Ruud van Zijl - Project Manager New Media Centre Delft
The New Media Centre (NMC) at TU Delft has been making MOOC's for three years. Project manager Ruud van Zijl explains that the effectiveness of video in MOOC's depends on the X-factor of the teacher in front of the camera.
NMC has developed an approach to help and assist teachers, discussing several stages and factors of making a video:
- The difference between a classroom and the camera. "The biggest challenge of teaching in front of a camera is no interactivity with the students. We advise teachers to tell the story as if they're teaching to one of their favorite students."
- Content. "The way you would explain a concept in class is not necessarily the way you should explain it in a video. Teachers need to refocus and shorten their material to make it suitable for videos."
- Scripting. "We always work with scripts, because they help us control the length of the video and serve as an autocue."
- Materials. "We advise teachers to use as little text as possible. No one can read and listen well at the same time."
- Training skills. "We prepare the teachers for every aspect of being in front of the camera: presentation, camera skills, speed of talking and calming the nerves."
- Guides. "We've developed guides for step-by-step production of video's, available online."
- Workflow. "We try not to do too much post-production, because it takes a lot of time and effort. Everything has to be prepared ahead, so the recording in the studio can be done live."
According to Van Zijl, the most important characteristics of a video for online learning are enthusiasm, showing examples, choosing one message and keeping it short.
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