Using Video in Online Classes

Video, audio, and images are important to include in an online course to provide alternative means of communication for students who may have reading difficulties or simply learn easier though visual and auditory channels. Media you create also provides an additional channel for teaching presence and reinforces that you are a human being and not just a name on a screen.  By the end of this module we hope that you will be able to

  • evaluate third-party video for engagement and applicability
  • weigh the pros and cons of creating your own videos and if you choose, make an engaging, reusable video
  • create presentations that are engaging and use tools in addition to or instead of PowerPoint

 

 How should I use videos?  

It depends. It depends on your learning objectives, your content, your activities, and your students. If you want your students to be able to do something that someone can demonstrate, then video would be the best option.  If your content involves specific places or cultures, video can help to make them real to your students in ways that pictures and words on a page cannot.  If parts of your content are especially challenging to your students, walking through these rough points with diagrams or a virtual whiteboard can provide clarification.  If your students have difficulty engaging with the content, videos can offer a more approachable way in.

The following is an example of an engaging video to begin a section. IU Media Arts and Sciences lecturer Mathew A. Powers Links to an external site. collaborated with author John Green and his production company and School of Informatics alumni to develop this video on the history of games. The video is part of a larger series stemming from his class History of Video Games course (Inside IU article). Links to an external site.

You have options to use video like this, developed by others and repurposed in your course, or to make your own videos. The following are considerations for using "found" video and the following page discusses considerations for making your own videos. 

 Considerations for video

How well does the video align with your class? Is it something that will directly help students reach a learning outcome or is interesting but not directly applicable. If it's not supporting a learning outcome but you still want to include it, placing it in an "Additional Resources" or "If You'd Like to Know More" section. Traditional-aged students are more likely to explore additional video resources than additional readings. If only part of the video is applicable it is good to let the students know that they should only focus on a particular section. If you have put the video in Kaltura you can use the Create Clip feature to trim off the sections you don't want to include. 

Just like any other content, you need to consider if the video is at the right level for your students. Do they have the prerequisite background knowledge to get out what you want them to get out of it? Students will tune out it they don't understand what the speaker is talking about - especially if they use jargon, acronyms, and other technical terms the student doesn't know. If you still want to use it, consider annotating the video in VoiceThread or VideoAnt Links to an external site. (if it's in YouTube). You can also explain unfamiliar terms using comments on the media page or prefacing the video with an explanation if you're embedding the video in a Canvas page. If you have a student who needs accommodation they will work with your campus's disability services office for captioning and/or audio description of third party video. 

If you want to use video from a DVD or tape or from a non-public source make sure to complete the Fair Use Checklist Download Fair Use Checklist. If the video you would like to use is from your textbook publisher (for example, from an instructor's resource DVD that one might show in class), ask your publisher representative for permission to put sections of the video online. This is normally not an issue since it will be behind the walls of Canvas and your students are purchasing their book.  However, if you change textbooks, don't presume that you still have permission to continue to use the video. 

 What makes videos engaging?

 Once you've found videos that could be useful for your class, how do you evaluate which ones are good and which ones are less so? They don't need to be TED Talks or Kahn Academy videos to be effective and engaging but if your students can't understand the speakers, see what's going on clearly, or are constantly distracted by poor production quality they may not get the information they need.

Reviewing Videos: Release your inner movie critic

Go to YouTube and find a mix of videos on your course topic. Searching for channels that aggregate videos from multiple sources like this one on Developmental Psychology Links to an external site. or this one on Inorganic Chemistry Links to an external site. is an easy way to find a variety.  Watch several videos taking the perspective of a student and think about the following questions. 

  • What elements of the video engaged you with the video content?
    • Audio elements
    • Visual elements
    • Speaker presentation elements
    • Video production elements
  • What elements of the video distracted you from the video content?
    • Audio elements
    • Visual elements
    • Speaker presentation elements
    • Video production elements

Reviewing other's videos is a good way to understand what works and doesn't work to keep a viewer's attention and aid in understanding in ways a textbook cannot.  


A group of IU Southeast faculty reviewed several videos from other faculty on YouTube as part of an orientation to online teaching class offered by the Institute for Learning and Teaching Excellence and they came up with the following themes. (And, remember, these recommendations apply to videos you make as much as they do to videos you find.)

  • Speaker enthusiasm helps maintain interest. Vary voice volume so it's not monotone. Be confident!
  • A quick pace is good but not so quick that the student can't follow (especially important when the presenter has a strong accent).
  • Showing is better than telling when possible, use visual aids and make sure your lighting is good so they can be clearly seen.
  • Minimize distractions such as other people, unrelated or confusing visuals, and noises such as mouse clicks, fans, etc.
  • Avoid zooming, switching between cameras, and other camera movements as they can make some people "seasick."
  • Talk to the camera, not the lectern or the computer.
  • Avoid video that doesn't go beyond the textbook.  Reading slides (especially with lists of bullet points) is not helpful or engaging. 

The bottom line is, does the video keep your attention? If you were dozing or multitasking while the video was playing the odds are good your students will be also.