Planning Video Content

Canvas Tutorials Planning Video Content

Instructors: Studio

Planning Tips

Anytime you create video content it is a good idea to have instructional plan for the video creation process. This page provides a few tips to help you make the best use of time when creating video content. Click an item to view or use the expand all option to see all items in the list.

Consider Your Audience and Content

Recording video is time-consuming so you will want to make sure the recorded video(s) remain relevant from semester to semester so your time is not wasted re-recording the same content every semester.  Think about some of the common challenges all students face with your subject matter. Below are some questions you can consider:

  • Is there a particular topic all students struggle with learning in my course?
  • How can I promote deeper learning in my students so they remember the content long term?
  • How can the Studio analytics in Canvas help me to determine the effectiveness of the video content I create? 

As you ponder these questions, take some time to jot down which topics you may want to record. Survey your students at the beginning and end of each semester to help you determine where students lack the most knowledge in the topic you teach. 

Once you have a better idea of the topics you plan to cover in your videos, think about what exactly you will cover in each video. Create a rough outline of the topics that will be covered in each video. Its important to keep your videos under 10 minutes so you may need to break up content into smaller chunks. This will help you determine how many videos you may wish to record. Don't feel like you should record them all at once. Focus your efforts on the most important topics first. Record the rest when you have time to record through the semester. 

Write a Script for Your Video Content

Now that you have a good idea what you want to say in each video,  it is a good idea to create a script for each video. A script is just a guide to help you remember what you want to say as you record your video. This also help you to stay on topic and make sure that you cover all topics you want to cover in each video you create. Consider the tips below.

  • Download the script planner document to help you write your script. 
  • Try keep a conversational tone as you write the script.
  • Practice speaking your script. This will help you find awkward phrasing in your script so you can refine it.
  • If creating screen recording or planning to use an object to demonstrate the lesson, avoid using statements such as "Go here and click this menu". Add more detail to statements such as "Go to the Home tab and click font drop drown menu to select a different font". These makes your video content more accessible to all viewers of the content. 
  • Avoid mentioning dates and other time sensitive information 
  • If you plan on recording yourself with your webcam, wear solid colored clothing and tidy the area around where you plan to record to remove any distractions from your message. 
  • Plan to record at a time when it's quiet and you will not be distracted. If possible, remove or turn off fans or other objects that may create distracting noise that may be picked up in audio portion of your video.  

Record Your Video

Once you have completed your script for the video, below are some tips to help you with the recording process. 

  • If possible, use microphone headset as this will improve the audio of your video.
  • Test your microphone to be sure the computer recognizes it. Please note that on VM computers, you will only be able to record screen recordings or audio in the VM audio computer. If you need help with this, please call Information Systems and Services.
  • Once your microphone works with your computer, create a test video to be sure the recording gets your audio. 
  • If you are using your personal computer, please note the webcam capture only works with Firefox or Chrome. See Technical Requirements for details on downloading Firefox or Chrome. 
  • As you record, try to keep a conversational tone and don't talk too fast. 
  • Try not to worry about mistakes you may make during the recording. If they are minor, acknowledge them and move on so you don't waste time during the recording process. If you want to have the video edited, please call Information Systems and Services. 
  • If recording outdoors with a video camera or phone, have your back to the wind to reduce the wind noise in your video. 
  • If recording with a video camera or phone, stabilize the camera/phone with a tripod or makeshift tripod to reduce shaking in your video. 

Upload Video to Studio

The steps to upload the video will be different based on what technology you used to create your video.

Add Captions

In Studio you can request the captions to be auto generated. Please note the captions will require some minor revising before you publish them with the video. The script can be used to help you edit the captions for your video. Review the Captioning Guidelines for more details. 

Additional Resources