Engaging content - video

Video refers to visual footage, with/without audio, including live action, talking heads, screen recordings etc.

Good practice guides and tip sheets

Good practice guides and tip sheets have been developed to support quality in both curriculum design and teaching practice. Good practice guides provide a pedagogical overview and tip sheets provide you with practical strategies and ideas for implementation. Links to engaging content-related resources are provided below. 

Design principles for creating engaging digital contentSourcing and creating digital content



Camtasia icon

Camtasia

Camtasia is video recording and editing software that features simple drag and drop editing and libraries of effects and interactions. With Camtasia, you can record, then edit your computer screen activity, audio and webcam input. If you capture video footage on mobile devices or digital recorders, you can import and edit it. Camtasia is available to all staff and can be downloaded via the IDS Support Portal. Home-use licences are available (request via Service One). Camtasia is available for both Mac and Windows.

  • Training is available for creating educational videos in Camtasia.
  • The first time you start Camtasia, the program will open a tutorial video. You can find this video again later under Help > Open Getting Started Project within Camtasia. This built-in video provides basic instructions on how to use Camtasia       
Good for

  • Videos where you want to blend multiple multimedia elements like live footage, narration/audio, static slides or graphics and annotations, and in cases where you need to be able to do quite a bit of editing work on the video and/or audio you've recorded
  • Particularly effective for recording your screen and/or webcam and microphone to produce narrated lecture slideshows or 'talking head' video content, or instructional videos with screen recordings where you can demonstrate on screen (eg how to use your FLO site or other online resources/systems)
  • An ideal editing tool for live footage you have captured on other devices, such as on a mobile phone or handheld camera, or via the Multimedia Recording Suite. Film lab demonstrations, fieldwork, interviews etc, and edit and enhance these using Camtasia to produce a finished product that can include interspersed images, slides, annotations etc
  • Creating video with added interactive elements (hotspots, quizzing)
Useful features

  • Multitrack recording enables synchronous capture of webcam, microphone, screen and system audio 
  • Mouse actions are recorded in video and can have effects added  
  • Can import and edit video from other sources 
  • Export as MP4 for uploading into Kaltura 
  • Comprehensive editing possible
  • Simple to add annotations, transitions, behaviours (zooming, highlighting), animations, cursor effects etc in post-production 
  • Powerpoint Add-in (Windows users only) makes it very easy to record a PowerPoint presentation along with webcam and microphone 
Limitations

  • Editing can become time consuming 
Cautions

  • If table of contents, quizzing or interactive hotspots are included, the project must be exported as Web Page or SCORM (for Gradebook integration). It cannot be hosted in Kaltura. Different process to publish in FLO compared to standard video 
  • You must manage the file assets you use within the video (e.g. raw recordings, narration audio files, graphics etc) very carefully. When you're editing a video project (called a .camproj file), Camtasia doesn't store the assets you add into the video editing file within the program; it links to where they are saved on your computer. Therefore, if you move those files, the link will break and these items will be 'not found' in the .camproj file. You will need to then redirect the program to find the files in their new location. Moving/deleting assets after you've published the final product will not affect the final exported version of the video, but be mindful that should you need to edit or update the video in future, you will need to access the .camproj file again and will need to  make sure those assets exist and can be located by Camtasia for use in the video
Tips

  • Keep video simple with minimal simple transitions, and limit effects to those which add value 
  • When recording a PowerPoint presentation, make use of the slideshow pen and/or laser pointer to draw on or highlight content on your slides as you present. This will be captured in the video
  • Use the PowerPoint teaching template so that the appropriate copyright notice is automatically included in your video.
  • Camtasia project files can be large. While working on your project save your files to the hard drive of the computer. Working with your project files on network storage will slow editing down and can also cause crashes. Once complete, store them on OneDrive or S: drive (your U: drive generally wont have enough space for these large files)
Help resources





Snagit iconSnagit

Snagit is screen capture and basic image editing software that you can use to capture on-screen images and record short videos. It has tools you can use to easily enhance your screen-captured images with visual effects, or highlight important information with Snagit’s mark-up tools. You can also use Snagit to resize and annotate images from other sources. Download on University computers via the IDS Support Portal. Home-use licences are available (request via Service One). Snagit is available for both Mac and Windows.
Good for
  • Quick 'one take and done' videos that don't require editing, such as basic screen recordings plus narration, or 'talking head' webcam videos 
Useful features

