how to video assignment

Video class assignment tips for instructors and students

• January 31, 2021
• Alex Martinez
• Digital Media / Kaltura (Video Management) / WeVideo

This article covers:

• For instructors
• For students
• Getting Started

Team Roles and Responsibility

Stock photos and graphics, video software, video tutorials, affordable and royalty-free audio clips.

Video assignments can be a research-intensive, collaborative, and highly engaging student activity. The video can demonstrate skills, knowledge, and communication strategies. View some student video projects to give you ideas for your next class assignment.

For Instructors

• Final videos should be between 2-5 minutes. A high quality 5-minute video can take about 5-10 hours to produce.
• Ensure that the project grade has the appropriate weight.
• Ensure that students keep you updated with their progress, require them to send you frequent project updates to avoid the project being done at the last minute.
• Create a “Group Planning” document for your student groups to help them plan, communicate, and organize. Spanish Skits ( http://goo.gl/hvaq4I ) Chemistry ( http://goo.gl/RpsPO2 ) B2B Marketing ( https://goo.gl/DsQef7 )  Why Make B2B Videos?
• For help with video assignments, contact [email protected] to get answers to your questions and support. We can give your students a workshop and a tour of the Digital Media Center.
• Give your students a few weeks to complete this project. Each week students should submit a progress report to ensure they are on track.
• Inform students that they can upload their videos into your Canvas course using My Media
• Create a video assignment in your Canvas course to make.
• Instruct students to submit their video assignments to make grading fast and easy using the Canvas speed grader tool.
• Science Communication Rubric
• Pecha Kucha Rubric (PDF)
• Infographic Instructor Grading Rubric
• Multimedia Science Activity Rubric
• Digital Storytelling Rubric
• Digital Video Project Rubric
• B2B Marketing Video Rubric

For Students

• Tips for students completing video class assignments (PDF)
• Spanish Skits
• Chemistry Educational
• B2B Marketing
• Take advantage of the DU Digital Media Center ; they have friendly staff and cool video software.
• Computer Screen Capture:  Jing (Free) and Skitch (Free)
• Prioritize recording high-quality audio. The further the microphone is from your presenter, the worse your audio quality will be. Recording indoor in quiet spaces or adding a voice-over track are the best options for capturing high-quality audio.
• Define a clear purpose and outcomes for the video .
• Establish teams and assign project roles and responsibilities.
• Research videos online that match your goals and expectations.
• Produce a video that is visually engaging to your audience. Scenes should be changing every 5-10 seconds.
• Create a storyboard shoot list and script .
• Create a project timeline and video team document to keep you organized.
• Tips for producing class assignment videos, “Before, During and After” .
• Have weekly team meetings.
• How to produce a video documentary by Adobe
• How to share final video securely to only class participants via Canvas Media Gallery
• Producer: Initiates and coordinates meetings and time management; has a high-level view of the project and timelines
• Script Writers: Responsible for creating the storyboard and script
• Researchers: Responsible for researching the topic, fact collecting and citations
• Videographer/Photographers/Audio Technicians: Responsible for video recording and still photos; ensures good lighting and audio quality
• Narrators: Provides audio or video commentary
• Illustrators / graphic artist : Responsible for drawing custom art work
• Video & Audio Editors: Responsible for video and audio editing software; will edit and share revisions with team members
• OpenVerse – 6 millions reusable objects
• Flickr Creative Commons
• DU Flickr Collection
• Science Images
• Archives.org
• Videvo.net – video b-roll clips
• ZOOM: Free video conference for all DU staff and students. Allows you to record your computer screen, webcam, interviews, and microphone. No editing features.
• Kaltura (Canvas My Media and DU MediaSpace): Free video conference for all DU staff and students. Allows you to record your computer screen, webcam, and microphone. Limited editing features. Kaltura is available within Canvas under My Media and DU MediaSpace .
• Kaltura Capture allows you to record your computer screen, webcam, and microphone.
• WeVideo – A web-based video editor designed for non-video professionals that’s easy to use. DU has a few student licenses.
• Adobe Creative Cloud software : DU Students, staff and faculty members now have access to this suite of Adobe software.
• iMovie – Mac 
• Camtasia Studio – Free video editor – 30 day trial for PC and Mac
• Blender : Free and open source 3D creation suite.
• PowToon – An online animated video software for both Mac and PC. Not free.
• Making a digital story video using iMovie
• Making a digital story video using WeVideo
• Vimeo Video School
• Video Story Guide
• Tips for marketing videos
• Videvo video clips
• YouTube Audio Library
• PartnersInRhyme
• Incompetech
• Global Sound Promotion
• Free Music Archive

The DU Digital Media Center has professional video and audio software for students. They are located in the Anderson Academic Commons and are normally open when the library is open.

Related Articles

Canvas kaltura important updates (4/2/2024), how to access zoom recordings in mediaspace, how to obtain a transcript file when conducting interviews using zoom, kaltura or a phone, kaltura – adding a single video to your canvas course, adding kaltura video on a du drupal page, wevideo tutorials & resources.

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Video Assignment Tips for Instructors and Students

We don’t need to point out to people that video-based online learning has exploded over the past year and a half. But as a video platform with a strong interest in and application for education, we do like to help people make the most of leading online learning techniques. Video assignments aren’t just for film and media studies students anymore; they’re expanding in use as part of the new ways instructors and students all can relate to one another both in standard classrooms and in an online learning paradigm.

This post will run down some basic concepts regarding the video assignment: what forms it can take, how to get the most out of the assignments, some ideas to try, and an introduction to Kaltura’s educational platform for those who are looking to step up to a high-quality online learning solution.

Intro to Video Assignments and their Increasing Use

Tips for instructors, tips for students, video assignments: 3 examples and ideas, the proper way to do a video assignment.

• Meet Kaltura virtual classroom platform

Video assignments can be thought of in different ways, but in this case, we’ll define a “video assignment” as “student projects that are fulfilled by creating informative video content.” As we pointed out in the introduction, this does not need to be making a narrative short film for Film & Video Production 101, it can also include highly personalized, even social-media-style video clips that address a problem, question, or topic that an instructor wants students to investigate. Video assignments can be research-intensive, collaborative, and highly engaging class activities that demonstrate a range of skills, knowledge, and communication strategy.

Obviously, with online learning’s recent (and often mandatory) expansion, the class infrastructure for creating and posting videos is also likely to be expanding for many educational organizations. Why not take advantage of it to get students’ creative juices flowing and find compelling ways to communicate relate, even over a physical distance?

Here are a few things that can be helpful to keep in mind when assigning video projects:

• Keep it concise! Unless you’re a film program approving capstone projects, it’s good to keep video projects limited to around 2-5 minutes. If it’s high quality, even a 5-minute video can still take 5-10 hours (or more) to produce.
• That said, give your students plenty of time to complete the project. This might be as much as a few weeks, depending on how labor-intensive the research, shooting, and/or production are likely to be.
• Make sure students send you regular project updates. As an instructor, sometimes the best help you can offer is keeping the students on track.

On the student side:

• Always take advantage of whatever resources your school can offer! Frequently institutions have access to high-quality software, if not hardware, that can improve the quality of your project.
• Planning is everything! While digital video has made it possible to shoot hours and hours of footage taking advantage of low-cost storage, you’ll still have to cut that down to a running time. Things may not always go exactly as planned, but preparation and efficiency will still always go a long way.
• Remember that high-quality audio is important. If social media videos have taught us anything, it’s that mediocre-to-bad quality picture may be forgiven, but if your video is impossible to listen to, forget it.

Here are a few suggestions for different ways students can respond or inform using video content:

Recorded interviews

The staple of mainstream news media and documentaries, an interview could be in-person or virtual; intercut between interviewer and subject as a conversation or laser-focused on the interviewee’s answers. They could be serious, silly, or even fictional. The interview format is familiar to most people and is a direct way to get answers to questions that concern you.

Screencast recording

Think of it as “webinar style”. Present ideas and information step by step in slides, and record the presentation and your additional narration and commentary as it plays out. You can clean up any missteps with an editing tool and even rerecord your voiceover. It beats fumbling with a slide presentation in real-time!

Video tour or demonstration

Students who visit a place of interest to their coursework can use video to share it with the rest of the class, narrating as they go along. Video recording also makes it possible to further edit and annotate facts to make the experience as engaging as possible. Or similarly, a student could film a clip of demonstrating a process, solving a problem, or otherwise “showing, not telling” something relevant to coursework.

Not every classroom is AFI film school, so we won’t say there’s one “right” way to make a video or go on about the correct division of labor between production, post-production, talent, and crew positions. There are numerous scenarios for assignments and different approaches to video creation, and different things will work for different types of classes. However! … there are also still a few basic guidelines that can be followed to good effect in any video project:

Understand the purpose of and intended outcome for the video

In other words, “know what you want to say.” Especially in a short format, keep your video on message and make sure it will fit in the time allotted. You can still create a “script” without turning it into an exercise in formal filmmaking, and that will help clarify the information you want the video to deliver. You can even create a checklist of topics or questions that the assignment is expecting you to address.

Determine your format

This might be decided at the instructor level, but if not, it’s worth some thought. As we suggested above, there are different types of video assignments and different ways they might be tackled.

Have a camcorder? DSLR? Access to a digital cinema camera? That’s one way to do it. Got a great phone or tablet camera? That could work too. Screen recording? If you’re doing a PowerPoint-style presentation, that’s not a bad way to go. Webcam talking head video? Thousands of YouTubers can’t be wrong. The thing is to figure out what will work best for your content, as well as be available to you and uncomplicated enough for you to manage within your deadlines. Depending on the resources available that could be anything from a “Hollywood style” high-production value narrative short to a documentary voiceover captured cleverly via smartphone, so long as it fulfills the criteria of your assignment. Make sure it’s clear what kind of deliverable is expected at the deadline (i.e., “mp4 video posted to our learning portal” or whatever applies).

Set a production timeline, and stick to it

This probably goes for every project, ever. If needed you can also create team documents, shot lists, and more, but create a realistic timeline and get moving, the sooner the better. As discussed below, build in a little space for yourself to make changes or correct mishaps.

Schedule regular team meetings (when applicable)

This also relates to your timeline, but in general, you want to make sure the entire team is engaged and on top of their tasks. While it’s a little less complicated if you only have 2 or 3 team members who are handling the shoot or recording together (and, as the headline suggests, a non-issue if you’re creating and executing the entire project yourself) but if you have teammates who are going to do the majority of their work away from the video shooting/recording like graphic artists, animators, dedicated video editors, or musical composers (note: you don’t have to hire Hans Zimmer, “composing” could be as simple as making a couple of keyboard tracks in GarageBand) then you want to check in and make sure everything is on track.

Reserve some time for finishing and polishing

You might or might not be ingesting your video into professional-grade editing software but remember that you may still want to tweak your content, add titles or effects or voiceover, and do other “postproduction” tasks. Don’t back yourself into a corner where you end up having to do everything the night before the assignment deadline: take a tip from the pros and allocate yourself some time after your initial shoot (for instance several hours over the course of a few days) to review, edit, and do finishing tasks (like rendering, transcoding, or uploading) for your video.

Meet Kaltura Virtual Classroom Platform

When you’re delving into video-based learning, we think the “best in class” option (sorry for the pun) is our Kaltura Virtual Classroom platform. It provides online learning solutions for the modern classroom, designed and tested for 21 st Century virtual learning. Our virtual classroom is built for engagement, and to emulate the ease of communication and info sharing of being together in the same room–for when being physically together may not be your best option.

For ease of use, our tools are browser-based and there’s no installation (on the user side) needed. Whether your focus is online learning, enhanced instruction for a hybrid classroom, virtual office hours, or collaborative learning in a study group there’s something to help you upgrade the experience. We offer top-tier interactive features including HD video playback, collaborative whiteboards, and shared content playlists for video, presentation, files, and more.

For instructors who favor the video assignment, cloud recording and editing tools are available to polish and repurpose your content for maximized engagement. For students, Kaltura also allows you to easily record your computer screen, webcam, and microphone.

Our virtual classroom is also easily integrated into a learning management system (LMS) where students can access content to catch up or review. Video-on-demand libraries of instructor-recorded videos or publicly shared student video responses are also made easier with intelligent search features.

Ready to set up your virtual classroom? Try Kaltura for free, today.

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51 Creative Video Project Ideas for Students (With Templates)

• video project ideas

It’s always a challenge to keep students engaged during classes, especially virtual classes. One of the ways to do this are video projects. Video projects not only make for fun viewing, they also supplement learning. While creating videos with fellow students is a fun activity, it’s not always easy to come up with video project ideas.

So here we bring you some of our favorite creative video project ideas for students. We also share ready-to-use free video templates that you can plug into and start using. Stay tuned till the end and find a bonus section for students on how to make a good video project! Let’s dive in!

A. Video project ideas for elementary students B. Video project ideas for high school students C. Video project ideas for higher education students D. How to make a good video project

Bring your video project ideas to life in minutes

With 3000+ ready-to-use project video templates

A. Video project ideas for elementary students

Video projects for elementary students are mostly a way for the teachers to ensure comprehension and interest in the classroom. These can also be a good tool to make students think about different topics. Let’s check out some video project ideas for this age group:

1. Summarise a lesson

Get your students to summarise history or literature lessons on video. Have students research major figures and events in history and make videos around these concepts. This gives students the chance to learn digital storytelling as well as thoroughly research important historical figures! For example, check out this video sharing the history of television!

Use This Template

2. Share a talent video

Have students share a video performing a talent! They can share singing, dancing, painting, art, baking, playing an instrument or various such videos. This can be a fun activity where students learn more about their peers. For example, check out this music artist launch promotion video that can be used by students to promote their own music videos .

3. Create a book report video

Instead of traditional book reports, get students to create book reports or trailers for various literature projects. These can be a good way to get students curious about concepts you will be teaching them too! Check out this video book report.

4. Celebrate a holiday

Get students to create videos on their traditional or religious holidays. This is a great way to cultivate curiosity, awareness and tolerance for different ethnicities and cultures. Check out this Christmas facts video as an example.

Use This template

5. Create science experiment videos

Encourage students to create their own slides to explain science experiments and their findings. This way, students start thinking of STEM disciplines in a more analytical, hands on manner. Check out the lesson plan presentation below that can be used to document the objectives and findings of such an experiment.

