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Matching Video Production Style to Learning Goals
You have decided to record a video for your course (See this Envision post first: Video Planning: To Record or Not to Record?). Your next concern might be choosing the technology that can match the production quality of the videos in MOOCs (massive open online courses) such as MasterClass or Coursera. But have no fear—research shows no association between production value and learning outcomes (Hansch et al., 2015; Sturman et al., 2018). Furthermore, selecting your technology without initial consideration of your video style would be premature. “When thinking about video for learning, the choice of video production style will have a great impact on a video’s ability to effect pedagogical objectives and desired learning outcomes” (Hansch, et al., 2015, p. 20). Production style refers to the holistic organization of a video, which we will discuss in terms of type (what the video aims to accomplish) and output (what the video looks like). Choosing the right style for the content centers the learner and ultimately facilitates an easier selection of technology.
Improving PowerPoints
Sharing information via PowerPoint presentations is a long-established strategy in higher education. Designing PowerPoint presentations for online courses can pose unique challenges; however, best practices can help overcome these hurdles. With time and attention, faculty and instructional designers can create engaging and purposeful presentations with lasting value.
Basic Editing in Canvas
To edit a page in Canvas, simply click on the “Edit” button. Each page contains a variety of editing tools, similar to those found on most word processing programs. The Rich Content Editor applies the principles of a WYSIWIG editor (What You See is What You Get) and uses icons to illustrate the functions. You may also hover over an icon to confirm its function.
Self-Recording Best Practices
While traditional lectures are delivered in front of a classroom and allow you to read students’ engagement and adjust in real time to both content and pacing, online lectures do not afford the same flexibility. Therefore, it is important to carefully plan your videos in accordance with best practices in online learning. There are many video types and formats to choose from (See the Envision blog Matching Video Production Style to Learning Goals). One decision you'll need to make is whether you want to appear on camera. This guide covers best practices for videos that will include your webcam footage.
No Sweat Alt Text
What is “alt text”? Alt text is descriptive text linked to an image, graph, or other visual content that allows users to understand the visual without viewing it. Any image online should contain alt text, but guidelines differ depending on whether the image is simply decorative or related to other content on the page.
Implementing Social Media
Many students use social media platforms in their daily lives, and “emerging evidence indicates that students express positive attitudes toward using social media for learning in general” (Baisley-Nodine et al., 2018). However, there are many concerns connected with using social media in an educational setting. These include issues related to a lack of familiarity with the platform, the potential for distraction, and privacy concerns. Therefore, it is important to carefully plan the use of social media in a course to address any potential issues or concerns.
Representation in Course Images
How many times have you looked at an image and thought, “Have I seen this before?” Chances are, if you are browsing a stock photo site, the answer is yes. That feeling of déjà vu occurs because images reflect an amalgam of artistic, cultural, and ideological influences (Hall, 2015).
Spreadsheet Accessibility
Spreadsheets are used for a broad array of data-related tasks and projects across numerous disciplines. Maximizing the utility of spreadsheets as course materials requires careful attention towards their content and formatting. In this piece, we present recommendations for enhancing the clarity, consistency, and accessibility of course spreadsheets for students.
Audio and Narration Best Practices
This guide highlights best practices for recording narration for online course content, whether video or audio. Your instructional designer can provide appropriate technical guides for your chosen recording method. For videos that will include your webcam footage, see the Envision piece Self-Recording Best Practices.
Hyperlink Dos and Don'ts
When designing a course, you want to ensure that all students can access the websites and documents that you link. Accessible hyperlinks are particularly important for students with screen readers, which read the links out loud. This piece contains best practices for writing and formatting accessible hyperlinks so that all learners can access the content that you have curated for your course.