Creating engaging course media

Faculty-created media refers to video and audio materials created by the instructor to support student learning. Common types include:

• Concise video lectures focused on a single concept, theory, or skill (typically 5–10 minutes in length).
• Virtual field trips or site visits that let students experience places or processes they may not otherwise access.
• Audio conversations or podcasts featuring the instructor alone or with guest speakers.
• Short-form videos to emphasize key points or provide additional guidance.
• Demonstration or tutorial videos that model problem-solving steps or lab techniques.

Faculty-created media doesn’t need to be elaborate or high-budget. In fact, short, authentic recordings are often the most effective for student learning. The key is keeping your content concise, engaging, and accessible to all students.

Faculty-created video is a powerful tool for engaged teaching across all course modalities. While often associated with online learning, instructor-made videos also benefit students in face-to-face and hybrid courses. Using video in your instruction allows students to review material at their own pace, revisit complex concepts, and catch up on content they may have missed in class. In large classes, faculty-created videos can help humanize the material, making it more engaging and accessible.

Additionally, when paired with captions and transcripts, video provides multiple entry points for learning, making content more accessible and engaging for all students.

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Before recording, spend some time planning out where videos and/or audio might have the biggest impact in your course. If you are designing a course in Canvas, you may already be familiar with the concept of “chunking,” or breaking up course elements into smaller, digestible pieces. This is especially important for media production, as students are more likely to watch shorter videos in their entirety.

Start by thinking about the types and quantities of videos you want to create:

• Make a roadmap. Consider the pacing and sequencing of your media content. Will you create weekly overview videos? Short concept explanations? Videos can serve as effective introductions to new material or brief summaries at the end of complicated topics.
• Remember cognitive load theory. Mayer and Moreno (2003) found that working memory can hold only five to nine items at once. When mapping out your media plan, avoid adding activities or information that don’t support learning. Remove tangential or extraneous elements to keep each video concise and coherent. (See Mayer’s theory of multimedia learning in action)

Once you have a list of the media you want to create, take a few minutes to prepare each recording.

• Make a script. Write a short script (or even just an outline!) with the key points you want to cover, and practice reading it aloud. This helps you get an estimate of the length and identify areas to simplify or cut. Be sure to think about the flow and how you might incorporate visuals. A bit of natural improvisation is welcome (students appreciate authenticity!), but practicing helps your delivery feel more conversational and allows your personality to shine through. 
• Clarify your purpose. Tell your audience why they should keep watching. Within the first ten seconds of your video, students should know what they’ll learn or what problem the video will help them solve. Consider including an outcome statement or summary of the topics you will cover. 
• Be aware of the length. Guo, et al. (2014) found that videos around six minutes or less are ideal for keeping students engaged. Don’t just give your in-person lecture and expect students to maintain engagement throughout the entire video. Instead, find natural breaks in the content, and split longer presentations into shorter, focused videos, which can then be added as subtopics and chapters in Canvas.
• Take steps to make sure your media is accessible!  Some accessibility features, like captions, can be added after recording, but some practices are easier to incorporate upfront. One example of this is describing your on-screen visuals as you go. Doing so reduces the need for separate audio description tracks later and ensures all students can follow your content. For more information about accessible recording practices, see How to make accessible videos.

Zoom has become a familiar tool to most PSU faculty, making it one of the easiest tools to use for recording instructional media.  Recording in Zoom works just like holding a regular Zoom meeting: you can share slides, videos, and websites while you are presenting. 

When you begin recording for the first time, you might feel some nerves and jitters… this is normal! It is common for people, even on-screen professionals, to require multiple takes and restarts. Students don’t expect perfection. In fact, leaving small imperfections can make students feel more at ease, realizing that their instructor is just a human being doing their best!

Clear sound and good lighting help students stay focused and make your recordings feel more personal and professional. You can make big improvements to the audio and video quality of your recordings with just a few simple adjustments… no expensive technology required!

After recording your media in Zoom, your file will automatically appear in your MediaSpace library. The recording and captioning process takes some time, so your video/audio may not be available immediately after you end your recording. Take this opportunity to take a step back and come back with “fresh eyes”—this will help you make more objective decisions about what is and isn’t working, and help you see your video from a student’s perspective.

Before sharing your video or audio clip, there are a few things you should do:

• Rename the video title from its default Zoom title for each recording. (Reminder: Using a consistent naming convention will help you locate videos in the future!)
• Review and edit captions for accuracy.
• Update your media permissions so it’s ready to share.
• If necessary, edit your video. You can make small edits to your video using MediaSpace’s built-in editor.

Once your videos are recorded, edited, and captioned, you are ready to share them with your students. You can share links directly or embed your videos into a Canvas course.