  • Quick and easy to record short screen capture video 
  • Record whole screen or selected area
  • Toggle between webcam and screen whilst recording 
  • Video is saved directly to MP4 format, no publishing from project format to video file required
Limitations

  • Limited editing of video within Snagit – you are only able to trim ends and cut sections out, you can move segments of video around on the timeline 
  • You cannot add transitions, graphics or annotations to the video
  • Single track recording only – you cannot separate the audio/video inputs to edit them independently 
Tips

  • Best suited to short videos 
  • More extensive editing of video footage taken in Snagit can be achieved by importing to Camtasia (but Camtasia has its own native screen recording and webcam recording functionality, which is generally more efficient to use if you intend to edit more extensively) 
  • Use for a quick informal weekly wrap-up or quick explainer
Help resources

 





Kaltura iconMy Media (Kaltura)

Kaltura is the University's streaming video platform and is integrated with FLO. Kaltura has a number of components – video storage and permissions management (My Media), publishing and embedding of media into FLO sites (Media Vault), engagement/viewing analytics, and a screen and webcam recording app (Desktop Recorder).
Good for

  • Hosting and playback of all video learning content in your topic, regardless of which recording and editing tools you used to create the video. Using the Kaltura Media Vault to host your audio and video content gives you access to useful analytics on how students engage with these resources 
Useful features

  • Centralised University-supported video platform 
  • Basic editing of uploaded video (trim ends, cutout sections) 
  • Streams video at appropriate quality for viewer's bandwidth 
  • Request auto-captioning (machine) of your videos, edit and download the generated transcripts 
  • Publish same video in multiple sites without duplication
  • Integrated with FLO, easy to embed anywhere in FLO where there is an HTML editor
  • Optional student download of videos
  • Can allow other staff to view, edit or publish videos to other FLO sites (with your permission)
  • Viewer selected playback options: closed captions, full-screen playback, quality and playback speed
  • Viewing and engagement (drop off) analytics available 
  • Editing of uploaded videos: trim ends, cut sections, fade transitions 
  • Enhance video with thumbnails, add chapter markers and upload slides to create interactive viewing experience 
  • Store and embed/stream 360 video 
Limitations

  • Currently not configured to allow students to download full transcript
  • Only for hosting university owned or licensed videos, not for video from YouTube or DVDs etc.
Cautions

  • Videos need to be published to the topic Media Vault to allow viewing and engagement analytics on a per topic availability basis 
  • When a video is published to/embedded in multiple sites, care needs to be taken with editing/replacing/deleting 
Tips

  • Download the full transcript and provide as a PDF 
Help resources





Kaltura iconKaltura Desktop Recorder

Kaltura Desktop Recorder (a component of the Kaltura platform) is a free tool you can use to make simple videos and upload directly to your My Media repository in FLO. You can use it to capture screen recordings, webcam and audio. When making screen recordings, you can also add annotations like drawing and highlighting to the slides, webpages or applications on screen as you record. It also has a whiteboard mode where you can record yourself drawing basic diagrams and graphics.
Good for
  • Quick and easy recording of simple video content that uploads straight to FLO – no 'middle man' editing tools or complicated upload process
Useful features

  • Easy to record webcam, microphone and desktop 
  • During playback user can choose side-by-side views of desktop and webcam or picture-in-picture (with either desktop or webcam as main) 
  • Basic editing capabilities 
  • In-built tools allow you to annotate (add drawing, highlights etc) the content on screen as you record 
  • Includes a white board tool – a blank white 'canvas' that you can draw on electronically to create basic graphics and diagrams as you record 
  • Can insert chapter markers, thumbnails, upload slides 
  • Uploads directly to Kaltura (My Media) – see Kaltura entry for advantages 
Limitations

  • Only suitable for content that you want to upload straight into FLO that doesn't need significant editing. You can't download or export the raw recordings you create in the Kaltura Desktop Recorder for editing or use elsewhere; the content is embedded within the FLO ecosystem only
  • Only basic editing of video. Fade transitions only 
Tips

  • If you intend to use the whiteboard or annotation tools, plan carefully. Annotations stay on-screen until you bin them
  • If recording a PowerPoint presentation, consider using the PowerPoint slideshow pen and/or laser pointer while presenting – these will be recorded as you go 
Help resources






