We all know that this past school year didn’t go as planned. There were hurdles and obstacles that nobody could’ve really seen coming but educators shifted and made the necessary changes to keep their students on track. Students were learning from home, teachers taught through videos, the latter half of 2020 was strange.
This upcoming school year, blended and remote learning will play an important part in your students’ success. Teachers will be tasked with delivering instruction in innovative ways. One such way teachers can deliver core instruction is through the creation of engaging instructional videos. These are teacher-created videos made to engage students in learning core concepts and skills.
Getting started may not be easy but here are a few tips to help get you out:
Tip 1: Chunk your lessons
Chunking strategies were previously used to break down complex concepts into more manageable pieces. A chunk is purposefully delivered one chunk at a time, asking students to reflect on each chunked concept and make connections along the way. Research shows learner engagement starts dropping at the 9-minute mark.
Tip 2: Support with visuals
Sitting through a video could overwhelm students, especially if the video is predominantly you lecturing or demonstrating on a whiteboard. Support and highlight key concepts with visuals and pictures by using slides.
Tip 3: Put yourself on camera
Possibly, the most important tip is to put yourself on camera. Your students want to see you as if you were in class with them. This is important for social-emotional learning. There are several features that WeVideo offers to make recording easy.
Tip 4: Engagement over information dissemination
As noted in tip 1, student attention begins to wane especially after 9 minutes. Just as you would in whole group or small group instruction, ensure you’re using effective questioning techniques. Additionally, make sure students are also asking questions and sharing their thoughts and work with their peers. WeVideo allows you to embed question prompts into your videos.
Tip 5: Be you!
Last, but certainly not least, be yourself! Students need to feel safe and nurtured, and they appreciate knowing their teacher is still there for them. Speak naturally as you would in a classroom, be enthusiastic, conversational, laugh and have fun.
Here are a few more things to remember when creating an instructional video:
- Don’t plan for these lessons as traditional 30, 45, or 60-minute lessons. The final instructional video for a concept should be 6 to 9 minutes long (concise, interactive, comprehensive and impactful).
- Focus on skills and concepts and how you want students to engage (instructional strategies: questioning, cooperative learning, creation of products, etc.).
- Always include a personal touch, like a greeting or gesture you and your students share.
Now that you have some tips to create informative and engaging instructional videos, it’s your turn! Get out there and start creating! This is an opportunity for you and your students to learn, grow, and have fun together!
