Videos

Webster University

Knowledge Center

Videos

Videos can come in a variety of formats – a few of the ones we use are indicated here in the image.  

Video Options

Video is used to further engage your students with the content so consider finding some on Youtube, Vimeo, Khan Academy or making your own.

Some options for videos include:

  • Short pre-recorded videos you create yourself, either within Canvas or on your own and uploaded
  • Already-existing material (videos, podcasts)
  • Synchronous lectures​ that you record when in WebEx

Ideas for Videos

  • Before you create your own content, see if there's content already available: check YouTube, LinkedIn Learning, your publisher/textbook content, and ask your professional organizations, especially if they have a social media page.Many professional groups are crowdsourcing videos at the moment.

  • Keep it short: People rarely want to watch a video that lasts longer than five minutes, so think about delivering some of the content through video and some of it through readings, podcasts, and activities

  • Break your lectures into chunks and intersperse watching videos with other content/activities: If you do want to do, say, a 20-minute lecture, maybe break it into 4 chunks with four major topics, and ask your students a question for each video, so they have something to listen for.

  • Think about how you'll use this video in the future: do you want it to work for future classes (maybe it belongs on a Page), or is this a video specific to this class (maybe it belongs in an Announcement)

  • What we value today: quick, imperfect videos that are personal and real (think Facebook Live or TikTok). Your videos don't have to be slick and professional. In fact, there's perceived value in them being "homemade" and "authentic."

Some Video Types

  • The mini-lecture
    Chunk your lecture up into 5-minute screencasts​. 

  • Short demonstrations
    Not you reading the slides, but rather you walking through a process with a short demonstration using Screencastify or Screencast-o-Matic. ​

  • The weekly pep-talk
    Through Canvas Announcements, let your students know what's happening this week, tell them what you've most appreciated about their contributions over the past week, or call out individuals who have contributed something especially helpful in Discussions

  • The Problem-Solver
    Show yourself solving a problem, modeling how to find the information when you get stuck, or how to work out a tricky part of the problem, modeling persistence

  • The Assignment Prompt
    In addition to a written Assignment or Discussion prompt, include a video of yourself explaining the assignment

  • The Feedback Video
    In SpeedGrader, use the embedded video tool to offer video feedback to your students focused on their continued growth

  • The "I'm human, too" Moment
    Share a video of yourself doing something in your daily life (in your home, with a pet, with your family, outside, cooking something) and just saying hi and offering encouragement