Academic Development Group College of Science, Engineering & Health

— Canvas – Welcome Video How to guide

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Canvas – Welcome Video

A welcome video is the first thing students see upon entering your course, it shows that you are prepared and provides a good first impression for your students. It is also an easy way to make connection with your students from Week 0.

14 Elements for Canvas Success

The 14 Elements for Canvas Success were built using components of the Digital Learning and Teaching Framework Threshold Standards that deliver on the principles of connected, clear, aligned, inclusive, consistent learning experiences in our courses. The key Digital Learning and Teaching and Framework Standards were translated into a meaningful look and feel in Canvas, allowing the LMS Champions, course coordinators and teachers to confidently create a course that meets RMIT’s aspirations.

Overview of the 14 Elements for Canvas Success - Dr. Hilary Wheaton, Senior Educational Developer, RMIT Studios.

Welcome to the course page: No. 4 - 14 Elements for Canvas Success

Welcome video promotes the course and should be consistently resusable in multiple deliveries of the course. Ensure that any specific semester delivery information appears in the announcement (no. 2 Introductory announcement) The welcome video includes the following generic promotional information to engage students:

• Who you are and your interest in the course • What the key concept/ideas of the course are • Why these concepts/ideas are important and they need to know • How students will benefit from the course • When to be present. • Encourage participation online.

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What does a welcome video look like?

A welcome video is usually presented as a “talking head” or “head shot”. This is where the presenter speaks directly into the camera, giving the impression to those watching that they are speaking directly to them. Have a look at the following videos, they are all “head shot” presentations, using different techniques, with varying difficulty.

Ruth Lister, Course Coordinator, Crim Theory, RMIT, has used an iPad and tripod, props and a variety of backdrops to create an engaging welcome video for her students.

Phil Mcconnel, Swinburne University used a selfie stick and his mobile device to capture himself onsite for his first year aviation students.

This video of Dr. Neale Jackson is a typical 'talking head' example, shot in the office environment.

The lecturer in this video, found on YouTube, has used a webcam to capture herself to produce this overview of her online course requirements.

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How do I create a welcome video in Canvas?

The type of video you create will depend on:

• How confident and skilled you are at capturing and editing video • Whether the video you are creating will be used for more than one semester • How you feel best to engage with your students

With the advancement in technology, there are a lot of tools, hardware and software, available that help staff to create and publish videos. Within Canvas there are three main options for using video in your Canvas course site via the rich content editor.

• Use the Canvas video clip tool within the rich content editor in Canvas.

• Add YouTube video using the rich content editor in Canvas

• Embed iFrame video stored on a video platform such as Vimeo or YouTube using the

rich content editor in Canvas.

• Upload captured video to ARC and embed using the rich content editor in Canvas.

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Where to get help?

The Canvas Community has an extensive list of guides and videos on the various Canvas tools that is updated regularly. The following table outlines the pros and cons to using the various video options in Canvas. Ultimately the way you capture and publish your welcome video will depend on personal preference and confidence and skill level with the video hardware and software.

Tool Pros Cons Guide/s

Video Clip Tool

Quick to use. Records video directly from the editor using your webcam and microphone.

Need access to microphone and webcam. Closed captions are not generated automatically, you need to upload a text file of your script.

How do I record a video using the Rich Content Editor as an instructor? How do I add captions to a video?

YouTube YouTube automatically generates closed captions (you do need to proof these though).

Video is captured external to Canvas. Need access to a web enabled device to capture and upload video.

How do I link to a YouTube video in the Rich Content Editor?

Embed Depending on the video host service closed captions are automatically generated. Service provides embed code which can be customised for size etc.

Video is captured external to Canvas. Need access to a web enabled device to capture and upload video. Need to know how to copy embed code.

How do I embed iFrame videos using the Rich Content Editor?

ARC Video file size does not contribute to the course file size limit. Closed captions are automatically generated and easy to edit, generally 85% accurate.

Video uploaded to ARC via the rich content editor is only accessible to the course it is uploaded to. Video is captured external to Canvas.

How do I use Arc through the Rich Content Editor in Canvas?

Note: You are encouraged to use closed captioning for any video you create for your course. Providing closed captions on your videos meets the WCAG accessibility standard 1.2.2. (Captions are provided for all prerecorded audio content in synchronised media, except when the media is a media alternative for text and is clearly labeled as such). RMIT’s Creating video, audio and animation content procedure outlines that Video and audio content must meet the accessibility standards provided in the Web Accessibility Policy particularly with regard to Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 (WCAG 2.0) to AA standard. For information on meeting AA standards please refer to the Creating Accessible Video and Audio Instruction.

