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Create an educational video

Using educational videos can help your students learn and understand your content better. On this page, we discuss when an educational video has value, how you can create them and how to integrate video materials into your course.

Why use educational videos

Using educational videos can help students learn more effectively. They can be used to spark interest or attention, convey information more clearly, help visualise things that are otherwise difficult to show, or cater for different needs of students. Especially when the videos are interactive and students have to answer relevant questions while watching.

Create an educational video

Before creating educational videos yourself, make sure to check if a suitable video already exists as open educational material, and re-use it if allowed.

When no suitable materials exist, we strongly recommend writing a script. Improvising is hard and recording a video can be awkward. Writing down what you want to say helps. See the resources paragraph below, if you need help with writing a good script.

When you have a script ready and have prepared any slides or props you want to use, you have the following options available to record your video, listed from the least effort to the most:

  • Record yourself using your own computer Tools are available to record yourself or your screen (screencast). Video and audio quality may vary depending on the quality of your camera and microphone.
  • Record yourself at a video booth If you want to record a more professional video but still want to be flexible, using a video booth might be the answer. You enter the sound-proofed booth, pull out your script, and record away. The video is ready for distribution immediately.
  • Use the studio facilities at your faculty Some faculties have studio facilities available. Ask the educational advisors at your faculty for more information.
  • Use the professional services of the NewMedia Centre The NewMedia Centre can help you record professional videos and other multimedia materials.

General tips

When recording an educational video, keep the following general tips in mind (TU Delft Extension School and Guo et al., 2014):

  • Shorter videos are much more engaging. Invest heavily in pre-production lesson planning to segment videos into chunks shorter than six minutes.
  • Videos that intersperse an instructor’s talking head with slides are more engaging than slides alone. Invest in post-production editing to display the instructor’s head at opportune times in the video.
  • Videos produced with a more personal feel could be more engaging than high-fidelity studio recordings. Try filming in an informal setting. It might not be necessary to invest in big-budget studio productions.
  • For tutorials, showing how something comes together by drawing or coding is more engaging than static PowerPoint slides or code screenshots. Introduce motion and continuous visual flow into tutorials and feel free to improvise.
  • Videos where instructors speak fairly fast and with high enthusiasm are more engaging. Coach instructors to bring out their enthusiasm and reassure them that they do not need to purposely slow down.
  • Students engage differently between lecture and tutorial videos. For lectures, focus more on the first-watch experience; for tutorials, add support for rewatching and skimming.

Integrate video into your course

Integrating educational videos into your course makes them more effective. Therefore:

  • Make sure the context and purpose of each video is clear to the students.
  • Write an introduction for each video and explain how and why videos are part of the course.
  • Make it clear to students when they are required to watch which video.
  • Make sure the video is easily accessible and will play on any digital device.
  • Add interaction to the video by showing prompts by using FeedbackFruits or H5P.
  • Make watching the video part of an assignment that will either be discussed in class or given feedback on, so students have extra motivation to watch it.

Accessibility

Ensure that your content is suited for people with varied abilities and that everyone is included in the learning experience by applying these accessibility guidelines.

Resources

How to get help

Do you need help with creating an educational video? Reach out to the educational advisors at your faculty or contact Teaching Support for 1-on-1 guidance.

References