B. Video project ideas for high school students

Video projects for high school students can be a little more advanced as they are in the process of growing their skills and learning more about different subjects.

1. Create a video portfolio

High school is when students start thinking about college applications. This is a great time to start making a portfolio. Teachers can give students the chance to create a portfolio video and share their unique skills and interests. For example, students interested in engineering and STEM can share their coding or science related know-how. Check out this copywriter portfolio as an example.

2. Create a news show

Students need to know current events, both for their school community and for the world around them. Having a school news show is a way to communicate with the school community of students, teachers, staff, and parents. This can be a group effort that helps students learn the value of teamwork and allocation. Check out this newsreel video you can customise to create your own weekly news show.

Use This Template 

3. Make a video tour of an important location

If students visit a place -- on a field trip, on vacation or any time -- they can share their learning experience with others by recording video of it and narrating as they go. (If they're at a museum or other such places, asking permission first is probably a good idea!) If they can't visit it, creating a video slideshow with InVideo is also an option. Get your students to share video projects on important locations as an assignment. These projects can be themed around festivals , cultural concepts and activities too. For example, check out their Halloween cross country tour slideshow.

4. Share practice records

Learning a language, cooking , music or sports require constant practise. To gauge the progress of each student, you can ask them to record themselves learning to play an instrument or speaking a new language. Students can make video projects of themselves learning or mastering a particular song, key phrases and more. For example, check out this violinist’s progress video.

5. Create an ad or a promotional video for school events 

Get students to make an advertisement or a pitch for a school event. This could include a political ad for class president election, a video resume , or an ad for the latest games or tournaments in the school. Students will need to think about the audience they are trying to reach and the length of the advertisement. For example, check out this match poster video.

6. Promote a good cause

Get students to create a video project promoting a cause they believe in. This helps them build their opinions and develop persuasive skills. Students can share this video with everyone, not just the classroom! For example, here’s a video you can customise to debunk myths around a way of life (going vegan in this case).

C. Video project ideas for higher education students

Post high school, it may seem that video projects aren’t that important. But this is the time when students are most focused on improving skills related to their career. Video projects can thus help students showcase their understanding and interest areas, especially to future employers. So let’s check out some video project ideas for these students.

1. Interview interesting people

The people around us and around the world are living history. Their experiences, information, and advice is a treasure trove waiting to be mined. Get your students to interview individuals from their interest areas or in interesting professions. They could be in-person interviews where both parties sit next to each other or they could be virtual interviews, where someone far away records responses to questions. These interviews can act as learning aids, as well as help students connect with people in their future careers. Check out this video interview on how to approach people for their life stories.

Make your own video highlighting interesting interviews by sharing quotes , testimonials, and more. Check out this testimonial video as an example you can use and customise.

2. Teach a concept via videos

Truly understanding something is the ability to teach it to others. Students can make a video where they are recording themselves completing a task on their computer screen or they can make a demonstration video like a coding class. Teachers and professors could then use these videos to help reinforce skills in your class or even flip some of your lessons. For example, check out this video tutorial on note taking apps.

3. Create a self-assessment video

Being able to assess oneself is an extremely important skill that students need to improve themselves. Self assessment empowers students to become better learners. It also allows them to take an active role in their assessment and push for a grade they feel is unfair - a direct correlation to performance reviews at the workplace! Personalise this testimonial video to create your own self assessment video.

4. Create a video presentation for a written assignment

Written assignments are a staple when it comes to college. But only professors and classmates can view these. Instead, creating a short, promotional video on a written assignment is a great way for students to share their work with more people and learn editing skills at the same time. Check out this digital marketing trends video you can use to create your own video presentations .

5. Create a video resume

For most students, the job hunt begins in college itself. A video resume helps highlight key skills as well as share the student’s personality and attitude with employers. Especially when applying to remote or distant positions, a video resume along with a normal resume provides brownie points. Check out this video resume you can use as a blueprint to create your own.

Leverage the power of video to land your dream job!

Create a PRO video resume in minutes with InVideo

6. Create a University promotion video

Universities and colleges need as much promotion as they can get. And who better than students to share their experiences and highlights. Get students to create unique videos with their best anecdotes or areas in the university. This is also a good way to get them to research interesting aspects of college life. Check out the University promotional video and make it your own.

D. BONUS: How To Make A Good Video Project

Your school video project can earn you good grades. It is also an opportunity to showcase your creativity. But how to create the perfect video without any error? Video creation may not be your forte, but you still wish to excel in school video projects, right? No worries!

If you have a school video assignment in hand but don’t know where to begin, read below to learn how to create a video project super easy and quick, without any error and fuss. Now, let’s divide your video project into 5 easy steps.

Step 1: Video topic or idea

If you are working on a school assignment, you probably have a video topic given by your teacher or professor. If you are looking for video topic ideas though, find them here .

Step 2: Plan your video assignment

Planning is super important for your videos. This is when you decide how you want to create your video. Consider whether you want to live record your video or create it online using an app or a tool. An online tool like InVideo offers you pre-created templates that might meet your requirements. This is also a super quick and easy way to make your video from scratch. The first thing you need to do is go to InVideo and login or sign up if you wish to use this tool. Next click on the “Pre Made Templates” Option and select the video dimension you want. Finally, type phrases related to your video in the search bar.

You will now see templates related to your search as you scroll below. Simply select the template you want to use and click on the “Use This Template” button to start editing!

If your video idea is to record an event , but you don’t have a DSLR, camcorder or GoPro, use your own smartphone camera for the school project.

Step 3: Prepare a video script

Now that you know how you will record your video, the next step is creating a script for your video. Here’s a step-by-step guide on script writing you can refer to. 

3 questions to ask yourself before you create your script:

- What is the objective of your video? - How long does your video need to be? - Who is the audience that will watch your video?

Step 4: Shoot your video + audio

Once your script is finalized, it’s time to shoot your video. You also need to make sure that you are recording audio to go with your video. Check out this list of equipment and how you can use it to record video and audio. 

Step 5: Edit your video

As mentioned earlier, one of the most effortless ways you can edit your video is using the free, online InVideo editor . This is simple, easy to use, and does not need you to make any downloads. Here’s how you can edit your video on InVideo.

Step 1: Log in to InVideo . Now click on the “Blank Canvas” option and select the dimension of your video. Next, click the “Make A Video” button.

Step 2: Now click on the “Upload Media” button at the left-hand corner of your screen and upload the video you shot.

Step 3: Double click your uploaded video to add it to the timeline. You will now see a pop-up that asks if you wish to trim your video. You can Trim your video or use the full version. Simply click on the “Done” button once you are finished with your trim.

Step 4: You can now use the controls on the right side of the screen to edit your video further.

Step 5: You can apply filters, create transitions between shots for a seamless flow, add subtitles, or insert a logo to give a personal touch to your school video. Just head to the left side of your screen and select the controls you wish to use.

Step 6: Once you are done with your edits, it’s time to download your video. For this click on the “Download & Share” button on the top right. Now click the “Export” video button.

Step 7: Your video will now start to render. You can download it once it’s complete. You can also directly share the video link or share it on social media using the button provided.

Wrapping up

So these were some video project ideas for students and how you can create your own videos on InVideo. If you’ve found value in this article, and are looking for more video ideas, you also want to check out this guide where we’ve put together 200+ video ideas for businesses and brands that you can take further inspiration from. 

For more quick tips and hacks on editing and creating videos, subscribe to our YouTube Channel . 

This post was written by Upasna and edited by Abhilash from Team InVideo

Let’s create superb videos

How to Make an Educational Video, 3 Point Guide for Students and Teachers

Creating and sharing Educational videos lets classrooms communicate better than ever before; sharing ideas more easily and across boundaries using the power of the Internet. Following the right steps, you can easily learn how to make these types of video too.

This how to guide goes step-by-step through the scripting, filming, editing and sharing of an educational video. Both students and teachers appreciate that understanding is paramount, and when a method is available that offers better memory retention and is faster than reading – though online video – the opportunity is a must.

Outcomes of This How-To Guide for Students (and Teachers)

By reading this how-to guide, you will have the overview of how to make your own educational video, the steps and tools involved, and how to share your video online. This guide is laid out in sequence for both students and teachers, with explanations and examples for students as they embark on their first educational video assignment. At the end of each section are tips specifically for teachers and students, to ensure they:

• Follow the steps of video production for successful video creation
• Understand how the main concepts in editing a video
• Learn the concepts of shooting with a video camera
• Upload a video to YouTube to be shared
• Resources for finding music for use in production
• Downloadable Templates for Scripting, Storyboarding, and More

Bridging The ‘Brick-And-Mortar' Classroom with Online Learning

Teaching in stage, moving into deeper complexity as concepts are understood works in classrooms, online courses and books. In this knowledge transfer process, teachers and student learners are bound together in this exchange as they cooperatively attempt to communicate effectively and understand and memorize new concepts.

Today, available to everyone is a solution that helps us teach and learn even more effectively. The tools and know-how, as in this guide, is available for students and teachers inside and outside the classroom. While face-to-face is the ideal option, it's often not available, and we can embrace new learning opportunities.

Why is Learning, Teaching and Understanding, So Hard?

Learning new concepts can be difficult.  If learning was easy for everyone, then one in-depth book for each subject would be enough. Self-directed learning would be king. There would be no need for classrooms, schools or instructors. Just a book for each topic.

But learning usually doesn’t happen this easily, as students can often get lost with a new concept. Ideally, with careful consideration for learners, an instructor teaches using concepts and words a student already understands to translate and explain a new idea. Periodically, a new word or idea is introduced that conveys a new meaning. Using this language progression, the process continues forward as the instructor goes into the topic, building deeper understanding all the way along.

Why Use Video as a Teaching and Learning Tool?

Informing effectively and keeping learners engaged is critical during the information transfer process. Today, the best technology tool for effective distance-teaching is using educational video. Video is also used as a supplement in the classroom. Well-made video captivates and communicates effectively as it is multi-sensory, using both visual and auditory senses. Being able to see and to hear a concept being demonstrated is far more effective than a new learner simply reading text and trying to visualize the concept mentally.

Watching a demonstration ‘live’ on video reduces the ‘cognitive load’, or amount of mental work. Video is simple and allows the mind to easily grasp a new concept and commit the idea to memory.

Effective teachers are aware that students need the most support just as they are initially being introduced to a new idea. Similar to how good promotional videos communicate concepts successfully, teachers use educational video’s ability to captivate interest and enhance student learning and supplement concepts being taught in the classroom.

How Does Video Work to Make Learning Better?

Learners and instructors alike prefer video compared to reading and writing methods, as video verbally explains and visually illustrates at the same time. Used both inside and outside the classroom, video is ideal for the process of transferring ideas to be understood. Being more engaged when the learning occurs leads to more effective memory recall, and concept is retained more easily than with many other mediums.

Video is a prime example of ‘multi-modal’ learning, or, multiple communication methods at the same time (Lazear, 2008). With the powerful combination of simultaneous visual and auditory learning and due to ‘picture superiority effect’, visual memories are given far more importance than verbal, or word memories (Nelson, D.L., 1976) .

The Benefits of Video with Learning and Recall:

• Video is Easier to Comprehend than Verbal Instruction. Well-planned and produced videos enhance comprehension and retention of information when compared to traditional “reading and writing” methods.
• Video is a Textbook Example of ‘Multi-Modal Learning”. With visuals, text, and speech, educational video offer multiple methods of information delivery and simultaneously increases engagement and ability to understand (Lazear, D. 2008).
• Video Increases Memory Recall due to ‘Dual Coding Theory’. Because humans' memory is recorded as either pictorial or word-based, educational video greatly increases recall ability of both due to it’s synchronized visual and verbal associations  (Paivio, A. 1921).

The Value in Assigning Students to Make their Own Educational Videos

Competency-based learning is demonstrated by students when a class is assigned the task to make and share their own educational videos. The hands-on aspect of researching, filming and editing video gives students the ability to demonstrate both their technical communication competencies as well as detailing the topic they are persuasively reporting on.

Educational video is a perfect fit with increasingly popular online education options, and with mass online courses, travel is no longer an issue. Students can be away from the classroom and using an iPhone with the iMovie app and can create their own educational videos and then share and view each other’s video assignments over the Internet. Students can watch and report their classmate’s videos as well, all this occurring outside of valuable classroom time.

The 3 Points of Educational Video Production

By following the correct steps of video production, in the proper order, students and teachers alike will be able to create successful educational videos. Today, video does not have to be difficult to create, and it doesn’t have to be expensive either. The iMovie app for Apple products, (for either the Mac or an iOS mobile device such as iPhone), will work very well. Thanks to the advances in technology, cameras, microphones and editing apps are easy to acquire and use – an iPhone is all that’s needed to create a professional looking video today.

• Planning and Goals, Phase 1: 
Identify the key message, goals, style, audience, script, storyboard and the purpose and strategic steps to communicate the message. These are governed by use of a creative brief, script and storyboard.
• Video Production, Phase 2: 
 Planning the pre-production technical aspects to creating and filming, the video production filming days, and editing and fine-tuning the visuals and sound in post-production.
• Editing and Sharing, Phase 3:
 Distribution, social sharing, video search-engine-optimizations and analytics.

By following the correct steps of video production, in the proper order, students and teachers alike will be able to create successful educational videos.

Start Making Your Education Video

You can make your own video, but the first question you have to ask yourself is this:

“What should your viewers think or do after they watch your video?”

The answer to this question is crucial to know before any other steps happen. To be said another way, what is the ‘ point ’ of your video?

The answer to this question will define everything else you do in this with this project; the script, the shots, the people, the graphics, the music and where the final edit is shown.

If a student was making a video to show classmates how a particular change in signage affected pedestrian flow in a public building, then the student would be no reason to interview a grandparent asking them about their childhood studying habits. Planning main details upfront is key, and is done through a few specific worksheets, covered next.

Point 1: Educational Video Planning and Goals

What’s the point of a video if it doesn’t communicate effectively? If a viewer watches a video and doesn’t understand the message or the video production process is untidy and unprofessional, all the time put into the project is wasted – a scenario best avoided!

