5 Ways to Use Video in Your Online Course

Did you know using short videos in your online course is one of the best ways to build community and increase student learning? Research shows that short, instructor-featured videos are great for making announcements, demonstrating course content, and giving student feedback. Students report that these types of videos make them feel more connected to their instructors and more engaged with the course content. Below I describe five ways you might use videos in your online course.

1. Post Your Introduction

   Include your academic/professional background, research interests, and some personal information such as family or hobbies. Your video can be the model for a student Introductions discussion assignment, in which students post their own videos. (Research also shows that giving students the opportunity to “meet” each other in an online class helps build community, increase retention, and improve student learning.)

2. Post a Course Welcome Message

   You might provide an overview of the course and tips for getting started.

3. Make Announcements

   Describe a tip or concept of the week (perhaps highlighting an area where you know students may need some extra assistance), explain an assignment, review for an exam, or provide a preview of the week’s activities.

4. Give Feedback

   Give general, all-class feedback on assignments or exams and publish the video in announcements. In addition, you can give video feedback to individual students.

5. Demonstrate How To Do Something

   Consider using this type of video, which is actually a capture of your screen, or a combination screen+webcam capture, when you need to demonstrate a process, such as how to perform a calculation in Excel.

All you need to make these videos is a webcam and an Internet connection. You can capture videos directly in the LMS and post them in announcements, gradebook, and various other areas of your course.

If you decide to use video, talk with your Instructional Designer about options for making the videos accessible, such as providing a transcript or creating sub-titles.

Sources

Are Video Lectures Effective in Online Courses? https://onlinelearninginsights.wordpress.com/2012/07/13/are-video-lectures-effective-in-online-courses/

Lowenthal (2015). Using video announcements, instructional videos, and video feedback to improve social presence, student engagement, and a growing relationship to one’s university http://olc.onlinelearningconsortium.org/effective_practices/using-video-announcements-instructional-videos-and-video-feedback-improve-social

Student Perceptions of the Use of Instructor-Made Videos in Online and Face-to-Face Classes http://jolt.merlot.org/vol5no3/rose_0909.htm

Borup, J., West, R. E., & Graham, C. R. (2012). Improving Online Social Presence Through Asynchronous Video. Internet and Higher Education. 15 (3), 195-203 http://www.academia.edu/2538116/Improving_online_social_presence_through_asynchronous_video

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Julia Lehman Caldwell

I earned my undergraduate and graduate degrees in English from UW-Eau Claire, working as a Technical Writer for 5 years in between. In 2004, I began working at UW-Eau Claire as a Technology Training Coordinator and teaching Freshman Composition, joining iDocs as an Instructional Designer in 2012. I love the process of translating what our learners need to know into engaging, interactive online activities.

I live in Eau Claire with my husband Chuck and my son Wesley. When I’m not chasing my son around, I enjoy reading, experimenting with kitchen gadgets, and trying new recipes.

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