Many instructors who have taught blended courses are quite familiar with basic lecture capture, but may not have fully explored the options available through video today.
The Benefits of Video
Video offers several distinct advantages as a learning medium, whether it’s being used in the context of a flipped classroom or to provide supplemental learning materials.
- Since video combines visual, text, and auditory elements, it effectively reaches individuals with different learning styles.
- Video relies on and makes use of both the left and right hemispheres of the brain.
- Images, including moving images in the video, are more likely to be remembered than text.
- The brain can process images more quickly and efficiently than text.
- Video is ideal for shorter attention spans, common in students raised in today’s digital age.
Expand Video Learning
Video learning doesn’t have to be limited to a traditional recording of a course lecture, with an instructor at the podium and a digital presentation. Consider integrating some of these suggestions into your blended learning or distance learning courses to keep students engaged and active.
Keep It Short
Breaking videos down into shorter, more digestible pieces is known as chunking or micro-lessons.
Because research has shown that students better learn and retain information that has been broken down through chunking, instructors have embraced the method in their course design.
Learners report that videos from six minutes to 15 minutes in length are preferred to traditional, full-length lecture videos. You can still cover the content, but break it up into shorter sections or elements to keep students focused on learning.
Personalize or Brand your Content
Consider using the same introduction for all of your video content, or integrating some of the same structures throughout. If you think about the videos your students watch on their own time, there is often a clear introductory sequence that identifies the video maker and topic. This is an ideal time to provide your students with the information they need about the video content or other course activities.
YuJa also offers a custom-branded EnterpriseTube to provide a public face for your organization. Accessible without logging in, this is a great way to showcase public events, share information, and show what your institution has to offer while keeping everything aligned to your brand.
Provide Feedback
While many videos are used by all students, recording tools also enable you to provide video feedback to a single student or a small group of students. Skip the red pen and provide detailed feedback on a rough draft, project, or another assignment.
Teach Hands-on Skills
In many fields, students do not only need to know the information but also need to be able to perform set skills. Video recording can allow you to show those skills to students who might not have been able to attend, or who need to review a demonstration. With access to a demonstration video, students can more easily master these skills, whether you’re working with a piece of software or performing a medical procedure.