Good news, there are tools that exist that ensure a video will work as intended. From inception phase and finding meaning to the action phase with the structure of video production and storytelling (T. Pychyl, 2010) . Planning and picking the audience and goals for the video aren’t hard, but, does require a little a brief period of focus. The upside is, the more time you concentrate on planning, the less work you have to do later.

The Most Important Step

The first step is to use an educational video Creative Brief – a special questionnaire designed specifically for video production, and answer all the questions in full before you begin. The creative brief defines the key message, the audience, the goals, and other key aspects to make an educational video.

The message to the audience should also be clear and concise – you can’t speak to absolutely everyone, so you must decide who your main audience is upfront. Your language and topics will be focused when you have an audience in mind – be conscious of not using terminology if you’re choosing an audience that is unfamiliar with the terms.

The Main Message

How does the Creative Brief work.

• What is the one Main Message?
• Who is your Primary Audience?
• What is the One Action the Viewer Needs to Take?
• And a few more questions…

Download Your Own Educational Video  Creative Brief Template Here

Similar to the one main message, the viewer needs to know what action they’re being asked to take. If this were a promotional video, this step would identify what the “call to action” is. Is it to learn more about this topic by visiting a resource website? Or is it to write their local congressperson to challenge about a certain law? Using your Creative Brief will help you narrow down your message, audience, tone, duration and call to action step.

Choose your Style of Educational Video

You've decided to make a video, now it's time to choose which style; ‘talking-head' style where a presenter is on screen being recorded talking, or imagery and voice over only, (photos and or images and text with a narrated voice speaking the message), or a imagery and text only, and no voice over.

Traditional (Full Featured) Educational Video

Can feature all available elements; a-roll, b-roll, photos, graphics, text, voice and narration.

Imagery and Narration Voice-Over Educational Video

The most simple way to think of this video style is that there will be no on-screen person presenting and speaking to the camera.

Imagery and Text Only Educational Video

Here is an example of a video for MIT – text and imagery (stills, animations and b-roll video) with music, and no voice-over at all.

Script Writing for Educational Videos

A script is often referred to something like a blueprint for filmmaking – it’s the plan that flows from the Creative Brief and carries the actual story. In addition, a script saves you a lot of time in editing and filming. When filming, it’s not always necessary to memorize word for word, but as an outline that gets you to the end goal, a script is invaluable.

Format of a Video Script

Typically professionally formatted scripts, similar to a Hollywood screenplay, have a similar flow or style to them. This consistent style is done because it works – in addition to spoken word, character names, scenes location, motivations and actions are all listed. There is also plenty of white paper space on the page that is ideal to use a pen to write cues and notes on.

Script Duration vs. Video Duration

The basic rule of thumb is that one page of ‘properly script formatted’ text is about one minute of on-screen camera time. So a two-page script should be approximately 2-minutes for the educational video.

“ … [no matter what video topic] the rule of thumb will be make [your video] as short as possible.”  (Hornung, 2014)

This rule is important to be aware of because for online video, shorter is better. Longer videos are ignored because viewers’ attention spans are short, and so if an idea can be conveyed easily with a short video, it’s all that’s needed.

Visual Storytelling with a Storyboard

With your creative brief now printed off and filled out, completed and in-hand, the next step for you is to visually plan out individual shots using a storyboard template. A storyboard is a page with several blank boxes that represent individual shots or ‘frames’ from your promotional video. Each frame, or panel, represents an individual shot – comic books use this method to tell a story in sequence.

Storyboard to Visually Illustrate Shots

• Where is the location setting? (inside vs. outside)
• Which subjects are in frame, and which way are they facing?
• What type of shot (close up, wide angle, extreme close up, etc.)
• Where is the camera in the scene and how close is the subject?
• Is there movement? Is the subject moving, or the camera?

Using a pencil, lightly sketch on printed storyboard and draw out the plan for the shots you have in mind. Feel free to add notes below each frame, for instance “Opening shot, actor walks up to camera.” With pencil, you can adjust the shots as you work through your script.

How Long Does is it to Make Video?

Educational video production and planning varies with the scope of the project. Much time should be spent on the planning and preparation to ensure the video is a good result.

• First Week's Assignment:  Creative Brief
• Second Week's Assignment: Script and Storyboard
• Third Week's Assignment:  Shooting and First Draft Edit
• Fourth Week's Assignment: Review, Re-Edit and Upload the Video

When first assigning an educational video assignment to a class, the first step is to have the room individually (or in groups) complete the creative brief and submit it to the instructor for feedback. When the teacher gives back the creative brief with feedback, next, the storyboard and script should be created. Again these are submitted to the teacher for feedback. When these are all complete – creative brief, script and storyboard, the video is ready to be filmed.

Popular Film Shot Types List

• CU – Close Up
• MCU – Medium Close Up
• ECU – Extreme Close Up
• WS – Wide Shot
• EWS – Extreme Wide Shot

The step of working with a storyboard is called pre-visualization in the professional film making world, and will help a lot before you go to shoot your educational video.

Point 2: Educational Video, Production, Filming and Editing

You are almost ready to begin the actual video production. In preparation for filming or shooting, make sure you have a list of the on-screen interviewees, the props, the filming equipment and access to all the locations you need.

Make these lists are complete and then bring together all the gear you need and lay it out in front of you first, to make sure it all works. There’s nothing worse than showing up to a location to film only to realize your camera has no more storage memory to film and you need to make space first, or your forgot that script or tripod at home. It happens to the best of us, let me assure you, but the list and preparation will help.

Educational Video Gear Checklist

Like a painter with their set of paintbrushes, using video gear is an exciting step for most people, as this is the phase where we’re actually ‘creating’. While there is no one size fits all, having a guide for gear will help narrow down what is required to make a video.

Essential Video Production Gear

• Camera ( iPhone , DSLR , or Video Camera)
• Tripod (many tripod options)
• Computer (MacBook Pro, iMac or other computers)
• Microphone (Wired or Wireless)
• Headphones (over-ear with muffs to avoid background noise)

The above list is from a guide titled ‘What Video Equipment Do I Need for Any Budget Level’. The article does a side-by-side comparison of low budget, medium budget and high budget gear (click here to see it).

For basic educational videos, the ‘Low Budget’ gear list should be helpful to beginning video producers, but there are bits of gear from a higher-end budget that you may be able to borrow and add to your video to enhance it.

Additional Gear: Lighting, Audio, Etc

• Camera Light (clips onto the camera and shines on people being interviewed)
• 3-Piece Lighting Kit (lights on stands, usually 2 or 3 lights placed around a subject)
• Audio Recorder (Can be used to record better sound than the camera does)
• Laptop (to backup the video)

Choosing the Best Place to Film

Check the area you plan on filming being conscious of ambient sound and lighting. Try and find an area that offers the least amount of background noise, and lighting, as you’d like it. For lighting, if you were bringing your own lights and stands, you’d want a place that you can control (turn off or on) other room lights. If you’re planning on using ambient light, take out the camera up and take a peek.

Video Filming Day

Filming your education video is fun and exciting! This is the moment where you get to make the concept that you’ve planned come to life. Make sure you have printed hard copies of all your lists, copies of your script, creative brief, and storyboard. Double check your gear, and arrive early to the location you’re planning on filming at. But first, an important note:

Special Note: You don’t want any reason to have to stop filming when you start if it’s avoidable. The common (avoidable) culprits are when cameras fill up their storage space or running out of power. It happens. Bring extra batteries, chargers, cables, and memory cards (or laptop or hard drive), just in case.

Some Educational Video Filming Tips:

• Make sure the camera is level, and focused properly on the subject. Each time you press record, it’s good to check that audio is good, and that the focus is correct.
• Each time you press “record” on the camera, say aloud “Rolling”. This lets everyone in the room know the camera is now recording. Wait two seconds, and then state “Action” – this is the cue for the on screen person to begin speaking, when they’re ready. These pauses help with the video edit time, giving buffers to make the edit easier.
• Periodically, check the remaining storage and battery levels on the camera. You don’t want to run out of video storage or battery power. If you’re recording using an iPhone, off-load video footage to a laptop long before it’s necessary. Also, bring a long cable to plug in the camera to keep it charged when it’s recording.

Video Resolutions: UHD, HD and SD

You will need to choose the video quality for your project – when you record the video footage it will be ‘HD', ‘UHD' (also called 4K) or an obsolete format called ‘SD'. ‘HD' is the current video standard today (either 1080P or 720P) and ‘UHD' or ‘4K' are the newest video standards available. It is best to not film in SD if you can (explained below). If you're making this for a class, ask which resolution your instructor would prefer.

• UHD (ultra-high resolution) or “Quad-HD” video resolution come as (3840 pixels wide by 2160 pixels high). These name Quad-HD comes from the dimensions being four-times that of 1080P HD resolution. UHD and Quad-HD are often called “4K”, though the resolution of 4K is a bit wider, but it is very close.
• HD (high definition) resolutions are typically called 1080P or 720P . The large is the ‘Full HD' specification of 1080P (1920 x 1080 pixels) and the smaller HD specification of 720P (1280 x 720 pixels).
• SD (formerly called ‘standard definition’) is the oldest video format, currently phasing into obsolescence. Dating back to the year 1939, this resolution is very old and tiny when compared to HD and UHD. SD is also called 480i or 480P (640×480 pixels), and should be avoided if possible due to better formats HD and UHD being available.

Once your video is exported, your video is ready to be viewed. You can either copy it to a USB drive to transport somewhere or upload it to the Internet to be shared. Uploading to the Internet is the next portion.

How Much Storage Does UHD/4K Video Take?

UHD 4K video, due to its four-times the size of 1080P HD video (double the height, double the width) takes up more storage space on the device recording it.

• 30 seconds of 4K will take approximately ~190MB in storage space
• 1 minute will take up approx. 375MB in storage space
• 5 minutes will take up approx. 1.9GB in storage space
• 10 minutes will take up approx. 4GB in storage space
• 30 minutes will take up approx. ~12GB in storage space

If you own an iPhone with the intent of using it as a video production tool, it will absolutely be in your best interest to opt for the largest storage option you can afford. 64GB or 128GB will be a smart option to choose.

Testing, Testing, 1, 2, 3

Setup the Camera on a Tripod , and aim it at the backdrop you plan on filming. Rehearsing the shot several times will help.

• Have your on-camera subject sit on chair (or stand if needed) and looking through the camera, adjust the lighting and camera settings to get the visuals where you’d like them. Adjust the camera and on-screen subject to make the shot look like a frame of the storyboard that you’re attempting to recreate.
• A rehearsal is a very good step. Setup the microphone too and record an audio test, and play back listening through your headphones. Have your on screen actor feel confident about their delivery too. If the lighting, sound and actor are all ready – then you are ready to roll.

Shooting Time: Sound. Lights. Action

Your run-through tests are complete. The sound is good? The light is good? Then you’re good to start rolling, for real! Using the script and storyboard, start filming. It’s okay to have blunders – just redo the shot again. Go step by step through the shots until you’re done.

Point 3: Editing and Sharing your Educational Video

Editing is where the story gets told. If someone watched your video without knowing the premise, would they understand? Might the editing style and flow of the video imply it's a promotional video with a sales agenda? The Script and Creative Brief had a plan, and are important to stick to, but in the end, the video has to make sense on it’s own. Keep the end viewer in mind at all times.

The fun part begins – the edit is where the ‘story’ is told. In your editing app, create a new project. If you’re using iMovie to edit your educational video, choose a theme for the video. Keep it simple – the focus should be on the interviews, not the fancy effect associated with an iMovie project theme. Look at other videos like yours if need be. When you’ve chosen and setup a theme, press done.

Easy Editing Apps for Educational Videos

I've used all three video editing applications below for professional work and can recommend each of them. They've got their unique benefits, and depending not the scope of your project and your experience, they each have their place. I got my start on iMovie and recommend if you're a beginner, that you do too, but if you've got access to a higher-end app and have the time and patience to learn it, it may very well be worth it.

Don't underestimate iMovie program just because it has the lowercase letter “i” as a prefix; this application can edit 4K video (high resolution video) with the best of them, and features transitions, title graphics, music and sound effects standard. iMovie has been around for a long time and if used intelligently, won't detract from your video project's professionalism. The techniques you can learn and master with the app can be transitioned to any future editing app, so iMovie is the ideal choice to begin with.

Advanced Editing Apps for Educational Videos

Editing Clips in your Educational Video

Create a new project in your editing application. Next, you can start importing video clips into your project. You can preview video clips before you import them so you can decide which one is the best. Best practices.

• Editing is a Puzzle.  Trim and layer clips as need be to make the story work. You may have to edit one person mid-sentence. Try it out, if it works, keep it.
• Have Fun.  You can always ‘undo’ a change. Be courageous and try different flow of clips with your edits to see which works the best.
• Keep to the Plan.  Have your Storyboard, Script and Creative Brief close by to refer to them as your build your edit. Let the planning you initially did guide the project. With the Creative Brief, always remember your audience and key message, and edit so those aspects make sense.
• Edit from Start to Finish.  It’s best to start with the core part of your video – if it’s based around a person talking to the camera, edit that part of the video first, start to finish, so that it makes sense.
• Less is More.  When editing, it’s typical to have a long video when you begin. The trick is to tell the story with as little as possible. Attention spans are short, and a video longer than 2 minutes will be difficult for most people to sit through, let alone focus on. Don’t be afraid to try removing a clip from your edit to see if it still works or not.
• Best for Last.  For instance, when baking a pie, whipped cream topping is the last part to be added before a slice is served. In the same way, do not worry about titles, graphics, transitions, music or credits – these aspects come near the end of edit, once the ‘message’ is clear with the main edit. These parts are important, but come later on.

Audio: Music and Sound Effects

When your main edit makes sense and is nearing completion, music can help add to the mood. When used mindfully, background music and even some sound effects can be tasteful and add to the video. Be sure to monitor volume levels – music and sound should never ‘drown out’ any person speaking on camera.

Music & Sound Effects Online Resources:

There are various sources to download music – most aren't free, but if you sort through options, free options do popup. Here are a list of a few popular sources:

• Audio Micro
• Premium Beat
• Audio Jungle

Exporting Your Video from the App

Once your educational video is complete, it’s time to send the video from the editing program and then to upload it to the Internet. Common video formats for Apple products are .mov or .mp4 and for Windows and Android devices, .avi and .mp4 are more common.