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How to capture video using a mobile device

Camera tips

Camera: Use the back camera when capturing video as it has a higher quality camera

Camera: Make sure you don’t obstruct the camera or microphone with your fingers

Camera: Focus – Set the exposure by touch and hold on the screen then move your finger up or down to adjust the exposure.

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Camera: Auto-focus – press down on desired focal point to lock focus and turn off autofocus to prevent “focus hunting”.

Camera: Pinch to zoom (be aware that this diminishes the quality of the video – it is best to physically move closer)

Lighting: Try not to film with the light behind you. Make sure the light is in front. You can use a simple light source such as a desk lamp.

Framing: Always capture video in landscape mode, you can switch to wide.

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Movement: Try not to have a shaky camera – use a tripod or something stable to eliminate movement.

Sound: If possible use an external microphone, if not make sure you are in a quiet environment. Do a test shoot to gauge the sound quality.

TIP: Put in airplane mode so you don’t receive email alerts or phone calls during filming.

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Tips

Watch the video: How to make educational videos for teachers Teacher and photographer Jens Emil Asp has two years of experience behind the camera making educational videos at university level. Here is his take on: “How to make educational videos”.

Script

Before you record your video it is a good idea to first creat an outline of the key points you want to cover. This assists with making sure you cover all these points and produce a video with a smooth and logical flow. It will also assist with keeping your video to a reasonable length, on average you should aim for 3-5 miutes. Key Points to include:

• Provide a brief self introduction • Your role in the course • Importance of the course guide and where to access • Who you are and your interest in the course • What the key concept/ideas of the course are and why they are important to know. • How students will benefit from the course • When to be present • Encourage participation online

Note: Make sure your video is simple and straightforward

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Step 1 – Create and upload Video to Google Drive

1. Install Google Drive on your mobile device via the App store/Google Play. 2. Capture your video and select share/upload. 3. Select Google Drive and select MyDrive, select the folder or create a new folder to

upload the video to. 4. Select save here. 5. Select upload.

Note: If you don’t have Google Drive on your mobile device you can also select email from the share/upload option.

Step 2 – Download Video from Google Drive

1. Go to Google Drive and select the folder where you saved your video from your mobile

device. 2. Right click the video and select download. 3. Download the video to your hard disk. 4. Your video is now ready to upload to Canvas. We recommend you use ARC to upload

your video to Canvas. Please note: There are two options to uploading videos to ARC. You can choose between uploading to your personal account which means you can access the video across multiple courses and share with others or you can upload directly to your course where your video is only accessed from within that course. The following instructions outline how to add a video to ARC via your course site.

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Step 3 – Upload video to Canvas

• Login into Canvas - https://rmit.instructure.com/ • Go to your Canvas sandpit or course site.

• Select Modules

• Select the page “Welcome to …”

• Select “Edit • Highlight “[Insert your welcome video here]” • Select “Arc” from “More External Tools” in the rich content editor • Select “add” • Select “Browse Files” and select the video you downloaded from Google Drive.

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• Select the bubble icon in the top left hand toggles comments on and off, if you do not

want your stuents to comment on your welcome video click to turn off. • Click on the video to insert into Canvas • Select Save at the bottom of the page

Step 4 – Adding Closed Captions

• Select “Save” to view the video embedded in the Welcome page. • Select “CC Captions” to automatically generate captions or select Upload if you have a

typed script • Select “language” • Select “Request” • Select “review & publish” and “Edit” • Note: The system emails you when your captions are ready for review

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• Review the captions produced and edit where necessary. • When finished select “Publish” • Turn on CC and play the video to review

Copyright

It is NOT OK to use an image you have found on Google or music you found on YouTube without owning or licensing the copyright. RMIT Library provides important information on copyright. The guides available include:

• YouTube and Hangouts on Air • Creating Video, audio and Animation Content Procedure • RMIT Library Copyright Guide • Images, photos and artistic works

Additional Resources

Creating a Welcome Message SEH Instructional Site for Teaching and Educational Resources (SISTER) DIY Video guides SEH Instructional Site for Teaching and Educational Resources (SISTER) Welcome Video Guide RMIT Studios has created a guide to making welcome videos for your Canvas course. The guide includes script outlines for delivery modes and tips to get the best results when recording Library News RMIT staff: learn more about streaming video.