This entry explores ways to plan, create and use your own (self-created) videos in your FLO topics. Some very helpful research-based recommendations for engaging students through video are explored in the blog article How MOOC video production affects student engagement, which you may like to read first.
For information about lecture recording videos, please see the Lecture capture entry.
You can use videos in learning and teaching for a number of purposes:
Use a short, informal video to introduce the teaching team - a welcome video
Produce mini-lectures that target important or commonly misunderstood concepts
Produce content for revision or elaborate on an assessment item
Use video in peer assessment and feedback practices
Encourage students to present knowledge and understanding through video
Capture unique experiences or perspectives through an interview with industry experts
Tools for recording video
Video chat kits are available for loan to academic staff for use in desktop video conferencing, virtual classroom sessions (eg Collaborate), or recording short videos for FLO. Each eLearning support team has:
2 web chat kits (consisting of a webcam and USB headset)
1 web group chat kit (consisting of a webcam and a Bluetooth microphone/speaker).
A range of free and University-supplied tools are available for you to record video footage, ranging from screen capture software to the professional recording studios.
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 video-related resources are provided below.
What is the key message or purpose of the video? Is it a quick communication or should it be a highly produced, reusable resource? Knowing the answers to these questions will influence what tools you use and how much time you invest in planning and production.
A storyboard or script may be an important component in planning a video, depending on how complex your video needs to be.
2. Build
You have numerous options for recording and editing videos. For simpler videos, you could just record on a mobile phone/tablet, or use the Kaltura Desktop Recorder to record using your computer's webcam or screen. If your video needs to be more highly
produced and have a longer lifespan as a learning resource, then you might consider using more advanced tools/resources, like the video editing software Camtasia or Recording Studios located at Sturt South, Central Library and Social Science South. And of course, you can also
record lectures using the lecture capture facilities in equipped rooms.
Record on a phone or tablet
For informal, quick-to-produce videos that don't need editing, you may like to record on a phone or tablet. Remember to record in landscape orientation, not portrait! You can upload videos recorded on mobile devices into My Media (Kaltura) for embedding
in FLO.
View these videos on recording with a mobile device:
The Desktop Recorder is part of Kaltura, the video platform in FLO. The Desktop Recorder allows you to create simple videos using your webcam/audio and/or screen capture. You can also record drawings and annotations, and it has a whiteboard.
View these videos on using Kaltura Desktop Recorder:
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.
Recording Studios are located in Sturt South and Social Science South and the Recording Pods are located in the Central Library. These rooms have sophisticated video and audio recording capabilities. See what the Rooms offer and to find how to book them.
After recording at the rooms, it's recommended that you use video editing software like Camtasia to edit your footage.
Camtasia is a 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, digital recorders or a recording studio you can import it into Camtasia and edit. Download on University computers via the IDS Support Portal. Home-use licences are available (request via Service One). Camtasia is available for both Mac and Windows.
To learn more about recording and editing video using Camtasia, check out these helpful tips and tutorials on the TechSmith website.
Once you've created your video, it's recommended that you test the final product by previewing with it with sound on before you upload.
If you're using the Kaltura Desktop Recorder, use the preview window.
For Camtasia, Snagit and other software, play the video in full within the program before exporting a published file on your computer.
4. Administer
No matter which tool you use to create your video, you're encouraged to host the video in FLO's online video platform Kaltura (rather than a third-party tool like YouTube or Vimeo) for easy upload, management and sharing of your content. To make
a video available in your topic, you'll need to first upload it to your personal repository in FLO, called My Media, and publish it to the topic Media Vault in which you want to use it. You (and other members of your teaching team) can then embed these
videos within your topic teaching activities and resources.
Upload a video to FLO (includes uploading to My Media, publishing to a topic Media Vault, then embedding in topic teaching
content)
Occasionally, you'll need to review and update the video content and you may be interested in finding out how students are engaging with your videos. FLO has tools to help you do all of this.
If you need to make significant updates to the video content, you'll usually need to do this in the original video project file (e.g. in Camtasia or whichever software you used to produce the video). You can then use the Replace tool to
swap out the video for an updated version, if appropriate.
For minor changes to the video (like cutting a section out), you can use the editing tools in FLO at any point.
For insights into how students are engaging with your video content, some great data is available via the analytics in the topic Media Vault.
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 will give basic instructions
on how to use Camtasia
Support
Support on installation: please contact the IDS Service Desk on 12345
Support on using Camtasia, Desktop Recorder and SnagIt: please contact your eLearning support team