Export at the highest resolution that the video itself was recorded in, UHD (2160P) or HD (1080P or 720P) unless there is standing reason not to (such as a low-end Internet connection limiting uploading bandwidth).

Uploading and Publishing Your Video

Online hosting is easy and free. While there are a variety of online videos hosting websites to choose from, the free option of using YouTube is often the best option due to it’s wide range of features. With YouTube, the platform plays on a variety of devices (TVs, desktop computers), and it is mobile-video friendly and allows for privacy.

Uploading your Video to YouTube:

Step 2: Login using your Google account. (Create a new account if you need)

Step 3: Click ‘ Upload ’ button, at top right of the page

Step 4: Click ‘ Select files to upload ’. The page will change, and a ‘Processing’ bar will show the video uploading

Step 5:  The video file will begin uploading. A progress will show the upload, depending on the file size the video, a timer will show an estimate for the amount of time the upload will take.

Step 6:  Begin by typing into the text boxes information about the video; title, description. A title should make logical sense and use concise, regular language, but in a 140 or fewer characters. The description can be a lengthier explanation.

Step 7:  Tags (keywords) can be one word each that are associated with the topic.

Choosing Where Video Appears: The default is ‘Public' – your video will be available to be seen by anyone viewing your public YouTube page's channel, or searching for it. ‘Unlisted' will allow people who have the direct URL only, and ‘Private' is only for you to be able to view when you login to your own YouTube account.

Optional Step: Advanced Settings are available – not needed, but you can enhance your video here if you wish.

Step 8:  Once the video’s progress bar is complete and you have filled in the information you want, click the ‘Publish’ to make the video now available to be viewed.

Step 9: The page will refresh – you can ‘Share’ or ‘Embed’ or ‘Email’ the video from this page. The three options in greater detail:

Share – You see a website link for the video you can copy and paste to send to people, or click on your desired social media platform (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) if you wish to share it there on your feed.

Embed – You can copy the code snippet and place it in your website to embed the video. You can define the size dimensions of the video using controls.

Email – Fill in a person’s e-mail address and a message to have a link of the video sent to them.

Some reasons not to choose YouTube may be because music, photographs or some people who you got shots of you don’t have permission to share. Ensure that you have the rights to any music, photographs, video clips, filming locations and any people you are interviewing on camera. Using waivers is an excellent way to ensure you’ve covered all the necessary steps in getting approval. If you’re ever in doubt, be sure to ask.

That’s it, your video is live! If you wish to change settings such as the name, tags, thumbnail or privacy level, you can easily visit your YouTube dashboard and click ‘Edit’ button near the video you wish to change.

Congratulations on completing your educational video!

Note about Music on Youtube:  Also, s ome videos may encounter issues with copyright notices from YouTube. This happens because the YouTube servers ‘listen’ to the audio track of every video uploaded – if the software believes it hears a commercial song, it may flag this video. In preparation, your students can plan in advance for this – they may have to reedit the video to remove songs, or be mindful of background music playing when they’re recording their video.

Recieving Feedback on Your Educational Video

A video will always have some aspect that can be tweaked, adjusted, added or removed. Everyone will have an opinion and this is normal. It is likely you may come back a week later and have a different opinion about your work work too. This is normal! It's okay. If you have the option of adjusting your educational video, go for it, or, save the ideas and lessons you've learnt form this particular project for the next one.

Continuing The Video Process

Understanding story telling, video and the creative methods involved is an ongoing process. There is so much more you can learn if you'd like to improve your abilities, and it's such a rewarding and fun hobby, or full-time vocation, if you choose. Enjoy the process – and if you've created a video, share it down below in the comments me to see, and show others what you've done.

Cited References

• Fenesi, B. , (2011) ; Mayer, R. E., & Moreno, R., 2003; Berk, R. A., 2009.
• Nelson, D.L., Reed, U.S., & Walling, J.R. (1976) . Pictorial superiority effect. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Learning & Memory, 2, 523-528. Retrieved from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Picture_superiority_effect
• Kamin, C.,  (2015);  ‘4 Huge Reasons why 4K Video on iPhone is Great for DIY Marketers' Reel Designer Magazine, Retrieved from:  https://reeldesigner.com/4k-video-camera-iphone-6s-diy-marketers/
• Paivio, A.  (1921) ; Retrieved from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dual-coding_theory
• Gardner, H. (1985) . Frames of mind: The theory of multiple intelligences. Basic books.
• Kamin, C.  (2010); ‘How to Use a Creative Brief for Video Production, Template and Examples' Reel Designer Magazine, Retrieved from:  https://reeldesigner.com/video-production-downloads/
• Pychyl, T. , (2010)  ‘ Solving the Procrastination Puzzle: A Concise Guide to Strategies for Change ‘,  .
• Kamin, C .  (2010);  ‘5 Steps: How to Make a Promotional Video' Reel Designer Magazine, Retrieved from: https://reeldesigner.com/how-to-make-a-promotional-video/
• Hornung Y. (2014) ‘The optimal length for video marketing content? As short as possible’ The Next Web. Retrieved from: https://thenextweb.com/socialmedia/2014/05/02/optimal-length-video-marketing-content-short-possible/
• Kamin, C. , (2015) ; ‘What Video Equipment Do I Need for Any Budget Level?’ Reel Designer Magazine. Retrieved from: https://reeldesigner.com/what-video-equipment-do-i-need/
• Lazear, D. (2008) . Multi-modal learning David Lazear. Retrieved from: https://www.davidlazeargroup.com/free_articles/multi-modal.html

Additional Reading: Modern Learning

• “Research Confirms Video Improves Learning Results” ,  Michal Tsur, (2014). Retrieved from:   https://www.huffingtonpost.com/michal-tsur/research-confirms-video-i_b_5064181.html
• “Flipping the Classroom Requires more than Video” , Kevin Malice, (2012 Wired.com). Retrieved from:  https://www.wired.com/2012/04/flipping-the-classroom/
• “The Keys to Adult Learning: Theory and Practical Strategies”, Lawler, Patricia A. (1991) Philadelphia: Research for Better Schools.  Amazon Link to Book
• “Ideas and Strategies for Using Video in the Classroom” , University of British Columbia. Retrieved from:  https://isit.arts.ubc.ca/ideas-and-strategies-for-using-video-in-the-classroom/
• “Why Personalizing Video Learning in the Classroom is Important” , Michal Tsur, (2015). Retrieved from:   https://www.huffingtonpost.com/michal-tsur/why-personalizing-video-l_b_8083216.html
• “How ‘Flipping' the Classroom Can Improve the Traditional Lecture” , Berrett D., The Chronicle of Higher Education (2012), Retrieved from:  https://www.chronicle.com/article/How-Flipping-the-Classroom/130857/
• “Creating an Effective Online Instructor Presence” , Community College Research Center, Teachers College, Columbia University, (2013). Retrieved from:  https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED542146.pdf
• “What Makes An Instructional Video Compelling?”,  Educause Review (2014). Retrieved from:  https://er.educause.edu/articles/2014/4/what-makes-an-online-instructional-video-compelling
• “A Model for Developing Multimedia Learning Projects”  Frey, B; Sutton, J. (2010) Retrieved from:  https://jolt.merlot.org/vol6no2/frey_0610.pdf

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18 comments

I was not so interested about making educational videos. But after reading the benefits that you have given, I’m inspired. 🙂

Jonathon, that’s great to hear that you’ve found the learning benefits of memory retention and engagement compelling. When you create your own educational or informational video, hopefully you can share the results here in the comments – I’m certain that other readers would like to see how you interpreted the lessons and what you made. Also, if you have any questions at all about the process, just post a question and me or other readers will be sure to reply and assist where possible. Enjoy the process!

Wow, this is so well put together, thank you Christopher. You have answered almost all of the questions I could have before I could have asked them. I am right now planning on making a video using the tools and planning you suggest. However, alas I do have a question about the types of shots you list as I prepare a storyboard. CU, MS, WS all make sense, yes, but how or when should I use each of them? Do I need to use them in one educational video?

Hi Rebecca, I am glad to hear you’ve found all this useful – it means a lot to me to have you saying this information has been helpful! Be sure to check out the great many other sources and articles I’ve linked to at the bottom, there’s a lot of smart information out there on learning and using video.

And of course, I will certainly assist how I can: You asked which shot types to use – CU (Close Up), MS (Medium Shot), WS (Wide Shot) and of course the others. I will answer in reverse:

Question: Do you need to use all shot types in a video? Answer: No, not required. Just use what is dictated for the project (which is good – you’re doing that now, planning your needs when using your Storyboard, great move). Your storyboard will show that you will likely only need a few angles for the main angle of the on-screen presenter person…

Question: When do I use the different shot angles? Answer: Usually, a video begins a bit wide, showing the location that the video is taking place in (a WS or LS – ‘long shot’). This is often called an establishing shot. Next, the camera moves in closer to a MS (medium shot) and then may move in closer still to a CU (close up) of the head and shoulders. If needed, an ECU ‘extreme close up’ of the face and nose may be needed, but that depends on the subject.

I hope this helps you and anyone else reading. I wish you success with your video project, and by all means, feel free to post any future questions here and I’ll respond.

What’s up, I check your new stuff on a regular basis. Your story-telling sytle is awesome, keep doing you’re doing!

Hi Franklin, thanks for saying so – that means a lot, I appreciate that sharing perspectives on communication and video creation has been of interest, enough to keep you coming back. Let me know if there are any specific aspects you’d like to hear more about, and I’ll see I can help out!

Thank you for your great article! Whoa, what a great combination of ALL the resources in one place thank you.

Your layout is wicked! You definitely know how to keep a reader ‘educated’ on the topic of video and learning with the images and writing, thanks. Really cool.

Your article was… how do I say it? Relevant! Finally I’ve found an-all-in-one explanation that truly helped me. Many thanks!

Great work, excellent article you’ve got here. It’s hard to find high-quality explanations and how-to-guides on teaching difficult topics like this that actually make sense like you have these days. I honestly appreciate the descriptions, science references, research and illustrative examples here. I’ve book marked this article and I will be back!

Hey thank you for this guide. My class uses this all the time, so we notice how you keep updating it. Keep on keeping on.

Team, this is great work! Please do keep up the excellent ducation information.

Extremely helpful info specifically the closing section, I can make use of this.

Thank you Alina, the guide will keep current as new information or examples become available too. Good luck with your project.

Thankyou! This has been the most helpful post I have read so far on this topic. I feel I can get started now.

Very pleased to hear that you found this guide useful! Thank you for sharing your thoughts – it’s messages like these that make this all worth while. Let us know how your project proceeds – and if we’re missing anything, feedback would be appreciated so the right parts can be added into this guide.

This information is very important for me company https://www.locutortv.com/

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Working with Video (Kaltura, Canvas, Zoom, and PowerPoint)

Creating a Video Submission Assignment

It’s easy to create an assignment, either using the Canvas Assignment tool or the Discussion tool, where students can submit a video to you directly or share it with the class. Examples of assignments using student video include class introductions, student individual and group presentations, “on-location” reporting such as visiting a particular type of location or event, interview assignments/role-plays with pairs of students, or demonstrating a procedure or activity.

Setting up an assignment that students submit their video to you

Using the Canvas Assignment tool, you set up the assignment as you would any other assignment but set the Submission Type to Text Entry . Even though Media Recording and File Upload seem like more obvious options, using Text Entry, allows students to use Kaltura to submit their video which will create a better experience for you when you are grading. Using Kaltura, you can control the playback speed, see the video in full-screen, and, if you instruct students to edit their automatically generated captions , view the closed captions for the video.

Make sure to provide students with instructions on submitting a video. You can’t assume that your students know how to do this already. Please feel free to share the links to the appropriate instructions below with your students.

• Embedding a video in a text editor box in Canvas
• Adding a Video to Kaltura Media Gallery

Setting up an assignment where students share their video with the class

If you want other students to play the video as well and provide peer feedback, you can set up your assignment using Canvas Discussions or a third-party tool such as VoiceThread or Playposit . The Canvas Discussions tool

• allows you and your students to easily refer to other videos and comments within the discussion,
• lets you  use SpeedGrader to be able to access all of a single student’s posts in one place
• can take a long time to load a full discussion, especially on a slow or spotty internet connection

Using the Discussion tool

To use the Discussion tool, you can create the assignment just as you would for any other discussion. There is nothing different in the setup process as students can embed video in discussions by default. If you are wanting students to post a video in a group discussion , please visit Video in Canvas group discussions . The integrated Kaltura tools are not available in group discussions but there is a work-around. If you do not have any students who require captions, and if you and your students are comfortable with their videos being stored on an Amazon Web Server where they cannot find and delete them, they can use the native Canvas Add/Embed video tool instead. Alternatively, you can use VoiceThread for video-based discussions in small groups.

A Canvas Semester Checklist Copyright © by Trustees of Indiana University is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

Making effective video assignments

As the need for video and other online learning resources becomes more important, empowering students to create their own rich media offers a great way to generate learning resources and place students at the centre of their own learning. I n higher education, the use of videos has traditionally been consumptive, with the focus being on teachers using video for additional content delivery or flipped learning. However, there is currently an interesting shift from ‘consumption’ to ‘production’ taking place in higher education , where students are now being asked to generate their own digital multimedia as a form of (mostly) summative assessment. 

This article was contributed by Sam Clarke, Sue Atkinson, and Danny Liu.

Video can be a great way to embrace student-generated content in your teaching. Getting students to create videos and other rich multimedia resources may open up new forms of assessment, innovative learning activities, and opportunities for peer learning and engagement.  Producing video content can be an effective way for students to learn and can lead to a number of benefits , including the developing graduate qualities , improved final exam performance , and building an ongoing resource for student learning. Some even see video assignments becoming the new ‘written report’ in years to come. Student-generated media projects can support students in exploring rich and authentic learning environments that may even take them be outside the lab or lecture hall. 

How are people using student-generated video in their teaching at Sydney?

After an excited burst of discussion on Yammer , we went around the University to ask staff how and why they use student-generated video in their units. Here’s what they said, and their tips for anyone wanting to explore this approach.

