Sample Lecture Video

Lecture videos usually incorporate a recording of you delivering the content in sync with additional visual aids, such as PowerPoint slides, graphics, websites, or other videos. The lecture video format can be used effectively to capture the energy of the lecturer and be used to incorporate additional media. When developing an online course, you may consider creating lecture videos in addition (or even in place of) text, for an engaging and entertaining way to deliver course content.

If you are interested in recording lecture videos, please take a look at the short 4-minute sample video below. It showcases some ways to use editing and animation to further enhance a lecture video. (Please note the video was modified for length and possible editing and animation, so the content may seem jarring at times). 

To help you get started with producing your own videos, take a look at the suggested software, equipment, and  recording workflow listed below. Or, you can always contact ets.educ@ubc.ca for assistance with video recording and editing.

Equipment and software used in the sample video

  • The presentation slides were created using Microsoft PowerPoint, but you may use any other software such as Prezi, mindmaper, or a Word document. Notice the transitions, animations, and graphics in the presentations slides are also displayed in the final video.
  • The video was created using a screen capture software called Camtasia. There are other screen capture software available. As of March 2014, Camtasia is available to UBC faculty and staff, free of charge, when used for UBC related projects. Camtasia license code is available under the “Resources” tab inside Connect.
  • The following items were required to set up the recording space:
    • Quiet room (no humming fan and minimal external noise).
    • A computer with Camtasia and Powerpoint installed.
    • A recording-grade USB desktop microphone for best sound quality. A proper headset microphone would also produce good sound quality, but may not be comfortable for a long recording session.
    • Built-in webcam on the Macbook Pro. Any webcam would work but a minimal resolution of 1280×1024 is highly recommended for best video quality.
    • A stand to prop up the laptop for better camera angle
    • Dedicated lamp so the speaker was illuminated by a light source that did not change during the recording
  • A recording space with all the equipment and software pre-setup is also available to you. Please contact ets.educ@ubc.ca to schedule a time.

Workflow

  1. Clear the copyright. Visit the UBC Copyright website, or contact ubc-copyright@interchange.ubc.ca, to ensure all material displayed in the video are used in accordance with the Copyright Law. This process may take up to a few months, depending on the material, so be sure to start this process as early as possible.
  1. Create a storyboard that will help you move through your lesson.
    • PowerPoint is often used to organize your visual aids and talking points, but it may be in any other format.
    • The storyboard should also contain editing information such as:
      • When the final video will show only the visual aids, when it will only show you, and when it will show you with content as the background.
      • Should there be a zoom, pan, or cut (e.g., zoom in on the top row of the table, pan across the image from left to right)
      • What additional animation or text need to be added 
  2. Schedule recording times. Give yourself at least an additional 30 minutes to set up and to get comfortable with the recording environment. For example, if you are planning on recording a 60 minute lesson, set aside at least 90 minutes for the recording session.
  3. Record and edit the videos. You would rarely read off of a script when you are teaching face-to-face in a classroom, so keep that in mind when you are recording a lecture video. It is natural to have a few “um”s, “ah”s, or pauses when delivering your lesson. The video can always be edited later, so it is not necessary to have a perfect take while you are recording. In fact, it is often not desirable to have an absolute clean take, which may make the video seem sterile. Use your hands to gesture, hold up an artifact to the camera, pause and say “let’s think about this for a minute” – let your personality come through!
  4. Make your videos available. You may chose to share your video through your YouTube channel publicly, or you can upload the video into the LMS so only your students can see the videos. Contact ets.educ@ubc.ca if you have any questions about the process.
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