Online Videos: What Every Instructor Should Know

Abstract

Abstract With the rising popularity and prevalence of online education—ranging from courses that blend online and in-class instruction to massively open online courses (MOOCs)—interest in video as a medium for instruction has become more widespread. Most online learning platforms include capabilities for video-based instruction, but instructors and instructional designers often have little experience with video production, nor are they aware of relevant research that investigates student engagement and learning with video and the best practice recommendations that arise from those investigations. In this paper, we first review previous research on video and video instruction to highlight historical trends and research milestones. Second, we summarize how online education has expanded the research knowledge base and revitalized interest in video as a medium. Third, we recommend best practices for instructors and instructional designers producing video for their classes. And finally, we propose future directions for investigating video in online learning contexts.