A/Prof Chris Roberts and Christie Van Diggele , Medicine and Health

Chris and Christie find student-produced video an excellent way for students to demonstrate attainment of complex learning outcomes, such as interdisciplinary effectiveness. They use it for the Health Collaboration Challenge , an annual University event which unites around 1700 students from dentistry, oral health, nursing, medicine, pharmacy, occupational therapy, speech pathology, physiotherapy, dietetics, diagnostic radiography and exercise physiology in a shared activity. Inter-professional student teams of 5-6 students are required to submit a 5-minute video on the management of a complex patient case as a part of their formal assessment. They are also required to peer mark two videos which provides them with insight into how other teams managed their patient case. Students are guided through what is required on their online unit of study site through the use of a pre-module which provides examples of past video submissions and how to peer assess. They also provide students with a video guide sheet ( download it here ), video marking rubric ( download it here ) and FAQ page.

The team-based creation and review of student-produced videos both demonstrates inter-professional learning outcomes and is in itself a team building task.

Teams meet up on the Health Collaboration Challenge day to work on their video together, often completing the final edits at home. Students are very independent in the task, usually only requiring guidance if they have an issue uploading their video (which in 2018 ended up being around 2 teams of the 282 submissions). The final videos display student competencies in teamwork and collaboration, but also in creativity and innovation.

Chris and Christie’s tips for academics wanting to try student-generated media:

• Prepare students well for the task.
• Having a meaningful assessment plan that is well communicated.
• Encourage good sound quality.
• Use the existing wisdom of the University community in making the most of Canvas

Prof Peter Thorn , Medical Sciences

Peter uses video assessments in his OLET1504 – Health Challenges: Diabetes. In his video assignment, Peter aims to generate authentic tasks that exploit the students’ knowledge and get them to put this knowledge to work in a novel way . “ As part of the on-line OLE environment I wanted to use media appropriately as an assessment tool. I use both podcasting and videography. My main aim is to add depth to the tasks so that students have to reformulate their knowledge as part of addressing distinct scenarios. ” These scenarios have included ‘Make a video that explains changes you have made to the workplace that specifically reduce the risk of getting type 2 diabetes’, and ‘Make a promotional video that is targeted towards potential cash donors that explains the background to the disease and how funding in biomedical science would be directed to help further understanding.’

they [students] came up with imaginative media content and delivery that has a solid grounding

The marking rubric ( download it here ) is more focused towards the narrative and the response rather than the content. Peter builds up to the video assessment with prior assignments. For example, he gets get students to first make a 1 minute podcast in response to an authentic task, so students start to become familiar with the process of producing multimedia content. He found that most students really rose to the challenge saying, “ they came up with imaginative media content and delivery that has a solid grounding in the knowledge they have gained in the unit. This is self-evident in their outputs. ” He mentioned that the technology does put some students off, but had some tips for those starting out:

• Narrative is really important in any media, as is progression of assessments.
• Generate questions for the video assessment that are authentic and lend themselves to being addressed in a narrative structure.
• Scaffold the technology so that students get progressively used to making multimedia.

A/Prof Patrice Ray , Geosciences

Patrice introduced a group exercise to 3rd year Tectonics students to design and build a website on a theme relevant to their unit, and then present a 15 minute talk on this. However, he soon changed this to a 5 minute video exercise after students reported that the talk was “very unpleasant”. Having done video assignments for over a decade, Patrice hasn’t looked back. “ My experience is that students are having a lot of fun putting these videos together. Early on, access to the right technology was an issue, but with the video recording capability of smartphones this is no longer the case. ”

He runs the video assignment exercise during the second half of the semester. He asks students to organize themselves into groups of 3 (no more to mitigate free riders), who then select a topic from a list he provides in week 6. From then until week 8, each group gathers and processes information, and designs the storyboard for their video. These are reviewed during a 20 minute meeting with Patrice in week 9, after which students produce the videos and present them to the class for peer assessment.

this is a great opportunity to discuss and correct the many misconceptions that may have gone unnoticed

“ I would say that this is a great opportunity to discuss and correct the many misconceptions that may have gone unnoticed. It is also clear that information, knowledge and learning are more deeply encoded, and I am reasonably convinced that this kind of exercise promotes deeper learning, in part because there is a strong element of social interaction around the process of creating a video . ”

Patrice’s tips for those wanting to explore student-generated videos?

• Keeping in touch with each group and providing guidance is critical, since time management is key to the success of this exercise.
• As it is a group assignment, let students assess their own contribution to this group exercise, and modulate the mark accordingly.

Dr Ilektra Spandagou , Education & Social Work

Ilektra coordinates the unit Disability Awareness and Inclusivity which has an individual student generated video as its major assessment piece. She has incorporated the best student videos into the unit content (with permission) and says that drawing on the expertise and interests of students to generate content that she couldn’t write herself was always an aim. She cites as an example a video created by a student on an Xbox Adaptive Controller for people with a disability. Some of the other videos students have produced have drawn on their personal experience of disability which also adds to the richness of experiences in the unit.

It was always an aim to draw on the expertise and interests of students to generate content that I can’t write myself.

In addition to presenting the 2.5 minute video on a topic around accessibility and inclusion, students have to be inclusive in their presentation and incorporate technical accessibility features such as captioning and descriptions of key visual elements. Ilektra supports the students through clear assignment instructions, help with topic selection through a discussion board, a rubric, plus short workshops and ‘cheat sheets’ on technical elements . She also provides a sample video she created that has a combination of good and poor elements which students ‘unpack’ to support their own planning.

Many students have relished the opportunity to research and critically assess an area of disability and inclusivity that interests them, to apply their understanding to a real world issue and act as advocates for a more inclusive culture and society. The quality of work produced has been very high and Ilektra’s tips for academics wanting to try student-generated media are:

• Remind students to ensure their presentation is inclusive and to consider accessibility by including closed captioning.
• Don’t be tempted to allow students to create long videos.
• Support students to aim for a standard that can be shown to others.
• Provide past students’ videos to unlock more ideas for students as well as modelling styles of video and the variety of ways to tackle the assessment.

With the right support, she finds that they are more than capable of it.

Prof Ross Sanders , Health Sciences

In the ‘Exercise and Sport Science’ unit for the Graduate Entry Masters in Exercise Physiology, students learn about neurological disorders such as those associated with cerebral palsy, Parkinson’s disease, stroke, dementia, frailty, multiple sclerosis, traumatic brain injury and spinal injury. Students need to be able to produce exercise programs appropriate for the rehabilitation and maintenance of function, particularly for the activities of daily living. “ I have found that the production of instructional videos for use in the field is both effective in developing their skills in applying the knowledge as well as being motivating and enjoyable for the students. ”

Students work in groups of 3 to develop an exercise program for a client (real or fictitious) with particular functional deficits. They are required to develop and show activities for stimulating the neuromuscular system to promote learning, relearning, or maintenance of function in activities of daily living. In addition to the written report that describes the program and the activities, they produce an instructional video that can be used for disseminating their ideas to Exercise Physiologists and other health professionals for application in the field . Apart from students performing strongly against the marking rubric ( download it here ), Ross notes, “ it is apparent that students have advanced their thinking and reinforced their knowledge by having to apply it to an actual case. Their ability to think laterally to incubate novel ways to apply the knowledge to practice became increasingly apparent as they progressed from planning to implementation. ”

Ross’ tips for success?

• Emphasise the potential benefits that the video production may have for the students’ professional colleagues and their future clients, that is, it is not just an exercise to pass the unit but can have ongoing value and impact in the field.
• Have clear assessment rubrics which indicate the standards to be attained to be awarded marks equivalent to each grade (pass, credit, distinction, high distinction). Students are highly influenced by the content of the rubric and usually strive for the highest quality that they can achieve within their current levels of experience. Given that they know very little about media production techniques prior to the unit, and use very basic resources such as mobile phones, the results are impressive.
• Try to have a ‘hands on’ workshop on video production and editing conducted by an experienced expert such as a Faculty educational designer (in his case this was Sasha Cohen). This helped students to identify common problems, how they can be avoided or compensated and helped them identify good video techniques. Sasha has kindly shared the resources he provides students: tips for filming with smartphones  and a storyboarding template to help design videos.

Dr Hong Nguyen , Life and Environmental Sciences

Hong coordinates a first-year human biology unit for over 1,400 students each year. In order to kickstart her students’ development of critical communication skills, they make an individual video worth 15% of their final grade. Production of the video is scaffolded, with a comprehensive set of guidelines and assessment information provided ( Hong has shared these here ). Students develop draft video plans, receive peer feedback on both the draft plans and the draft video and then submit the final product for marking later in the semester. They are able to choose any topic related to the unit that interests them, such as ‘Could humans ever breathe underwater?’, ‘Why do I get hungry?’, and ‘What is a cytokine storm?’, and are asked to choose an audience (e.g. peers, primary school students, the general public, etc) in order to emphasise the breadth of science communication.

Hong mentioned that her students had a mixed response to the task. Many loved the opportunity to engage with a creative assessment and push themselves out of their comfort zones . Some of her students commented, “I loved the video recording unit and processing, it was a bit challenging at first but it was great as it allowed us to express our own individual creativity so that bio wasnt just a mundane memorising subject.” and “I really enjoyed the video and processing task as it allowed us to branch out and practice communication in ways that we might not be comfortable with.” However, some students struggled to see the relevance of this to their degree or major – although she thinks this might be related to assessment load in the unit.

Hong’s tips for those considering video assignments (and also for herself as she iterates on this design):

• Consider having these as group tasks to further foster student collaboration and peer learning (and, pragmatically, to reduce marking load).
• Balance the number and weighting of assessment tasks in the unit, considering videos can take longer to produce.
• Help students see the relevance of the video to their university studies and further careers.

Dr Claudia Keitel , Life and Environmental Sciences

Claudia’s experience with student-generated videos was highlighted previously in Teaching@Sydney . She asks students to create a video about the link between chemistry and agriculture; one that would make future agriculture students excited about chemistry. Students said the assignment was fun, and that the viewing session increased their sense of community . The understanding of the importance of chemistry to agriculture was also enhanced.

It increased the students’ sense of community and created a positive learning experience for them, which I think is especially important for first-year students.

Here are some of Claudia’s tips for academics starting out – there’s more information in the full article .

• Think carefully about balancing investment and reward – producing a video can be a time-consuming task and the mark should reflect this.
• Facilitate group formation.
• Give students clear instructions about the aim of the assignment.
• Stress the importance of audio quality.
• Just give it a go!

A/Prof Joseph Lizier , Engineering

We highlighted Joseph’s story previously in Teaching@Sydney . He asks students to make short explanatory videos based on pre-readings, leading to deeper engagement and a wider coverage across the cohort. This meant that students created resources at a level that other students could easily watch and understand, while deeply engaging with pre-readings themselves. It also allowed them to gain confidence for their final case study assessment.

I found the videos gave a better platform for showing off their skills – their critical thinking was more evident verbally than in writing, and this flowed into the class discussions with increased buy-in there.

Here are some of Joseph’s tips; check out the full article for more information.

• Be clear what you want students to get out of the assignment and link it to unit learning outcomes. How does it actually contribute to the unit?
• Allow students flexibility in how they make and deliver their multimedia product. For example, give students the choice to present voice-over-slides, or as a talking head, or animation, etc.
• A clear rubric (Joseph’s example can be downloaded here ) helps to speed up marking.

Dr Susan Coulson , Health Sciences

When Susan heard about student-generated media, she was convinced of the benefits of having groups of students work together on a video project with an output that could be both marked and shared with a broader audience. She designed an activity to give students a deeper understanding of physiotherapy in the management of multi-system problems within the community and to facilitate the communication of theoretical, assessment, treatment and clinical reasoning concepts in a manner that could be easily understood by the majority of the educated lay public. Student groups of 4-5 chose their topic based on one of the areas presented in lectures and tutorials, and were supported by industry mentors who had a special interest in the field they are examining. “ For example, they may visit the neonatal intensive care or burns unit of a major teaching hospital, or attend a factory which manufactures and fits prosthetic limbs for amputees. ” Their video was 4-5 minutes long and worth 30% of the final unit mark.

Susan notes that the assessment can polarise students. “ Most really enjoy the opportunity to work with their peers to create a video that they are really engaged with and enjoy the whole creative and theoretical process. However, some students dislike this type of project as it is novel and so different from other types of physiotherapy practical and written assessments. ” She runs a ‘digital media showcase’ which is held after all the other assessments are handed in – each group introduces their video which is then played in a lecture theatre. This “ is also a great way for students to refresh their understanding about the broad range of topic areas covered in this unit prior to their written exams “. Susan has even presented student videos at the NSW Branch of the Australian Physiotherapy Association, and written a paper about it.

Susan’s tips for those starting out:

• Have a brief meeting with all student groups over the first 2 weeks after the assessment is commenced to enable them to ask questions and receive feedback prior to filming.
• It can take a lot of time to develop, so be really clear about what you want to achieve by implementing this as part of your unit.

How can I get started with video assignments?

Video assignments are a great way to give students choice in how they express and construct their own knowledge. Using video assignments can also be seen as part of the higher education shift towards learner-centred assessment , one where individual learners are recognised and where we as teachers move further away from didactic, teacher-focused education practices.

If you are thinking about including video assignments into your units of study, it is important to consider:

• What do you want your students to learn?
• How to guide
• What am I trying to assess?

By starting with these questions and considerations in mind, you will better placed to develop meaningful, constructively aligned learning tasks that both challenge and support your students.

Limitations and managing risk

Using video assignments in your units does come with some risk and  there are some limitations when considering video’s utility . It is also important not to assume that students are ‘ digital natives ’ and they may need some help with this new form of assessment. Providing rubrics to guide and assess learners on both audio visual quality and managing inherent risks that can come with students going out into the world filming actual video footage (such as IP, privacy, publishing, and personal risk), can also be an effective risk mitigation strategy.

Tell me more!

• Check out the “ Creating Educational Media ” module in the University of Sydney’s  Modular Professional Learning Framework to learn more about using student-generated videos for assessment and other learning, as well as the chance to get hands-on with some media equipment and experiment with different techniques that your students could use. The module pages on Canvas also have some quite impressive examples of student-generated videos for inspiration.
• Feel free to post any questions you have onto the  Educational Innovation Yammer  group.

