Selecting an Educational video

The week started with a lot of excitement about the two courses I’m taking in the winter quarter. I read the article “Appropriate Use of Media in Education” on the very first day. The book Building Expertise: Cognitive Methods for Training and Performance Improvement by Ruth C. Clark presents very insightful ideas on the theoretical framework for developing practical instructional methods. I visited her website: http://clarktraining.com/  to read more about her.  There are many informational articles on the company’s blog. 

The article “Appropriate Use of Media in Education” discusses different forms of multimedia and their appropriate use. I totally agree with the point that, “. Video can help gain and hold the attention of learners.”

A few points came to my mind. I think these points are imperative while selecting and creating a video  for a classroom or a training.

Learners interest: While creating video learner’s vested interest in the learning, those help them to acquire knowledge or develop new skills, should be kept in mind.

Selecting an educational video:The videos must be selected after watching a range of educational videos/clips, so as to find the best fit for its intended purpose. There is a plethora of videos, ranging from home-made videos to the videos made by professionals. Therefore, one needs to spend time in selecting a most suitable  one.

Dealing with ethical issues: If you find a video on youtube or dailymotion or Vimeo it does mean that it is free for downloading and anyone can use it. A number of times the videos have copyright restrictions and can not be used without permission. For a free video, you always have to provide reference of the video just like we do it for a book or an article. 

Introduction and a summary: While  creating an educational video for a classroom or training, a good practice is to take a few minutes to introduce viewers to the key points and the highlights of the video they are going to watch. Similarly, provide a brief summary of the relevant points at the end.

Length of the video: What is the ideal length of a video. The answer depends upon the viewers’ age and the interest level. Any video between 8 to 12 minutes is ideal. It is best to present long explanations in the form of short clips rather than making a long video. This would retain the attention of the viewers and provide them a better understanding of the concepts being presented.

Quality of the video: The quality of a video matters a lot. While preparing a   video, a close attention should be paid to the sound clarity, lights(if it is being recorded live),and the streaming issues.