When used effectively, videos can be a powerful way to engage students with course content and deepen learning. Videos can be used in a number of ways, including the following:

• The primary mode of conveying content
• Supporting or enhancing the understanding of content
• A catalyst for discussion

Why should instructors use videos?

• Increases social presence
• Allows more class time for discussion and activity
• Adds an experiential component by showing places or phenomena that students wouldn’t otherwise see
• Allows students to hear a variety of viewpoints from other experts
• Creates opportunities for students to master content by watching at their own pace
• Encourages critical thinking

When should instructors use videos?

• For content that contains a lot of visual information
• For information that is nuanced
• To connect theory with real-world examples
• For a difficult concept that may require students to go over it many times
• To tell a story with an emotional component

To determine the best use of video, establish learning outcomes for your course that are specific and measurable. Videos should be used in conjunction with instructional activities that demonstrate students have achieved the learning outcomes. Use guiding questions to focus attention prior to viewing.

Questions to Consider when Making a Video:

• How will the use of video enhance student learning?
• Is the purpose of the video to introduce new concepts or support a class activity?
• What will students be able to do after watching the video or completing the lesson?
• Are there assessments that can be mapped into the lesson or can a quiz be added at the end of the video to measure the outcome?

Types of Videos

• Course welcome videos
• Mini-lectures
• Expert Interviews
• Case Studies
• Simulations/Demonstrations
• Scenarios

Other Resources

• Brame, C. J. (2015). Effective Educational Videos. Retrieved Jan. 15, 2020, from http://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/effective-educational-videos/ 
• Brame, C. J. (2016). Effective educational videos: Principles and guidelines for maximizing student learning from video content. CBE Life Sciences Education, 15(4), 1-6.
• EdX Course - VideoX: Creating Video for the EdX Platform
• Hibbert, M. C. (2014, April 7). What makes an online instructional video compelling? EDUCAUSE Review
• Koumi, J. (2015). Learning outcomes afforded by self-assessed, segmented video–print combinations. Cogent Education, 2(1), 1-27.
• Woolfitt, Z. (2015). The effective use of video in higher education. Inholland University of Applied Sciences, 1-49.

Creating a Video by Sharon Gillooly is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Revised 1/15/2020