8 Tips for Delivering Video Instruction

In this chaotic upcoming school year of distance, hybrid and who knows what kind of learning,  so many of us in education will be leaning on video as  the primary way to deliver instruction. Besides just opening up a Zoom and talking for 45 minutes, there is a lot which you can do help maximize your students being engaged. And it is that which I feel is the MOST important part of what we are trying to do during this pandemic: student engagement. From there students will be more open to learn and to connect with us. 
So, with keeping that in mind, I've put together many different ideas and strategies in this post to help those looking to improve the way they deliver instruction.  Please reach out if you have any other ideas you think could be included. 

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1) Active Watching

​Have you students  DO SOMETHING while they are  watching your video.
This could be note taking, guided questions, etc. It can be using a program like EdPuzzle where you build formative assessments, but it could also be just having them write on a piece of paper.  I really recommend the idea of creating a HyperDoc to correspond with what they watch.  No matter what you choose, the key is to be active during the video and not just at the end.  

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2) Zoom Burnout

​Trust me, students are going to get burned out of watching teachers sitting at their desk and talking TO them via Zoom. Those types of videos are OK for direct instruction where students are watching LIVE (this is synchronous). 
But, don’t discount asynchronously as well (watching at different times, locations). This can allow student to learn at the best time for them AND for you it opens up a world of other possibilities of what you can record. 
Set up a camera (it can even be your phone) and record you in more of a learning environment. It doesn't have to be complicated, just grab a tripod and think about where you can put  yourself. Here's a few ideas:

 
* Your whiteboard as you work a math problem or any prompt for that matter. Dissect a thesis statement, demonstrate some chemical bonds, etc





* Outdoors while you are talking about rock types.
Look, Bill Nye did it, so can you! All you need to do is find places or things in the outdoors that you want to share, explain, talk about etc. 




* A map while you talk geography or history.
If you want to try something new and little different, look into filming yourself in front of a green screen and then you can put yourself in front of virtually anything like I did in this Cold War discussion.  The best and easiest tools for doing this is DoInk on iOS, iMovie on iOS, and WeVideo on any device. 

Check out this past listicle of mine for lots other ideas of what to do with a green screen in your classroom ​

3) Subtitles

Have you noticed kids today watching Netflix and how many of them like having subtitles on every show they watch? 
Can you guess why? 
It easier for them to process the dialogue. 
So, the idea of having subtitles helps virtually everyone retain more, be it ESL or native speaking students. 

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Plus, YouTube now “listens” to your posted videos and will add captions automatically. So, nudge your students to turn on those captions. ​And speaking of captions, a great way to support ELs and their families is to help with the translation of your videos. Here is an incredible presentation titled "Translate Almost Anything" from Amanda Sandoval and Carrie Smith. Be sure to check out the slide on YouTube translator Chrome extension.

4) ​The Perspective Principle

Your videos don’t have to be just your head talking or a screencast of your screen. Demonstrating something is a powerful way to teach. When setting up your camera for this keep in mind to make it look like it is from YOUR eyes or a First Person view. This is often seen in YouTube tutorials and it serves as an effective way to "see how something can be done". 

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Therefore, if you have anything that is a manipulative you can demonstrate it in front of you. Or it can even be a first person view of you sketching out on paper like you see here. ​
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How to set up a camera like this can be done a million ways . Do a search for "overhead table top tripod" and you find ones to just buy on Amazon or how to get creative and make your DIY version of one of these

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5) Watcha Looking At?

If you are going to be doing more of a traditional stand and lecture think about what YOU will be looking at. If you are just staring at the camera the entire time it becomes a little unnverviing and feeling like you are just staring. On the other end, if you are constantly looking at your board, or notes it comes across as if you are either unprepared or checked out. Move your eyes to what you are looking at. Switch it up from looking just at the camera to looking at what you want your students to look at. 

6) Notice Your Background

Since many of us will be spending a fair amount of time with our students via Zoom or Google Meet, think a little about your background. The number goal for what is behind you should be this: IT SHOULD NOT DISTRACT!
Now many of us will find ourselves doing this several ways which, in my opinion, you should avoid

1) AVOID BACK LIGHT
This is where are the object in the front (or foreground) and are have a moderate about of light on you. But the behind you (the background) is very bright. This can make your very hard to see as in the two examples to the left. Notice how the back light one is so hard to make out the speaker. 