PowerPoint iconPowerPoint

Good for

  • A quick and easy option to create videos of a lecture or presentation; you can add narration to the slides and export the file as a video
  • Creating very simple screen recordings (eg to demonstrate how to use something in your FLO topic, or in a website, database or other piece of software). You can make the screen recording, trim the start and ends if needed, and display it within a slide or export the screen recording itself as a separate .mp4 file
Useful features

  • Familiar interface 
  • Can embed video within a slide and create triggers to start playing 
  • Can embed/record narration audio per slide 
  • Can create screen recordings and embed within slide or export as .mp4
  • Exporting presentation as video allows upload to Kaltura (My Media) and hence:
    • Streaming
    • Easy embedding in FLO
    • Request captions
    • Viewing analytics

Limitations

  • A PowerPoint with embedded video and/or audio is a very large file 
  • For screen recordings, editing is limited to being able to trim the start and end of the recording only
Cautions

  • A PowerPoint file with embedded narration will be very large
  • Students can only play the audio within Microsoft PowerPoint software. Must be provided as .pptx or .ppsx files. Users must download and open
  • Mobile devices require Microsoft PowerPoint app 
Tips

  • Export as video and upload to Kaltura (My Media)
  • Download the PowerPoint teaching template so that the appropriate copyright notice is automatically included in your slides
Help resources





Recording Studio iconRecording studios and pods

The University has 2 recording studios and 4 recording pods:

  • Sturt South - room S418
  • Central Library - room 109 (4 separate pods)
  • Social Science South - room 374
These rooms are available to all staff on a self-service basis. All rooms have the ability to do video and audio recording. The studio at Sturt also has green screen technology, which replaces the green wall behind you with a backdrop of your choice (PowerPoint presentation, images, video, websites (live) or even Skype or WebEx calls).
No specialist skills are required to use these rooms, making high-quality professional-looking video accessible to everyone. If you need to edit the video you create in the studio, Camtasia is the recommended tool.
Good for

  • Professional-looking video where presenter is standing in front of their presentation
Useful features

  • Purpose-built rooms 
  • Good lighting 
  • Good acoustics and sound proofing
  • Good audio microphones
  • Green screen technology (Sturt only) – system replaces green screen with your presentation materials as it records
  • Several preset modes and advanced options 
  • Self-service and simple to use 
  • Finalised video recorded to USB device 
Limitations

  • The rooms do not have teleprompter capabilities
  • The duration of video you can record will depend on the space available on your USB drive. A 4GB USB will allow about 40 minutes of video recording
Tips

  • Upload recorded video to Kaltura (My Media) and trim ends as required 
  • Import your video footage into Camtasia for editing if required 
  • You will need a USB drive for your recording. Make sure there is plenty of space on the drive (see 'Limitations')
  • Ideally you want to create short, easily digestible videos for your student. If you are doing a long recording session to record multiple videos for your students, stop the recording and start a new one for each segment. Any editing you need to do will be easier to work on small files
  • At the end of your video, you will be recorded going to the control panel to stop the recording. You will need to trim your video to remove this. Take an exaggerated pause after you complete your presentation before stopping the video – this will make trimming the video easier
Help resources



FLO tools

Lesson Quiz Active Quiz Choice Feedback Book Page Glossary

FLO tools cannot create videos, but can be used to deliver/publish video to students. 

Useful features

  • Video can be embedded in FLO tools wherever there is an HTML editor
Limitations

  • Avoid embedding too many videos in any single page or activity as it will slow down that page loading time. (Note: in FLO's grid format, the contents of all modules is considered as one page.)
Cautions

  • Video in quiz questions – when uploading video to Kaltura (My Media) a video title is required. When embedded into questions, viewers can see the video title. Ensure the video title does not give away the question answer 
Tips

  • Upload your video files to Kaltura (My Media) and embed into your FLO tools 
  • Video uploaded into Kaltura can have captions and usage analytics 
  • Consider providing a text  transcript
Help resources

 


Digital Content Producer iconDigital Content Producer

The Digital Content Producer is a highly talented member of the Online Learning Team in the Centre for Innovation in Learning and Teaching, who has an extensive skillset with multimedia and digital content, and can work with you on the development of complex digital learning resources.

If your needs are not met by the existing tools or the resource you are looking to create is complex in some way, please speak with the Learning Designer in your college about your needs as there is some capacity for digital content production for learning and teaching.

» How-to glossary