrahim, M. (2012), Effects of Segmenting, Signalling, and Weeding on Learning from Educational Video, Learn-ing, Media and Technology, v37 n3 p220-235 2012 https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ980817
Recording
There are many tools you can use to create a strong educational video. Here are a few that can really simplify the process and enhance the quality of the video.
Animoto
Animoto is a digital tool that allows you to create high-quality videos in a short time and from any mobile device, inspiring students and helping improve academic lessons. The Animoto inter-face is friendly and practical, allowing teachers to create audiovisual content that adapts to edu-cational needs. The downside is you can’t share or download the videos you created unless you upgrade. And the sad part is, it’s pricey.
Biteable
No matter who you’re trying to educate -small children, high school students, or professional col-leagues, Biteable allows you to craft beautiful teaching videos that will truly engage them. They have a huge library of animation, footage, and effects waiting to be used, and our in-house design team is constantly adding more. This platform is not cheap, but you can test it for free and get some ideas.
Powtoon
With PowToon, you can create animated presentations and videos. Using animated presentations in the classroom allows teachers and students to engage, explain and tell a story with impact. Powtoon has ready-made templates designed to start creating animations by just dragging and dropping the ones you like. It also provides you the opportunity to customize the templates and design your own with images, music, and voice-overs. The drawback in using Powtoon is that you have to upgrade to use all of the templates, and backgrounds. With the free version you have access to basic features and it comes with a watermark.
Flixtime
Flixtime is a free site where users can create custom, production-quality videos with images, vid-eos, and text. With Flixtime, you can create, share and download a 60-second video for free. Flixtime uses AudioMicro to provide users with a selection of award-winning tracks, sound ef-fects, and stock music. All Flixtime video productions can be used for both personal or inde-pendent commercial use.
Recording device: Ideally, you have a touch-screen tablet or laptop with a high-quality stylus. This ensures that you can easily annotate visuals and show work. Handwriting also adds a nice personal touch. But if you have a non-touch-screen laptop, or a tablet but no stylus, you can still make your own videos.
Screen-casting programs[9] : Most of the programs allow educators to pause and re-record specific segments of their video easily, which removes the pressure of getting a perfect take. Look for a program that has a robust video editor and an embedded annotation tool. There are many programs that you can use:
[9] Screencast is a digital video recording of your computer screen and usually includes audio narration. Screencasts are just one of many different types of instructional videos. Screencasting saves time answering the same questions over and over, but it has been proven that 80% of viewers can recall a video they have seen in the past 30 days. Not unlike a screenshot, screencasts can be called a screen capture video or screen recording and is a great way to teach or share ideas.