2) AVOID DISTRACTING DIGITAL BACKGROUNDS
Like the Dark Side in Star Wars, some of you may be enticed about how easy it is to just add a crazy or funny background. But remember that this will grow old. This example is from James Corden about some of the worst backgrounds you could pick. If you do choose to use the feature to add any background you want try to keep them somewhat plain and simple

3) AVOID REAL LIFE DISTRACTIONS
I would pick a real background any day over a digital one and that means thinking about what is behind you. In this hilarious example the dad had his kids accidentally break into this video call. For many of us we know how real teaching from home may be and things this can happen. My main point here though is to think about your surroundings. Try to be in a place where there is a lot of ambient noise and objects behind you where you students may get distracted by. 

7) Camera Placement

As I said before, many of us spending a lot of time in Zoom and Meet. And as you set up your desk be it at home or in your classroom, really think about where the camera will that will be filming you will be placed. 
First off think about the angle. Like in these two examples, notice the in the top one the laptop in on her lap in an upward angle, making it not as pleasing as the lower image. This bottom image is much better primarily because the camera is at eye level. 
So, find a way to raise that webcam of yours. You buy a laptop stand or simply get creative like here... STACK BOOKS!
You MUST watch this video from Gia Goodrich from the two examples here about how to best improve the look of your videos. She covers not just angles, but lighting, background and more

8) Screencasting Tips

One of the more popular type of videos where teachers can deliver their instruction as of late has been the screencast. These videos consist of a teacher narrating while the viewer watches the teachers screen. The teacher has the option if they like to add a webcam video of themselves usually in one of the corners. These type of videos all a teacher to replicate online a traditional type of lecture where they would want the class to focus on two things... the visuals of what the teacher wants them to see (slidedeck, photos, math problem, etc) and sound of the teacher's voice.

There are quite a few programs out there you can try out.
From the top of the line and kind of pricey Camtasia
To the easier and cheaper to use, browser based tools like Screencast-o-matic and my favorite Screencastify. If you haven't tried making one of these, give it a shot and you'll really just how easy it is to create and share your video with any of your classes. 

Although teachers are comfortable with standing in front of their classrooms and teaching to those real-in person faces in front of them, many may not have the same level of comfort when trying to teach to their screen. The folks at Screencastify put out these "24 Tips for Creating High Quality Screencasts" a few years back and the tips are just as relevant in all that we are dealing with today.

EPILOGUE:
My Video vs Others 

One of the most common questions I get about delivering video instruction is
"should I make my own or just show my students videos made by others"
There are pros and cons for sure in this and here is my two cents:
Videos from others usually look fantastic and have a greater production value. Some of these are done by people or groups who spend a lot of time and money to produce them. For example the videos on Crash Course channel will be look WAY better than any that I could ever produce! Plus these creators often put in tons of time to make them just perfect where as we will be facing one of our toughest challenges ever in education and staying on top of being a video content creator will be a challenge. 
But on the other side, anyone else's video will always lack one thing....
THEY ARE NOT YOU!
* You are the one who knows the level of your students
* You are the one who understand the standards 
* and you are the one who has a relationship with your students
So for me in the end.... the importance of connecting and engaging with you students is the reason why I think you should make your own. 

Now I know it won't be easy and for myself I know I may not always follow all these tips.  You can see one of mine from the spring below

In watching this again and reflecting I see what worked and what I can improve on in the future. 
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And for you all, do what you can and don't get yourself overwhelmed... and in the end, remember the most important thing you do when you turn on the record button with your kids - just talk, be kind, and let them know they matter. 

Best of luck to all of you and your journey!

Thanks

Thanks to Logan Fiorella, Ph.D.and the following journal for inspiration:
Mayer, R. E., Fiorella, L., & Stull, A. (2020). Five ways to increase the effectiveness of instructional video. Educational Technology Research and Development, 1-16.

Plus a huge shout out to some of my Twitter PLN for their input and ideas on this post: 
Andy Losik
Brian Biggs
Connie Mimura
Karalee Wong Nakatsuka
Cristinia Bustamante
Tom Covington
Amanda Sandoval 
​Sarah Kiefer