Join the Community Sign up for free access to premium content, valuable teaching resources, and much more. Get Free Premium Access
[Originally Posted Sept 18, 2014]
This year, I’ve spent a huge amount of time developing video content for my classes. So far, I’ve done a tablet-only video style, using a skeletal PowerPoint presentation, which is annotated with a tablet as I narrate. This works well for presenting information cleanly and concisely - but it’s boring. I’m continuing to ponder how I can improve my format to be more engaging and effective.
To be honest, I really love standing in front of a class, communicating an idea. I like reading student’s faces to see if they’re with me. I like the spontaneous, lively, and sometimes very funny twists that a discussion can take. I love dropping a quick joke when things are lagging, and bringing people back together.
So, how can we capture (or at least imitate) the interactivity and engagement of a face-to-face lecture in a video format? Fortunately, this is not without precedent: The television industry has been experimenting with delivery formats for seventy-plus years, and success in TV is all about engagement. As I think about connecting with an audience and/or communicating information, here are a few that I find particularly effective:
There are a number of other video formats which have been used on the web for teaching STEM subjects, such as Tyler DeWitt's hands-and-face format, the very cool behind-the-scenes set from Simon Walsh, founder of Maths Doctor, and even the occasional artistic production that is visually stunning, but well out of the range of my capabilities. And, frankly, sometimes I find that I’m so mesmerized with the artwork on these productions that I forget to pay attention to the content. Like a song in which you love the tune, but don’t know the words.
I’d love to hear from readers on this one. What delivery formats you find to be most effective for engaging students and promoting learning? What are the strengths and limitations of each one? (Note: There are a coupled of politically-charged examples above, but this about communication. Please keep comments focused along those lines). I look forward to reading your comments!
You must be a registered user to add a comment. If you've already registered, sign in. Otherwise, register and sign in.