Teaching with Video

Teaching with videos is a dynamic and engaging method of instruction that has revolutionised the way we impart knowledge. Videos have become powerful tools for educators to captivate their students and enhance the learning experience.

At Monash Malaysia, we provide the resources (Camtasia and Panopto) and facilities (Microstudios) to equip our educators with the knowledge and skills to produce and curate high-impact pre-recorded lecture videos.

One of the key priorities in the Monash Malaysia Campus Education Plan is to transform traditional lectures into pre-recorded sessions, enhanced with interactive learning activities and made accessible through Moodle. Chunking is one of the key strategies supporting this initiative—watch the video below to learn what chunking is, why it works, and how to apply it.

Camtasia

Camtasia is a video recording and editing solution supported by Monash Malaysia. Use Camtasia to create your own engaging educational videos and other asynchronous learning resources.

The developer of Camtasia, TechSmith, has a series of video tutorials that provide an introduction on how to use Camtasia.

Watch video tutorials

Monash Malaysia Licensing

Monash Malaysia offers staff access to Camtasia. To install it on your device, submit an ITR under Sotfware Request through ITS.

Panopto

Panopto is a Monash-supported video application that enables you to host existing videos, record new video content, and share videos directly to Moodle.

All resources regarding Panopto, including how to get access to Panopto and using Panopto can be found on Teach HQ.

Visit Teach HQ

Differences between Panopto and Camtasia

Functionality	Panopto	Camtasia
Record your screen	✔	✔
Record a talking head video from your webcam	✔	✔
Record from a lecture hall	✔	✘
Record directly from Moodle	✔	✘
Editing
Add and cut out video parts	✔	✔
Add third party audio and video	✘	✔
Add animations, visual elements and text	✘	✔
Edit audio (noise reduction, etc)	✘	✔
Accessibility and Interactivity
Auto-generated captions	✔	✘
Easily generate chapters or bookmarks	✔	✘
Students can add comments	✔	✘
Record directly from Moodle	✔	✘
Hosting/Distribution
Upload directly to Moodle (100mb limit)	✔	✔
Host on own server and embed in Moodle or share via links (no size limit)	✔	✘

Tips on video recording

Here's how you can get started with recording and or improve the quality of recordings.

The first step in recording an engaging video is preparing a script. Although you may be tempted to record your lectures the same way you deliver a live lecture (with a PowerPoint presentation and some bullet points), video recording with a script has its benefits:
- You stay on topic (no digressions or rambling)
- You keep your content short and digestible (studies recommend 8-10 minutes)
- You can focus on being engaging on camera while recording
- You cut down on editing time
Writing your script
In the video below, Ben Toalson, a video content marketer lays out some useful tips for writing a script for an online course including how to look and sound more natural.
Use our storyboard template to plan for your video production work.
Download the storyboard template
In the video above, Toalson mentions "performance notes" and the use of a teleprompter. This is one of the benefits of recording a lecture video - no worrying about "reading" from your slides or presenter notes and forgetting to make eye contact. Teleprompter apps are cheap (or FREE!) and enable you to read from a script while still engaging your audience.
1. Teleprompter for mobile devices (Free)
  - CuePrompter is a free teleprompter service that works with your browser. It works just like a normal teleprompter by automatically scrolling through your script so that your eyes stay at the top of your screen, closest to your webcam. This mimics the look of talking into the camera.
2. Teleprompter for mobile devices (Free/Paid options)
  - There are many teleprompter apps available for mobile devices. See for example Video Teleprompter 3. Similar to the desktop versions, mobile apps keep the script as close to your mobile camera as possible, so it looks like you're speaking directly to your audience.
Before hitting the record button, here are some things you can prepare or consider to ensure the best video and audio quality possible:
1. A quality webcam (minimum 720p) or mobile phone with a camera
- Whether you record on your computer with a webcam or using a separate camera is up to you. However, if you find your webcam produces grainy or unclear videos, consider recording with your mobile phone instead.
- Most mobile phones today will have a better camera than a webcam.
- Creative use of a stack of books or duct tape also allows us to position the camera at a more natural angle than traditional webcams allow. No up-the-nose views!
2. Good lighting
- A poorly lit room can lead to very grainy footage, so test your lighting before you start recording. Simple tips:
  - Turn on all the lights in your room or record during the day next to a window.
  - Position a lamp directly in front of and above your face to avoid backlight.
3. A quiet room or a microphone
- Good audio is essential. This means cutting down background noise as much as possible. You can do this by:
  - Choosing a quiet corner to record.
  - Eliminating environmental sounds as much as possible (turn off fans, close windows).
  - Using earphones with an attached microphone or an inexpensive lapel microphone (also known as a Lavalier microphone).
Using the storyboard template, plan for the content of your lecture videos to be chunked into smaller bite sizes. An ideal duration for a single segment of recorded lecture videos is usually shorter than 15 minutes.
How to chunk your videos using Camtasia

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Education Excellence

Education Excellence

Teaching with Video

Camtasia

Monash Malaysia Licensing

Panopto

Tips on video recording

Writing your script

Functionality	Panopto	Camtasia
Recording
Record your screen	✔	✔
Record a talking head video from your webcam	✔	✔
Record from a lecture hall	✔	✘
Record directly from Moodle	✔	✘
Editing
Add and cut out video parts	✔	✔
Add third party audio and video	✘	✔
Add animations, visual elements and text	✘	✔
Edit audio (noise reduction, etc)	✘	✔
Accessibility and Interactivity
Auto-generated captions	✔	✘
Easily generate chapters or bookmarks	✔	✘
Students can add comments	✔	✘
Record directly from Moodle	✔	✘
Hosting/Distribution
Upload directly to Moodle (100mb limit)	✔	✔
Host on own server and embed in Moodle or share via links (no size limit)	✔	✘