Are robots replacing instructors for
online classes? One instructor
mentioned that to me in a
conversation.
With so many electronic resources
available, it might seem like the
instructor doesn’t have much value
in an online course.
Spoiler alert: Students don’t want
to be taught by robots.
Use video in your online course to
make your presence known.
Screen recording is effective and
has many benefits. It’s also really
easy.
But some institutions are
incorporating the instructor onscreen with the content. Is it better
to see your instructor on-screen?
We surveyed students to see what
they preferred. Then we compared
grades (same teacher teaching the
same course, one with voiceover
videos and one with instructor onscreen).
Without getting in to too much
detail on the surveys and research,
here are the results. Performance
was within one percent. Surveys
told us students like seeing their
instructor.
These were the reasons why they
liked it. Top three answers all point
to the instructor. Engagement and
Personal connection are important.
No voiceover actor means “I want a
real person teaching me.”
So the instructor has a lot of value.
But you knew that already.
Don’t reinvent the wheel. These
resources are useful and students
can benefit from them. Don’t stop
using them.
Ask yourself “What do I have that
they don’t?”
Jokes, emotions, wacky t-shirts, all
make you more human.
You know the content, you know
what students struggle with, you
know what questions they will ask
before they ask them.
You have stories and examples
that are actually meaningful and
relatable.
One idea is like the examples we
saw earlier. Show up on screen
with your screen recorded content.
But that might not work depending
on many things. Here are some
other ideas.
This is pretty standard, but
important.
You can emphasize what content is
more important so students can
focus on it.
Use those stories and experience
of yours to tell a great story or cite
an example that is a real-world
example. Something students can
relate to.
Give some personalized feedback
on assignments.
You don’t need a state of the art
studio, but it sure is fun to use one!
Use what you’ve got.
PLEASE don’t record like this.
Your field of vision is wide, not long
and narrow. Turn your phone 90
degrees.
This is correct. This way you don’t
have black side bars on your video.
Remember, your eyes are side by
side, not one on top of the other.
Don’t record in front of an open
window or other light source. You
will be dark are hard to see. You
can use a desk lamp to help or just
close the blinds.
Sound is so important. Find a quiet
area. If you are using a laptop,
connect and external microphone.
Built-in mics on laptops are (for the
most part) pretty noisy.
Focused is key here. Short is
good, but to a point. For example,
if you have 10 minutes worth of
content, breaking things into two 5minute videos is fine. Ten 1-minute
videos is not. Don’t sacrifice
content or continuity for length.