2 Methods to Create Teacher Instructional Videos
One of the major challenges of online learning is that it is almost impossible to determine the level of each student. Some of the students in your class may be ahead of their fellow classmates. Yet, there is an easy way to equalize their levels, allowing each student to catch up on the sections they may be falling behind on. This strategy is simple; teacher instructional videos.
The benefit of instructional videos for students is that once shared with the student, they can access it at anytime and go through the course material at their own time. But they can also go back to the instructional video to re-learn some of the aspects of the course material they may find difficult.
But how do you create instructional videos that your students will find useful. In this article, we will share with you how to make instructional videos that is easy and effective. It is our hope that the instructional video you create using the strategies discussed in this article will stand the test of time.
The cost of the instructional video you want to make will depend on several factors. The following are some of the factors to keep in mind when determining how much the video will cost;
The Provider to Use
The person or persons who create the video will affect the cost of the instructional video in several ways. Here are some of the options you have when it comes to the provider;
Freelancers- unless you are going to be creating the instructional video yourself, the cheapest option you have is freelancers. There are a lot of freelancers who can create a video for you at a fraction of the cost, but they aren’t always reliable and it may take sometime before you find the best one.
Internal Staff- Of course if your staff have the know-how, you can use them to create the videos. But depending on the skills of those working on the video, the process may prove slow and even more expensive than using a freelancer.
An External Agency- Using an external agency is the most expensive of these options, but it has its advantages. An agency will create specialized work that will be of very high quality.
How Prepared You Are
Your level of preparedness may also affect the overall cost of the instructional video. For example, if you already have a script for the video and all the course material is in order, you may pay less of the video than if you require scripting to be done for you as well.
The Type of Video You Want
There are very many different types of instructional videos that you could make and the type of video you want to make could affect the overall cost of the video. For example, a 3D animation video may prove more expensive than a simple screen flow video. This is because 3D animation videos often involve more design work, expertise and time, all of which may inflate the overall cost of the project.
The Number of Videos you Need
Another factor that may significantly impact the cost of the instructional videos is the number of videos you want to create. If you are using in-house staff to make the video, the cost of more than one videos may be inflated, because of the additional work hours involved in creating the videos.
But if you choose a freelancer or an agency to create the videos, you may qualify for a significant discount for the production of more than one video.
If the type of video you are creating is a screen flow video intended to share the course material in an interactive but instructional way, then you may be better served by video recording software. One of the best tools to use in this case is Wondershare DemoCreator. This program has features that make it very easy for you to record videos on your screen and the webcam at a fraction of the cost of using an agency or a freelancer.
Among its major advantages is that it is so easy to use, you can easily create instructional videos even if you have never done it before. The following is a step-by-step tutorial to show you how to use the program;
Step 1: Download and Install DemoCreator
Begin by downloading the DemoCreator setup file to your computer. Double-click on the installer to begin the installation process.
When the installation process is complete, run the program to begin.
Step 2: Capture the Screen
Assuming that you have the course material that you would like to record on the screen, select “Capture” in the main window to begin the process.
Here, you will be able to set the parameters to record the video including the recording region, audio settings and whether or not you will be using the webcam.
Step 3: Customize the Recording Settings
There are several ways that you can customize the recording settings, depending on the type of video you want to record. Here are some of the most important parameters to consider;
Click on the “Screen” section to choose if you would like to record the full screen, a customized section of the screen or a specific window. In the screen section, you can also choose the frame rate you would like to use.
Click on the “Audio” section to customize the audio settings for the video you would like to record. Here you can choose if you would like to capture audio or not.
Click on “Camera” to choose the camera you would like to use, your preferred resolution and the frame rate you would like to use.
Step 4: Start the Recording
When you’re happy with all the settings, click on “Capture” to begin the recording process. DemoCreator will start a 3-second countdown before the recording process.
You can click on “Pause Capturing” to pause the process and hit “F9” on your keyboard to continue the recording.
To stop the recording, use the “F10” key on your keyboard.
The video will be saved to the specified folder.
You can also just as easily create an instructional video using a camera. But while you will still need to plan the lessons and create a script, just as you would if you were using screen-flow software, using a camera can present its own challenges.
To begin with, there are a number of additional tools that you will need to successfully record instructional videos using a camera. These include the following;
- A tripod
- A smartphone or camera
- A phone clip to keep the phone steady on the tripod
- Lights
- A clean backdrop
Once you have gathered all the items you will need, here’s a simple guide to use them to create a great instructional video;
Step 1: Begin by setting up the recording space. Make sure that the area you have selected it well-lit either with natural light or using video lighting equipment.
Step 2: Place the smartphone or the camera on the tripod and place it as close as possible to the subject. This will give you the best possible chance of capturing the best audio. You may also want to check to make sure that you are capturing everything you need.
Step 3: Then simply follow the storyboard or the screen to guide you through each of the steps.
It is important to note that some tools like DemoCreator allow you to use screen capture and the camera at the same time. This may be useful when there are sections of the video that require explanation. With this video recording software You can also very easily edit the final video to get the perfect recording that you can then share with your students.
Keep in mind however that to create the best instructional video for your class, planning is very important. You will need to determine the course material that will go into the video and come up with a script that you can follow along.