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15 creative video project ideas for students (and their teachers)

Fall is here. The leaves are starting to change color and teachers everywhere are asking the same question: How do I come up with video project ideas for my students?

Video has been a staple learning tool for decades. But having students create, design, and edit video projects themselves is becoming a much more common classroom activity. Video projects are a great way to help students of all ages  actively engage with subject matter  and learn from one another.

Online apps like  Biteable  make it easy for students to turn video ideas for school into a reality. Templates and easy-to-use editing tools keep the process simple and offer plenty of inspiration for student video projects.

To help teachers and students alike leverage video as an  educational tool , we’ve gathered our favorite creative video project ideas for students. Each idea comes with a ready-to-edit video template so you and your students can get started right away.

Create videos that drive action

Activate your audience with impactful, on-brand videos. Create them simply and collaboratively with Biteable.

Elementary student video project ideas

It can be tricky to keep young students interested and engaged all day long. Creating videos gives elementary students a fun, creative way to learn about anything. And student-created videos are an amazing classroom learning supplement. If a video is produced by their peers, interest will skyrocket.

1. Create a book trailer

Instead of a traditional book report, have students design a movie-style trailer that drums up excitement about a novel or a non-fiction book. Creating a book trailer gives students the opportunity to think creatively, share a story with their classmates, and reinforce their learning in a new way.

2. Give a video tour

To supplement social studies curriculum, students can create a video showing off a significant location or their favorite part of the school. If you have a field trip planned, ask students to share their experience by recording videos throughout the day and adding voice over narration.

A video tour of the school is also a great way to share the campus with new students and visitors. As a way to pass the torch before they leave for middle school, how about asking your fifth graders to collaborate on an orientation video for incoming kindergarteners?

3. Celebrate the holidays

There’s always something to celebrate, no matter what time of year it is. Have students film letters to Santa, make video Valentines for parents or grandparents, or make short educational videos about lesser known holidays. Students can even create simple, digital thank-you notes for classroom visitors or parent volunteers.

4. Recreate a moment in history

Learning about historical people and events? Have your students research and recreate major moments in history, like the story of Rosa Parks or the Oregon Trail.

Videos help students visualize and remember these important moments. It also gives students the opportunity to experiment with digital storytelling. And students will be challenged to bring each scene to life accurately.

5. Try stop-motion video

Video learning isn’t limited to literary or historical topics. Encourage students to use stop-motion or create their own slides to explain science experiments or other STEM projects. With the right footage, like Biteable’s extensive collection of clay animation footage, students won’t even need to build stop motion models. They can just focus on the presentation and storytelling in their video.

Video project ideas for middle and high school students

Video projects for high schoolers can be a little more advanced, as students should be practicing editing and narrative skills in addition to learning about new topics.

6. Create a news channel

To supplement learning in a current events class, have your students film a news broadcast covering both local and international events.

Ask students to take on certain roles in the newsroom: anchor, sports reporter, weather reporter, or entertainment correspondent. Doing a news segment helps everyone get involved and promotes teamwork.

7. Start a portfolio

Many high school students are thinking about college applications. Give them the chance to  jumpstart their applications with a portfolio video project  and showcase what makes them unique.

Art students can show off their best work and design skills. Students applying to traditional schools can answer an application question or create a video showcasing their community service and extracurriculars.

8. Promote a good cause

Rather than writing a traditional essay or report, have students create a video advocating for a cause that’s important to them. This helps students build their identity and develop persuasive skills. And students can share their  promotional video  with everyone, not just their teacher and classmates.

9. Questions for your future self

Think ahead with a video full of inspiring questions. This project is great for incoming freshmen. At the beginning of the year, have students create videos with questions for their future self or with goals for their life and career. At graduation, send the videos back to them. It’s a fun, positive way to celebrate their success throughout high school.

Higher ed video project ideas

Higher education might not seem like the place for student-made videos. But in the real world, businesses use video for all sorts of things. Video projects build plenty of resume-worthy skills that college students can take with them to the workforce.

10. Create a university promotion video

It’s easy to forget that colleges and universities are businesses, too. And they need help with promotion. A solid college or university promotion video could open opportunities for internships or college employment. Promoting something that they’re already familiar with is a great way for students to build video persuasion skills.

11. Record and edit interviews

Being able to conduct a good interview and edit it in a way that’s appropriate for the purpose of the interview is a valuable skill in multiple industries. And interviewing experts in the field is appropriate for just about any class.

12. Make a video self-assessment

Grades are important. But being able to self-assess is also an incredibly valuable way for students to incrementally improve at any skill.

Making video self-assessments gives students a more active role in the grading process and offers them a creative way to highlight the work they’ve put into a course. It also gives them a chance to make an argument for the grade they feel they deserve — a skill that easily correlates to performance reviews in their future workplace.

13. Film a job interview guide

For most people, the interview is the most nerve-wracking part of getting a job. Practicing interview questions is a great way to prepare. But most students don’t know how to prepare for a job interview.

Creating a job interview  how-to guide  is a perfect way for students to learn how to prepare for a job interview and help other students prepare at the same time.

14. Create a video presentation based on a written assignment

Written assignments are the backbone of a university education (in most disciplines, at least). However, the audience for most written assignments is limited to the professor and assistants. Creating presentation videos for their assignments gives students the opportunity to share their hard work with their fellow students, while also learning valuable video editing skills.

15. Build a video resume

For most students, the job search starts even before graduation. A video resume helps students highlight the skills they acquired and the experience they gained during college. And, given the global workforce, a  video resume is a great supplement to a paper resume, especially when applying for remote or distant positions where an in-person interview may not be an option.

Take your video project from idea to reality with Biteable

Ready to get started  making an education video project ?

Biteable has a huge  library of video templates that help students get going fast rather than struggling to start from a blank screen. Drag-and-drop editing and easy to use tools let students focus on what’s important: the project assignment and delivering a thoughtful message.

Make stunning videos with ease.

Take the struggle out of team communication.

Try Biteable now.

• No credit card required
• No complicated design decisions
• No experience necessary

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9 Steps to a Successful Video Assignment

You wouldn’t assign a lab report without having written one, so why assign a video without having created one? How would you go about answering students’ questions? How would you advise on structure, content, format, and citing? How would you know what expectations are reasonable, how much time to allot, what resources to recommend, your criteria for grading?

I get a lot of questions from instructors who want to assign a video project, sometimes even making it an option in lieu of a final exam or paper. Often, the instructor has never made his own video, let alone one with the requirements he’s asking for. If that’s you, I’m not saying you can’t be successful; it’ll just take some thoughtful preparation on your part to create an environment that provides your students with technical support, clear expectations, and fair grading.

Be the Student Go through all the steps you are expecting of your students so you can lay down a solid structure of support and provide reasonable criteria students must meet to get a good grade. Ask the questions you think they’ll ask. Go to the labs you think they’ll go. Call the support staff you think they’ll call.  Google  the tutorials you think they’ll  Google !  Don’t just outsource all the assistance to others.  Be  the expert! It’s empowering to be able to answer your students questions; in fact, they  expect  that you can.

Specify the Tools Now let’s talk about narrowing down  options , because there is such a thing as  too many.  You might think you are doing students a favor by letting them loose to use any device and video editor under the sun, but take a step back to understand what that means for your class as a whole. You can’t possibly answer all the questions about every device and software, and neither can the pros! However, if a majority of students are using the same resources, they’ll be able to help each other rather than overloading you or any other support staff with the more common questions. Plan out exactly which software, hardware, format, locations, etc. you want students to use every step of the way. This narrows down the list of things you (and your students) need to master to achieve the outcome you desire. I’m not saying you should  restrict  students to following the plan that you’ve laid out. A student can use whatever program she wants, knowing that it’s still her responsibility to make sure that her method will produce the result that meets your assignment’s requirements.

Post Info Online Here’s a list of things an OSU instructor can provide for her students to ensure smooth sailing throughout a video project. I can’t emphasize enough that this information needs to be posted online for students to reference throughout the project; organize it on Carmen in a way that makes sense for your class structure and lesson plan. For example, here are 9 points I would communicate to my students:

• Understand the information and resources available in  Making a Video
• Use iMovie ’11, and watch all necessary tutorials on Apple’s  iMovie support  website. Students may choose a different editor if you prefer, in which case you are responsible for finding your own support.
• Labs that have iMovie ’11 and staff to help are: SH 145,  HH  171a, and  HS  460a.
• Students may borrow a video camera from Classroom Services or be responsible for understanding how to use their own video recording device.
• Final video must contain: opening/closing credits, voiceover, background music, photos, video footage (*edit this list to be as specific as you want; these are the elements you are grading on)
• Final video must be between 2-4 minutes long (*I recommend 5 minutes max).
• Specify what format of video you would like to receive (*I recommend mp4).
• Specify how you want the video to be submitted (*I recommend physical CD,  box.osu.edu , or  Media Upload  tool).
• Teach students about copyright and fair use  OR specify the use of original content only.

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Ten Engaging Video Assignments to Get Your Students Talking

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In the classroom, video means instant engagement, and making video is an increasingly important skill for youngsters to develop. We’ve put together ten exciting assignment ideas that will help elementary and middle school teachers get their students making great video! Parents, feel free to steal these ideas for rainy weekends, too.

Make Video Really Easy For All Students

Not all students will be able to access their own camera equipment. This could be due to their families’ budgets, their age, parental permissions, or some may be a little too shy to be on camera.

Remove obstacles by creating groups to work on each project, and consider setting up a couple different “studios” in the classroom. Then, come up with fun and quiet assignments that groups not actively filming can tackle, like script writing or prop-making, while others get their turn in front of the camera.

An in-class studio could be as simple as a backdrop with a tripod, or more complex depending on your school’s resources and the space you have to work with. If you are able to setup a couple different studios, more than one group could be creating videos at the same time, and, no one will be left out if they can’t get the right equipment.

Basic video equipment is really inexpensive in this day and age, especially for this type of kid-friendly production. A low-cost video camcorder from Amazon would likely suffice, and simple tripods are usually under $50. If you aren’t in a position to purchase equipment, you can always use a smartphone or tablet with a mini-tripod or similar stand, or a laptop with a built-in camera.

Editing the final video together might not be required for all of these project ideas, but it makes sense to check on the availability of video editing programs on school computers to see if it might be possible. iMovie or Windows Movie Maker are both free and easy to use. That way, any particularly inspired students can take their project to the next level if they’d like.

Video Assignments for Elementary School Students

1. task: make a short video reviewing your favorite book..

Objective: Students should record themselves giving a synopsis of the book and sharing what they enjoy about it. Using age-appropriate props, younger children can shoot a scene from the book; older children can direct a scene featuring their friends.

In addition to putting thoughts together coherently, and learning how to write for film (for older students), this task will enable children to be comfortable in front of and behind the camera, and encourage collaborative group work.

2. Task: Make a commercial.

Objective: Take an everyday object – an apple, pen, table, lunchbox – and ask students to make a commercial trying to sell it. They should put together a script, create a jingle, and design a brand logo as well as filming the advert.

Depending on the age of your students, they could work together. Ask each member of the group to take responsibility for a different element of the video. This is an effective task at showing students the power of persuasive writing, and how to work effectively in a team, as well as the objective behind advertising.

3. Task: Create a video tour of the school for new students.

Objective: Pupils can share their school experience with new students by recording and narrating it. They should interview teachers and other students, as well as showing their classmates using the school’s facilities (outdoor play area, pool, computer room). In addition to learning filming and editing skills, this task enables students to hone interviewing and communication skills.

4. Task: Exchange video messages with other schools.

Objective: Students from a partnering elementary school exchange short videos with your class that explain what life is like at their school, or another agreed-upon topic. The idea would be to generate interest in another culture, or to introduce students from a far-flung part of the USA. Not only would this type of exchange expand their horizons, but it would help develop their story-telling abilities, too.

5. Task: Explain how to make your favorite food.

Objective: Have students make a short video about their favorite food, or a special family recipe. Use creativity for those who aren’t able to do any filming at home. For instance, have them bring in some of their favorite food to share, or use animated pictures instead of actual footage.

As an alternative, assign students to different meal groups, like breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Then, have them work on the assignment in teams. This assignment will help students get to know and appreciate other food cultures, while also having a really fun time.

Video Assignments for Middle School Students

6. task: create vocabulary vines..

Objective: Show a word on paper (perhaps a student could be filmed writing it), then record a visual representation of the term. Each short video should be shared with the whole class so students can easily access them. This is also a great exercise for foreign language classes.

Although Vine may no longer exist as a platform, short videos are still a great way to promote learning.

7. Task: Make a two-minute video assignment about your hobby.

Objective: The student will learn to operate a video camera (or the video function on their smartphone or tablet), grab copyright free clips from the web, and edit footage.

Part of the challenge will be to adhere to the two-minute time limit. Older students can be taught how to use industry-standard editing software. Whatever level they are at, students will respond positively to being given free rein to get creative and produce original content about a topic that interests them.

8. Task: Create a video dialogue with a famous historical character.

Objective: Using the split screen effect, the student should record themselves in conversation with someone the class has been studying in history. They will enjoy dressing up and getting into character for this task!

This video assignment challenges the student to demonstrate a deep understanding of the psyche and motivations of an historical personage. Note: this assignment also works well as a conversation between the student and a character from the book the class are studying.

9. Task: Film your science lab project.

Objective: Film a project from start to end, hypothesis to conclusion. Students should show footage of the experiment being set up, carried out, and concluded. They should add a voiceover explaining what’s happening and why in each shot.

This assignment is two-fold. In addition to demonstrating their understanding of the relevant scientific principles, students will hone their filming and editing skills.

10. Task: Give your own TED Talk.

Objective: Show students an age-appropriate TED Talk that’s relevant to a topic they’re studying in your class. They should use it as a basis to put together their own presentation on that subject area. Encourage them to use visual aids and to adapt an engaging mode of presenting, just like the TED speakers. A cameo from friends, family members, or even pets makes for a great video!

For demonstrating to students that a ‘talk’ is more than just talking, we recommend showing them the following TED videos: The Shared Experience of Absurdity, The New Bionics that Let Us Run, Climb and Dance, and Einstein the Parrot.

