Video killed the law lecturer?

After a short delay, here is the review of the afternoon session at the SWAP event earlier this week!

Phil Wane reviewed some of the technologies available to create video resources – and we’re not talking the Spielberg-type artistic or polished films, but rather short rough-and-ready clips that are designed to trigger students into either thinking about the topic or doing some further research.

Typically, Phil speaks for about 2-3 minutes on his mini ‘talking heads’ and covers anything from breaking news to updates on the module - even a short sell on ‘why you should attend the next lecture’ or a module options presentation! 

We looked at YouTube as a medium for quick and easy uploads, easy access, the possibility to make clips private to particular groups, how to remove the comment/rate features etc.  We also considered how good (or actually how mediocre) the recording equipment need be – frankly, most mobile phones have some built-in cam that could be used to record a quick session… so this is something that even the students could be asked to take up and submit short clips covering the news or a policy review.

Beyond the ‘talking heads’ we also considered other formats that could be created by using Audacity, Camtasia, Second Life videos and the CommonCraft Show, of which I’m a big fan and still planning to come up with my own version!  The subject centre’s Project Help Sheet Making Educational Movies – Without a Camcorder! was included in the pack as a useful introduction to the freebie Microsoft Movie Maker (usually comes ready installed on any PC) and also provides a guide to organizing and planning a movie clip from materials to narration and production.

I think the intention was to produce something ourselves in the session, but for various reasons we never got that far – but I will include my first attempt at a module movie that I hurriedly put together this past September for your amusement below!