Kaltura

MATSE 400: Crystal Chemistry requires students to build complex 3D models of crystals. In a traditional lab situation, the instructor walks around the room to assist the students while they build the 3D models. The video above provides the online students an opportunity to see the intricate details of the model building process.

PNG 301: Introduction to Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering is a fully online course where students are required to solve complex mathematical equations. PNG 301 makes use of the Dutton Institute’s lightboard to record the teaching assistant as he works through a series of practice exam questions.

Video allows students to observe the behaviors of specific materials. Seeing the ball respond differently to materials which look alike illuminates the impact of underlaying structure, making it easier to grasp the concept. Even if the chemical structures involved were depicted in a drawing, the impact of the structures to dislocation in motion is not intuitive, so actually demonstrating the behavior helps us to understand and retain the concept.

Video-based asynchronous discussions are an excellent alternative, or addition to, text-based discussions. Video-based asynchronous discussions utilize an app to create a group discussion or sharing opportunity where students record short videos of themselves and respond to their peers' posts via video. Video discussions are very effective at creating social and teaching presence and increased collaboration.

Communicate respect for your students by learning the correct pronunciations and preferred versions of their names and by allowing space for pronoun sharing. Avoid mispronouncing student names in class, which usually results in discomfort for everyone involved. This is especially important because research has shown that students who are uncomfortable are less likely to perform well.

Research has shown that videos requiring high student interactivity can improve learning. This video is unusual in that it was used as a data source for conducting a time and motion study. The video contains no words, just unedited footage of harvest operations. This video was one of many utilized in ABE 885: Biomass Harvest and Logistics. The goal for students was to learn by doing, so students timed the field operations shown and then used the data to make calculations.

Many instructors supplement their online course materials with instructor-created or third-party YouTube videos. While these videos can enhance the learning experience, they often leave students in a passive role. Current learning theory suggests that we can motivate more effective learning when learners play an active role rather than a passive role.

In this example, the instructor uses a short video to introduce a lesson on recent climate change. In the video, the instructor explains how and why his surroundings (Duke Gardens) are different from what they were 12 – 15 years ago and that the result is due to recent climate change. The video gives relevance to the lesson’s objectives and the week’s material with a visual example and explanation.

GEOSC 402: Natural Disasters, is offered during the prime time for tropical storms and hurricanes to occur. Often during this course, the instructor will send out current, relevant news articles. In addition, if a natural disaster is imminent, the instructor will post an advance message to help students focus on information that will be discussed in class following the event.

In this short, weekly announcement video (2:30 minutes), the instructor provides a good deal of pertinent information for her students.

In addition to the content of the announcement, the instructor is allowing the students a glimpse into her real life, as she is working remotely from a campsite in Florida. In other videos, she is in her office, at the Nittany Lion Shrine, etc.