Many instructors are moving toward a blended or hybrid style of teaching in which students learn the course material at home and spend much of their in-class time interacting with that material. In these courses students may do readings, participate in online discussions, and even hear lectures from home. If you record lectures or have been thinking about trying the technique, take a little time to familiarize yourself with Video Best Practices, which offers advice on video length, recording, captioning, and other considerations.
You may also be interested in a Faculty Focus article published last week that recommends how to extend the shelf-life of your instructional videos. The article suggests that we avoid six common pitfalls:
- Avoid references to earlier and later lectures
- Don’t refer to lectures by number – at least in the videos themselves
- Don’t incorporate web links
- Avoid office-specific references
- Beware of current events
- Avoid discussion of particular assessments
See the Faculty Focus article for more details. Visit the CETL’s Educational Technologies website for information on the Lightboard, MediaSite, and other resources for recording lectures; and contact edtech@uconn.edu for help.
For more information, contact: The Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning at CETL@uconn.edu