Secure Sharing

For sharing the video, it’s important to be sensitive to the privacy of the children participating. Consider sharing the video with a password or with login protection to make sure only the participants, or their parents, can view it.

Make sure you can track viewers at a very granular level. For instance, video engagement metrics enable you to check that only approved viewers are accessing your content.

If you need a website for sharing your students’ videos, we even have that covered. Each SproutVideo account comes with a customizable video website that you can configure to your specifications.

With SproutVideo, you’ll get the best live and on-demand video hosting platform for business. Start your free 30-day trial today and get unlimited access to all our features.

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McGraw Center for Teaching and Learning

Video assignments.

Video assignments comprise a wide range of possible assignment types from personal reflection videos in which students video-record themselves and upload those recordings to a shared space, such as Canvas, to assignments in which students are responsible for capturing, editing, narrating, and producing a polished product. Each type of assignment places more or less emphasis on either the production aspects of video or on the communicative, instructional aspects of video. Consider the following types of assignment that involve video production in some way.

Video documentary, video essay, or short film

Video is truly multi-media, providing oportunities to express oneself with visuals, sound, and text. The wide range of skills involved in capturing video, curating and editing video, possible adding narration, and the challenges of dealing with very large filesizes, mean that a video assignment can be quite daunting for students and for instructors. This wide range of tasks can also contribute to a valuable group assignment in with varied reponsibilities and roles.

News reporting or video interviews

Producing video-based news stories and capturing interviews, while quite different activities, both require students to carefully plan their work, including deciding on locations, topics of discussion, subjects, and pacing.

Video photo essay

A video photo essay takes advantage of the medium of video but may consist of recorded narration and music  over a series of still images.  This can be as impactful as actual video but may be more practical in some cases (consider historical imagery and the ‘ Ken Burns effect ’ or historical subject matter for which no video exists), or simply easier to construct, requiring less time for in-class training.

Personal reflection

Students can provide reflections on course readings, experiences related to coursework, or as a way to share their background knowledge of the course subject matter.

Instructional video

Video can of course by use to provide asynchronous instruction to students by capturing lectures or capturing and narrating screen/whiteboard recordings. These recordings can form the basis of an assignment in Canvas in which students submit their answers or other feedback. There is also, however the possibility of tasking students, or groups of students, with the creation of instructional video. Students could for example create recordings of themselves working through problems and demonstrating the process of arriving at their answers, thereby possibly helping to pinpoint areas of confusion, and perhaps leading to a repository of helpful videos for future students in the course.

Performance capture

The term performance may bring to mind a theater or music hall, but in terms of assignments, can also include any learning outcomes that are performative, such as public speaking, role playing, or foreign language oral practice.

Storytelling vs. Instruction

Some types of assignments, such as short documentary films, are creative, story-telling assignments that may involve not only learning to use the software but also in developing the skills of effectively conveying a story. Other assignments may use video more simply to capture students thoughts or performace. For these latter assignments, the video capture tools built into Canvas, Kaltura, and Panopto will suffice.

Assignment considerations

• Keep it short! Video editing can be a very time-consuming process. A two or three minute video can convey a lot of information and, when done well, can be a challenging assignment. Limiting the scope of a video project also introduces en element of information curation into the assignment process.
• Have students submit a storyboard as the first step of the assignment. A storyboard is simply an outline of the video with possible shots, scenes, and basic dialogue.
• A video assignment may be a new experience for many students. Consider outlining your expectations in a grading rubric to provide a scaffold.
• Video assignments can present more logistical problems than other types of activities, including choosing the cameras, the software, and potential very large files. If possible, work with the staff of McGraw’s Digital Learning Lab (DLL) to identify equipment and software students will use to complete the assignment. The DLL also offers ample storage space for video files.
• Video editing software such as Adobe Premiere, DaVinci Resolve, and even iMovie, offer many options but may require training. For simpler assignments, software such as Keynote, Powerpoint, Zoom, and VoiceThread may be easier to learn and can be used to generate videos that combine image and voiceover narration.
• Simple videos, such as video reading responses or student interviews, that do not involve transitions, titles, and music can be recorded and uploaded directly within the Canvas learning management system.

Student preparation

Learning to edit video not only necessitates learning how to use video editing software, which can be quite complex, but also involves developing storytelling skills and how good stories are conveyed via scenes, shots, transitions, titles, dialogue, and characters. The results of all this work can be rewarding, but will require significant time in and out of class. A video assignment should, ideally, be a culmination of a series of assignments that involve script-writing drafts, revisions, hands-on practice in the use of the software, peer-review and discussion.

Possible tools

• Adobe Premiere
• DaVinci Resolve
• Keynote, Powerpoint
• VoiceThread

Rubrics and resources

• Sample Video Editing Assignment , University of Portland
• Video Essays and Virtual Animals: An Approach to Teaching Multimodal Composition and Digital Literacy , Christina M. Colvin, Georgia Institute of Technology, in the Journal of Interactive Technology & Pedagogy
• Digital Storytelling Rubric and Digital Video Project Rubric , Video class assignment tips for instructors and students . Denver University EdTech Knowledge Base
• Single Point Rubrics, Jennifer Gonzalez, Cult of Pedagogy Blog
• How To Write A Documentary Script , Helen Kantilaftis, New York Film Academy
• Pre-production . Student Multimedia Services, Oregon State University
• Six styles of classroom video projects , Free Tech for Teachers, freetech4teachers.com

Example podcasting assignments

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How and Why Educators are Including Video Assignments in their Courses

Educators in all fields, from theatre to architecture to food science, and even math , are starting to see how students can use their phones to make video and engage more strongly with what they're learning. Students make creative or explanatory videos, or just film themselves practicing the skills they’re learning.

With the disruptions everyone has experienced during the COVID crisis of 2020, video assignments may be even more powerful tools for keeping students engaged and promoting the social aspect of learning, even remotely.

As the technology gets more accessible and easier to use, more and more instructors have been turning toward student video projects as rich new form of evaluation and some are event favoring it over more traditional written assignments. Even the International Reading Association (IRA) and the National Council of Teachers of English have added standards emphasizing the need to foster creativity by going beyond text to have students use other media in their learning activities and assignments (Morgan, 2012). Students, too, are usually prouder of what they’ve accomplished and say their learning experience was deeper when they make a video rather than handing in text.

So with the combination of high-quality video cameras on smartphones and cloud video sharing, we’re set to see an explosion of video and audio assignments in every discipline . It’s suddenly practical - easy in fact - for students to record and edit video. And it's a whole lot easier to submit the video so that teachers can give feedback and grades. 

Kirkland (2006) offers a diverse list of video-making assignment project, including:

• Documentary
• Presentation
• Skills Demonstration
• Public Service Announcements
• News Reports
• Dramatization
• A Mashup of Clips

Videos can be much more than a student presenting or explaining the content they are supposed to master. They can be vehicles for creativity, for learning teamwork and project management, and the production will increasingly be an employment-relevant skill.

For example, here's the introduction to a video assignment from a course at the University of British Columbia's School of Population and Public Health: " Do younger Canadians need a movement to promote their social determinants of health? Design a short creative video to answer this question."

In contrast to a typical in-class presentation that vanishes into thin air with little feedback, video assignments can be powerful learning tools for students as a persuasive visual argument requires deep, iterative conceptual and rhetorical thinking. Not only is it necessary for the student to synthesize various sources on the subject content, but she must also write it down as a script, read it, decide who to interview or record, and then create a video, requiring time spent filming and editing. All of those separate cognitive activities engage with the topic in different ways, stimulating creative and analytic work. Additionally, student created videos place students on display, and as such, students make a greater effort to master the subject content so as to avoid embarrassment in front of their peers. So students get to practice and demonstrate their grasp of key course concepts, but student-made video also promotes creativity and individuality, basically eliminating concerns about plagiarism.

A great deal of research reveals students themselves find video projects to be more beneficial to their own understanding and mastery of subject material. One study by Greene and Crespi (2012) looked at the perceived value of student-created videos as a tool for enhancing the student learning experience. Their data came from an accounting and a marketing course at a state university. 

Each course assigned its students a video project to assess their mastery of the material. The survey data gathered from the students who created the videos revealed that students found such projects “creative, unique and educational.” Moreover, the students who watched the creative projects said “the videos were extremely helpful, put a fun twist on learning experiences, a very good way to review material while helping others to understand the material, interesting to see the material learned in a video format, were a good learning experience, and a simple way to remember/learn the material.”

However, while these assignments are fun and provide academic benefits, they can also be frustrating for both students and instructors if students plan poorly, are not trained and supported with technology, or are confused about the purpose of the assignment. As noted by Kearney and Shuck (2006) , a gap exists in assessing learning outcomes for student created videos. This new form of learning activity brings with it challenges for teachers: What sort of guidelines should you set for video assignments? How do you make sure they are implemented effectively?

Asessment of Video Assignments

One of the most challenging aspects of assigning student made video assignments is designing a fair grading rubric that simultaneously helps students know what steps to take but doesn't quash their creativity. Video presentations are by their nature individually unique and the feedback on and grading of each assignment could therefore be quite arbitrary. It's critical that instructors set proper expectations for students so that they have sufficient understanding of the key items to focus on. Teachers will also have to have structured, regular check-ins with students. Ideally, the assignment will be graded in stages, allowing rich feedback (possibly on draft videos themselves with a tool like WeVu). 

A basic video assignment rubric will contain some of the following elements:

• An 'elevator pitch' that can be delivered as text or as a 30 second video. This is a good place to start, and it can be continually refined as the project evolves. 
• Storyboard. A sketch of each scene or phase of the video. This can be done on slides (powerpoint, google slides, etc.) or just as an outline document. The storyboard should be the main planning document and it needs to be able to be shared with teachers for feedback.
• Script. The script must be suitable for the topic, the assumed audience, and for the time available. Script editing should be a major component of the project.
• Selection of content. Students must be encouraged to generate lots of ideas, ruthlessly abandon lots of them, and sequence the content in a persuasive or engaging way.
• Technical production value. Students need to be assured they don't need to make a perfect video. They should be warned not to spend hours on little transitions or super-precise editing. But they should be directed to consider some of the key elements of production value, including distance and depth of shots, variation in perspective and length of scenes, audio quality, voice-over video, captions or text, and so on. 
• Teamwork and Project Management. Assignments will often be group assignments. Give students a recommended or required structure for their collaboration, including what technologies they should use. Consider a part of the grade devoted to their project management, in which case the teacher needs visibility into the team digital space (Google Docs/Sheets/Slides, probably) and/or the students should journal or log their work, task by task, with task assignments, due dates, and task statuses.

The Open Thinking blog has a good set of ideas for educators wanting to start using video assignments. And here’s a simple example of one from a Cognitive Psychology class:

Feedback. Learning during production and learning from production of video assignments.

Teachers face another learning curve as they try to provide effective feedback helps students really learn and do better work next time.  One problem is that the videos usually sit outside a school's online learning platform or the feedback is given as a separate text commentary, just like students get on the papers they hand in. The technology is just starting to catch up to what educators are doing — platforms like WeVu.video give students and teachers a place to share video without making it public, get peer feedback if desired, and get all the feedback on the timeline of the video, just like we’ve always done with comments in the margins of what we write. The videos can then be made public, without the comments, when they're done.

Video assignments are increasingly common and pedagogically powerful, but they need preparation and technology to succeed.

P.S. Here’s a nice short guide from Wired on how to make a film with a phone.

Related Posts

How to organize, share, and discuss videos in groups

Seven Different Reasons Why All Skills Learning will Rely on Video in Just a Few Years

Feedback: We can’t learn without it

The Content Bias in Edtech

Video for Skills Learning – Evidence That it Works

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Online Learning

Uploading a YouTube Video for an Assignment

• Go to www.youtube.com and login to your YouTube account. Click on the Upload button in the upper right-hand corner.

• To find your video, choose “ Select files to upload .”

• Browse and find the video file on your computer.
• Change the privacy setting in the drop-down box from “ Public ” to “ Unlisted .”
• Obtain the URL or embed code for your video. You’ll want to have YouTube open in one tab or window of your browser, and your Blackboard course open in another, so that you can easily copy and paste between them.
• Post in Blackboard.
• Go to the place you have been instructed to post your video. For example, if you are posting in the Discussion Forum , you need to click on “ Start New Thread .”
• Fill out the Subject line. In the message box, paste the video URL  and click Insert .
• If embedding the video into the Discussion Forum message box, switch to HTML. Click on share under the YouTube video to find “ Embed .” Copy the embed code and paste it in the course message box.

• In your Blackboard course, be sure to type https: in front of the // so your embedded code will play.
• Click Submit .

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How do I create a video assignment?

You will need to go to a module to create a video assignment. Go to Existing Activities at the top, then click Video Assignments.

If you have already created any video assignments, they will now show up. To create a video assignment, click the blue person icon at the bottom.

Here, you will fill in all of the required fields, such as your assignment name, to create your video assignment.

If desired, you can add dates and restrictions for this video assignment.

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Video Assignments and Virtual Classroom

To create a truly dynamic online learning experience, instructors need to use a combination of synchronous and asynchronous video tools. Video Assignments and Virtual Classroom form a holistic video assessment solution that fosters a more active learning experience. When learners demonstrate skills and apply their knowledge on video, evaluators get an authentic representation of what they can do.

Turn Knowledge Into Action With Video Assignments

Create opportunities for practice, demonstration, analysis and collaboration, both synchronously and asynchronously. Video Assignment workflows facilitate repeated skill practice, peer-to-peer collaboration and the application of knowledge in a real-world context.

Individual Assignment

Help learners build communication and critical-thinking skills through continuous practice, self-assessment and video presentation delivery.

Question & Answer

Put individuals on the spot to answer questions asynchronously with only a limited time to respond (Premium).

Group Assignment

Enable learners to collaborate synchronously or asynchronously to complete a group activity (Premium).

Interactive Video

Prompt learners to answer multiple-choice questions or submit video responses at different points throughout a video (Premium).

Once a learner completes a Video Assignment, their submission is reviewed for personalized feedback and coaching. Instructors and peers can provide training and real-time feedback all within Brightspace.

Self-Assessment

Give learners multiple opportunities to practice and reflect on their recordings prior to submission.

