Video can be a great supplement to your course materials. You can use it to explain complicated concepts and incorporate visuals into your course. Students can view it at their convenience and re-play parts that they want to review. You can give students a video tape or a DVD, or you can post the video on the Web, so they can view it from a computer.

The disadvantage of using a video is that video production generally involves investing a great deal of both time and money. Also, If you post your video online, your students need to have access to a computer with high speed Internet access and the right software; otherwise they will need access to a TV and VCR. Also keep in mind that you will need to figure out how to distribute the tapes or DVDs.

Here is some information that might help you plan the production of a video to enhance your distance course.

Storyboard

A storyboard is a series of images that simply and briefly illustrate key scenes and events in a presentation, film, or video. Sketching a storyboard can help you envision your video before you create it. A storyboard is 1) a way to work out and discuss your ideas, 2) a visualization of how your presentation, film, or video will look, 3) a description of how the whole is sequenced and put together, and 4) a step-by-step guide to production.

Storyboards visually represent proposed screens and shots from video and animation sequences. A storyboard typically includes:

1. an identifier for the screen or visual image;
2. a drawing of the visual image, where it should appear;
3. text of any narration or words that appear on the screen; and
4. production instructions, such as "fade to the next image," or "cut to slide #3."

Consider Visual Options

Determine the portions of your course content that can be highlighted visually through graphics, photo and slide montages, or on-location videotaping. You should start planning early on and allow for time to research, evaluate and format visual materials, and obtain any necessary copyright permission. If you work with a producer, he or she can help you make effective use of overhead graphics, graphs, charts, pictures, slides, films, and prerecorded videotapes. Make sure you organize these materials as early as possible.

By adding visual representations of concepts to your video you can reinforce the connection between what you are saying and what the student is seeing. You can also put some of the words directly on the screen. Consider whether there are visual analogies for points you are making.

Analyze the Video Image

When you are teaching in a classroom, you often have access to video and overhead projectors that can magnify video and graphic information. In a distance learning class, the quality of the visualization is limited by the unpredictable dimensions of the television and computer screens available to the students. When preparing overheads, graphs, and charts, keep in mind that they should display well on a small screen. You should adapt old material for the new medium, and design the new material for the distance student. If the images you have selected are not be appropriate for the screen, you should include them as print materials. You can then record your comments and assume that your students have the image in front of them while viewing.

Identify Copyright Issues

You may have used films, photographs, graphics, and other visuals in your on-campus class. Because of copyright restrictions, it may be difficult to include the same materials in your video course. Securing copyright clearance for visual elements may be a challenge because broadcast clearances are often not granted or are prohibitively expensive. Research copyrights yourself or discuss them with your producer as soon as possible, so that you can assess appropriateness and availability.

Create a Script

Planning a script for your video can make the process of video course production shorter, more efficient, and ultimately a better experience for everyone. After you have thought visually and worked on the print material, you will need to produce a "treatment" of your video course with describes the ideas that you are trying to teach and the order in which you will teach them. These tips will help you develop a treatment:

1. First try recording your voice as you explain your material to a listener.
2. Second, transcribe the content to determine the order you give to its parts.
3. Consider using only audio. If you are a good storyteller who can explain theories and concepts, you may find that voice recording performs better than you expect.
4. If you think that pictures might enhance your explanations, you should meet with a media professional to identify how to create the visual elements.

Work With Your Producer

If you can afford to pay a producer, he or she can help you capture your course on videotape. Your course may include lectures, interviews, news programs, or other complex methods of delivery. Your producer will need to know exactly what you have planned for the presentation; you may use a storyboard or treatment to convey this information.

When a lecture is videotaped, certain precautions must be taken by the producer to avoid problems and maintain the highest quality possible. The producer will meet with you regularly to iron out details, prepare for your course, and answer your questions. For more information, contact UWTV.

Plan Pre- and Post-Viewing Activities for Students

To prepare your students to effectively get the most out of your video, tell them two or three of the most important concepts they should learn while watching your video presentation and explain any unfamiliar vocabulary before they watch the video. Some instructors find that providing students with study questions to consider as they watch the video makes the video presentation more effective. In a similar way, post-show questions may help students focus on the materials they have just seen.