Expert Coaching

Provide personalized, time-stamped feedback on learner submissions from subject matter experts.

AI Based Feedback & Coaching

Scale your feedback with AI based coaching tips around delivery (rate of speech, speech clarity and use of filler words), areas of excellence and improvement, and tone analysis to help learners improve and gain more insight into their performance (Premium).

Peer Review

Expose learners to multiple feedback options by having them give and receive time-stamped feedback on their peers’ videos.

Connect and Engage With Virtual Classroom

Leverage the potential of virtual conferencing to enhance learning. The Virtual Classroom tool provides a space for live discussions, online office hours, video-based training and more.

Two-Way Interaction

Engage and collaborate online with a solution that supports two-way conversation.

Make it Easy

Schedule, hold and record live video conferencing sessions without ever leaving Brightspace.

Upgrade to Premium

A premium version is available to help you expand the way you use the tools within the Brightspace Learning Environment. In addition to the core features, the premium version supports more video workflows that provide opportunities for learners to put their knowledge into action. Furthermore, premium includes additional Virtual Classroom session participants, longer sessions, and unlimited storage.

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Amphibious transport ship USS San Diego heads to Japan for new assignment

The amphibious transport dock ship USS San Diego leaves San Diego, Aug. 14, 2024, for its new homeport in Sasebo, Japan. (Mark Faram/U.S. Navy)

The amphibious transport dock ship USS San Diego is on its way to Japan, where it will take the place of its sister ship USS Green Bay.

The San Diego sailed away from its namesake city on Aug. 14, U.S. Pacific Fleet announced Tuesday. The warship was homeported for 12 years at the naval base there.

The ship will make its way to Sasebo Naval Base on Kyushu, the southernmost of Japan’s four main islands, as part of a swap announced last month by the U.S. 7th Fleet.

Task Force 76 spokesman Lt. Cmdr. John Mike declined in a Thursday email to Stars and Stripes to comment on the ship’s arrival date, citing security concerns.

The base is home to the America Amphibious Ready Group, led by the amphibious assault ship USS America, which routinely deployed with the Green Bay over the past decade.

The San Diego, commissioned in 2012, is three years younger than the Green Bay. The Navy in 2021 awarded BAE Systems a $90.2 million contract for a yearlong modernization period for the San Diego. The work included hull maintenance, ballast tank repairs and refurbished living spaces.

The Green Bay underwent a similar, yearlong maintenance period prior to its deployment to Sasebo in 2015, U.S. Pacific Fleet said in a press release that year.

The San Diego will join the group to support a variety of missions by transporting personnel, equipment and vehicles that would be used as part of a landing force, and aircraft like the MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor or Navy and Marine Corps helicopters, Mike said.

“Wherever San Diego operates, it provides naval power projection capabilities that allow the Navy and Marine Corps team to rapidly insert and support forces ashore,” he wrote.

The new assignment will be “very rewarding for the crew and families,” and the San Diego is “prepared for the move,” according to the ship’s skipper, Capt. David Walton.

“We appreciate all the support and fond memories of the City of San Diego, but it’s time for the city’s namesake USS San Diego to lead the charge. America is counting on us to deter aggression, defend our national security interests, and preserve our way of life,” he said in the release.

Meanwhile, the Green Bay will make its way to San Diego, concluding a decade-long assignment at Sasebo. It’s currently conducting routine operations somewhere in the 7th Fleet’s area of operations, Mike said.

He declined to comment on when the Green Bay will leave for San Diego or whether the ship will undergo maintenance when it arrives there.

U.S. warships may not spend more than 10 years at a time in Japan. Congress set the limit in the fiscal year 2019 defense budget following back-to-back collisions involving the destroyers USS John S. McCain and USS Fitzgerald . Both vessels were based in Japan for more than a decade when they separately collided with commercial vessels in 2017.

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Brooks Lee records three hits in rehab assignment

Twins No. 2 prospect Brooks Lee picks up three hits, including a pair of doubles, in a rehab game with Triple-A St. Paul

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Dodgers Keep Recently Cut Reliever in Organization, Assign Him to Triple-A

Maren angus-coombs | aug 23, 2024.

• Los Angeles Dodgers

The past few days have been tumultuous for Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Brent Honeywell. On Tuesday, he went unclaimed on waivers and was assigned outright to Triple-A Oklahoma City, according to the MLB.com transaction log .

On Wednesday, he accepted his outright assignment.

After a nice run in the Dodgers bullpen and subsequently clearing waivers following his DFA, Brent Honeywell accepted his outright assignment to Triple-A in lieu of free agency. Arrived in OKC today and will likely be active tomorrow. — Alex Freedman (@azfreedman) August 21, 2024

Honeywell's designation for assignment came as the Dodgers needed to make room for prospect Ben Casparius , who was called up for the series finale against the St. Louis Cardinals to provide bullpen depth.

Even before Casparius was added, the Dodgers faced a roster crunch, making Honeywell a likely candidate for a DFA as more players prepared to return from the 60-day injured list.

Despite this move, Honeywell had found success with the Dodgers since being claimed off waivers from the Pittsburgh Pirates.

It was somewhat surprising that Honeywell went unclaimed on waivers, especially since joining a new team before Sept. 1 would have made him eligible for the postseason. Given his prior experience with being designated for assignment, Honeywell had the option to reject the Dodgers' assignment and become a free agent.

However, he chose to report to Triple-A Oklahoma City instead.

Earlier this month, the Dodgers similarly retained Nick Ramirez, who cleared waivers after being designated for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster following trade deadline additions.

With the recent return of Ryan Brasier, the recent activation of Blake Treinen on Wednesday, and Brusdar Graterol expected to pitch again soon, it's likely that Honeywell will finish the season with the Oklahoma City Baseball Club.

#Dodgers activate Blake Treinen from the IL and send Ben Casparius back to OKC. Casparius didn't pitch in the three games he was with LAD. But he potentially cost them Brent Honeywell Jr. who was DFAed to make room for Casparius — Bill Plunkett (@billplunkettocr) August 22, 2024

Honeywell posted a 0-1 record with a 2.21 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP in 10 appearances for the Dodgers.

Before joining the Dodgers, Honeywell spent less than a week with the Pittsburgh Pirates, appearing in just two games. He pitched a scoreless inning in his 2024 debut and allowed one run over 2.1 innings on July 10.

Once a top prospect in the Rays’ system, Honeywell faced numerous injuries that delayed his shot at the big leagues. Last season, he finally got his opportunity, pitching 52.1 innings in relief for the San Diego Padres and Chicago White Sox.

Honeywell delivered solid middle relief numbers with San Diego but struggled during his time with Chicago, ultimately costing him his roster spot. This led him to sign a minor league deal with the Pirates during the offseason.

Honeywell has a 4.26 ERA across 80.1 innings over parts of three MLB seasons. He'll be eligible for minor league free agency at the start of the offseason unless the Dodgers call him back up.

On Thursday, Honeywell threw two scoreless innings for Triple-A Oklahoma City against the El Paso Chihuahuas, allowing one hit and one walk while striking out one.

MAREN ANGUS-COOMBS

Maren Angus-Coombs was born in Los Angeles and raised in Nashville, Tenn. She is a graduate of Middle Tennessee State and has been a sports writer since 2008. Despite growing up in the South, her sports obsession has always been in Los Angeles. She is currently a staff writer at the LA Sports Report Network.

Yankees Currently Scheduling MLB Rehab Assignments For INF Jon Berti And RHP Ian Hamilton With Somerset On Saturday, August 24

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Bridgewater, New Jersey – The New York Yankees are currently scheduling for INF Jon Berti and RHP Ian Hamilton to commence MLB rehab assignments with the Double-A Somerset Patriots on Saturday, August 24 on the road in Portland. The Patriots take on the Sea Dogs (Boston Red Sox) at 6:00

Bridgewater, New Jersey – The New York Yankees are currently scheduling for INF Jon Berti and RHP Ian Hamilton to commence MLB rehab assignments with the Double-A Somerset Patriots on Saturday, August 24 on the road in Portland. The Patriots take on the Sea Dogs (Boston Red Sox) at 6:00 pm.

The @Yankees have announced that INF Jon Berti is currently scheduled to commence an @MLB rehab assignment with the Somerset Patriots in Portland tonight. #RepBX pic.twitter.com/prGvU7vLM9 — Somerset Patriots (@SOMPatriots) August 24, 2024

The Yankees placed Berti on the injured list on 5/25/24 with a left calf strain after returning from time on the injured list with a left groin strain. Berti previously joined the Patriots on a rehab assignment this season from 4/28 – 5/2 in which he went 1-for-9 with a R and 3 BB in three games.

In 17 games for New York this season, Berti is hitting .273/.322/.327 with 6 R, 15 H, HR, 6 RBI and 4 SB.

Currently in his 7 th MLB season, the Troy, Michigan native has a career .259 batting average with 216 R, 369 H, 63 2B, 9 3B, 24 HR, 126 RBI and 96 SB in 453 games with the Toronto Blue Jays (2018), Miami Marlins (2019-2023) and the Yankees (2024).

Berti slashed .294/.344/.405 with 53 R, 114 H, 16 2B, 3 3B, 7 HR and 33 RBI in 133 games for the Marlins in 2023.

Originally selected by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 18 th round of the 2011 MLB Draft, Berti was acquired by the Yankees in a trade with the Miami Marlins for CF John Cruz.

The @Yankees have announced that RHP Ian Hamilton is currently scheduled to commence an @MLB rehab assignment with the Somerset Patriots in Portland tonight. #RepBX pic.twitter.com/PIEGeqQ161 — Somerset Patriots (@SOMPatriots) August 24, 2024

The Yankees placed Hamilton on the injured list on 6/17/24 with a right lat strain. In his 27 games pitched this season for New York, Hamilton is 0-1 with a 4.55 ERA and 30 K in 29.2 IP in 27 games.

Hamilton was the 11 th round pick of the Chicago White Sox out of Washington State in the 2016 MLB Draft and signed with the Yankees as a free agent on 1/27/23.

He made his MLB debut on 8/31/18 versus Boston and went a perfect inning. He has an MLB career 4-5 record with a 3.52 ERA and 108 K over 102.1 IP in 81 games all in relief for the White Sox (2018, 2020), Minnesota Twins (2022) and Yankees (2023-Present).

Hamilton rehabbed in Somerset during the 2023 season and finished 2-1 with a 3.38 ERA and 4 K in 2.2 IP in 3 games.

Hamilton becomes the 13 th Yankees players to join Somerset for a rehab assignment in 2024. Both Berti and Hamilton have rehabbed with the team prior to these assignments.

About the Somerset Patriots The Somerset Patriots are the New York Yankees Double-A Affiliate and develop today’s top minor league talent into the pinstriped superstars of tomorrow for MLB’s winningest team. The Patriots 2024 season is presented by New Jersey Office Systems, LLC. Home games are played at TD Bank Ballpark in Bridgewater, NJ, where fans of all ages and levels of baseball fandom get to enjoy the unique experience that is minor league baseball. To learn more, visit: somersetpatriots.com .

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Yankees designate relief pitcher for assignment in surprising roster move

The New York Yankees designated relief pitcher Michael Tonkin for assignment, the team announced Sunday.

In somewhat of a surprising move, Tonkin had been a reliable bullpen arm for the Yankees since he was claimed from the New York Mets on April 22.

Despite posting a 3.38 ERA with 57 strikeouts in 56 innings, the Yankees feel they need to make room with a handful of bullpen reinforcements on the way back from injuries.

Though Tonkin had been a reliable arm, his recent outings may have shown the writing was on the wall. Tonkin recorded a 2.36 ERA in 45.2 innings during the first half of the season. However, he posted a 6.98 ERA in 19.1 innings during the second half.

The Yankees need bullpen help in the worst way, and there's a chance they see the return of relievers Scott Effros, Lou Trivino and Ian Hamilton.

In a corresponding move, the Yankees selected right-handed pitcher Phil Bickford to the 40-man roster and promoted him to the active roster.

In 34 games and 45 innings pitched, Bickford posted a 3.00 ERA and 1.13 WHIP at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

MORE YANKEES Yankees superstar ace likely to exercise opt-out clause in contract Ex-Yankees pitcher rips former agent Yankees named landing spot for Cy Young winner in free agency

Hickey was previously the managing editor of USA Today's Colts Wire. His work is also featured as a fantasy football analyst for The Huddle.

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Yankees designate pitcher Tonkin for assignment, four months after claiming him from Mets

New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone, center right, stands on the mound after relieving Michael Tonkin (50) during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox, Saturday, July 27, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

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NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Yankees shuffled their bullpen Sunday, designating Michael Tonkin for assignment and selecting the contract of Phil Bickford from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Tonkin was 3-2 with a 3.38 ERA in 39 appearances since being claimed off waivers from the New York Mets on April 26. Tonkin posted a 1.84 ERA in his first 22 appearances with the Yankees but had a 5.74 ERA in his last 17 outings.

The Yankees have seven days to trade, release or send Tonkin outright to the minors.

Tonkin allowed a two-run homer to Jake Cave in Saturday’s 9-2 loss to Colorado and allowed three runs in Cleveland’s six-run 12th inning on Tuesday.

“Tough one today,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “Tonk’s been great. He pitched well for us. He’s been a great teammate. So difficult decision there.”

It was the fourth time this season Tonkin was designated for assignment. Tonkin was cut twice in an 18-day span by the Mets and also by the Twins after one appearance.

The 34-year-old right-hander started the season with the Mets, then was designated for assignment April 5. The Twins acquired him four days later for cash and the Mets reacquired Tonkin off waivers April 17.

The Mets signed Tonkin to a one-year deal in the offseason after he was 7-3 with a 4.28 ERA in 45 appearances last season for the Atlanta Braves. It was the first major league season since 2017 for the 6-foot-7 reliever, who pitched parts of five seasons for the Twins before pitching in Japan, Mexico and the independent Atlantic League along with three different Triple-A teams between 2018 and 2023.

Bickford allowed eight runs in five appearances for the Yankees June 21-29. With Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, he was 3-4 with a 3.00 ERA in 34 appearances.

The former first-round pick split last season with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Mets and is 11-8 with a 4.70 ERA in 184 career outings with the Milwaukee Brewers, Dodgers, Mets and Yankees.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb