Learn how to effectively record lectures for online learning. Discover the best practices for class recording and the best apps to record lectures.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, academics were exploring the effectiveness of recording lectures for students. Recorded lectures can serve as a substitute for in-person teaching, as a reference for students who missed parts of the lecture, or as materials for homework.
However, the pandemic forced educators to start using various forms of online teaching, including recorded lectures. Now, the focus is on finding the most effective way to record lectures. Here is a guide to help.
Why It’s a Good Idea to Record Your Lectures
According to a 2021 study by Cengage, 73% of students prefer to have at least some of their courses fully online. Students find recorded lectures helpful in catching up on missed classes, accessing lectures at their convenience, and improving their retention of course material.
To support this trend, colleges, and universities are heavily investing in hybrid or fully asynchronous learning, with some upgrading classrooms with high-tech ceiling tiles that enable microphone coverage throughout the entire room.
In flipped classroom scenarios, some professors use recorded lectures as a teaching aid, assigning readings and recorded lectures for students to complete on their own time, and interactive problem-solving for the classroom.
Captured lectures allow instructors to gauge student engagement by using video analytics to determine which students watched, and for how long, and to receive feedback directly from students. Recorded content is scalable, so class size is not a concern, and because students can watch lectures whenever is convenient for them, classes can be held in any time zone.
How to Record a Lecture
Recording lectures can be done using either software or hardware. In this article, we will focus on the software approach, as many educators and businesses have transitioned to remote teaching. The use of lecture capture tools can be customized to suit various learning needs, teaching styles, and environments.
With lecture capture software, you can easily record a full lecture with just a click or add audio, images, infographics, and even quizzes to your video. Additionally, you can edit the video to give it a professional finish.
Even if you haven’t recorded a lecture before, the best lecture capture systems are user-friendly, allowing you to focus on your learners. Here are the steps you should take:
Step 1. Preparation
To ensure that the instructor is the center of attention during a lecture, it is important to have a clean and distraction-free background. Whether you’re recording a video with a presenter or a screencast, it’s essential to prepare the setting properly. Use the following checklist to make sure everything is ready before recording:
- Choose a quiet, uncluttered space with a white wall. Consider adding character with a plant or picture.
- Make sure the area where you record is well-lit, and the light is in front of you. If you want to improve the lighting, you can use a ring light for more flattering results.
- Position the computer at eye level with the camera, displaying only the upper part of the body.
- If you plan on recording your screen, make sure to disable notifications, shut down any apps that might interfere, hide your bookmarks bar, clean up your desktop, and remove any confidential information before recording.
- Before starting to record your lecture, make sure to have your video lecture software and other necessary equipment ready, such as an external microphone or a ring light.
Step 2. Record the lecture
Once your setup is complete, the most important step is to start recording. If you are recording a lecture with others, make sure to obtain their permission before starting. And, of course, don’t forget to press the record button.
Step 3. Edit the recording
After recording your lecture, it’s important to ensure that it’s polished and free of disruptions, errors, or glitches. To simplify the editing process, it’s recommended that you use lecture capture software that includes an integrated editor.
You can use this editor to trim video content and add interactive elements, such as quizzes, hotspots, and annotations, to make your content more engaging. However, it’s important to use these elements appropriately to avoid diverting attention away from the learning content. The edits should complement the learning content, not detract from it.
Step 4. Share the recording
After recording your lecture, the final step is to store it in an appropriate location. You can upload it to a learning management system (LMS), add it to a training program, or share it with a large group of employees or students. The recording can be viewed on any device, such as a laptop, computer, or mobile phone.
Best Lecture Recording Apps
You might be wondering: what is the best app for recording lectures? There are numerous classroom video recording and editing tools available, so it can be difficult to choose the best one.
However, we have selected four of the top products on the market to help simplify the decision-making process. Here is a brief summary of each solution to help you make an informed choice:
Panopto
Panopto is a video platform that enables users to easily record and share videos, search their video library, and track viewer behavior. The platform is designed to be user-friendly and can integrate with existing systems, making it a popular choice for over 1,000 businesses and academic institutions worldwide.
In addition to recording lectures, Panopto can be used for a variety of purposes, such as creating interactive video players, managing video content, and sharing institutional knowledge.
The platform offers powerful search capabilities that allow users to search their entire video library for specific moments. It also seamlessly integrates with popular video conferencing solutions like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Webex.
iSpring Suite
iSpring Suite is an eLearning authoring toolkit that offers a wide range of features for creating interactive courses, instructional videos, role-play simulations, and smart quizzes.
Users can either convert their PowerPoint presentations into SCORM/xAPI courses or create them from scratch. Additionally, users can turn Word, PowerPoint, and PDF files into interactive e-books with a page flip effect, create high-quality screencasts, and design real-life scenarios to improve communication skills.
The software also allows users to add interactive elements such as annotations, images, infographics, and quizzes to their videos and edit them for a professional finish.
ApowerREC
ApowerREC is screen recording software that allows users to record their computer screens, audio, and webcam simultaneously. It is an ideal tool for creating instructional videos, live-streaming, and capturing important moments during a workday. ApowerREC offers a variety of recording modes such as full-screen mode, custom area mode, and webcam mode. Users can also choose to record audio from system sound, microphone, or both, depending on their needs.
One of the benefits of using ApowerREC is its easy-to-use video editing tools. The software allows users to trim, crop, and merge their recordings, add text, arrows, and other shapes to highlight important information, and adjust the playback speed. Additionally, ApowerREC supports various output formats such as MP4, WMV, AVI, and FLV, making it easy for users to share their recordings on social media platforms or other devices.
Screen Capture
Screen Capture offers a free screen recorder that requires no software installation. It allows users to record their browser activity or computer desktop with sound, including their voice and computer system sounds.
The web app provides basic tools, but the desktop version offers additional features, such as the ability to select the capture area to focus only on essential elements, scheduled recording to capture online events without participating in them, drawing on videos to highlight key elements, and displaying keystrokes and mouse clicks.
The desktop screen recorder also comes with advanced recording tools. Users can use this online screen recorder multiple times without paying anything.
These are just some of the many excellent apps you can use to capture your screen when creating online lectures.
Tips for Excellent Recorded Lectures
Familiarity with your subject, people skills, and having a passion for teaching are the foundation for providing a good learning experience for your students. However, when it comes to translating that into an effective online lecture, there are some important things you can do to maximize your success. Here are some tips for creating excellent educational videos.
1. Create a script
An effective way to make recorded lectures focused and engaging for students is to create a script. Think of the lecture as a podcast and approach the scriptwriting process with that in mind. If a script interferes with the conversational style of teaching, a partial script or a set of bullet points can be used instead.
Talk through the slides and use your bullet points as a guide, making eye contact with the video camera, to deliver a strong and engaging performance. Any mistakes can be easily caught and edited later.
2. Prepare slides and visual materials
In order to keep students engaged, it is important to utilize visual materials such as slides that emphasize key points. However, it is crucial to ensure that the lecture and the slides do not repeat the same information.
3. Create a setup optimized for sound and visual quality
Experienced professors who record lectures invest in technology that optimizes their video and audio quality and creates a clean and professional workspace. For example, they use a high-quality HD webcam, a condenser microphone, and a ring light to enhance and soften their lighting setup. When recording lectures, it’s important to consider these factors to create an optimized setup.
When recording a video, it is important to consider the lighting and camera position. Bright lights behind or in front of you can obscure your face, while low lighting can make the video look grainy.
To avoid these issues, take cues from cinematography best practices and use a three-point lighting setup. Additionally, position the video camera at eye level to make the video more approachable.
Also, be sure to choose a quiet area. While you don’t need to record in a professional studio, it’s important to minimize background noise such as traffic, air conditioners, and laptop fans as they can negatively impact audio quality.
4. Show your face
In asynchronous learning, the personal connection between the student and instructor is lost. However, showing your face while speaking during a pre-recorded lecture can help establish a connection between the two parties.
5. Be natural
When teaching online, it is important to maintain a natural speaking style, just as you would in a classroom. Being too formal can hinder the establishment of a connection and trust with your audience.
6. Provide a transcript
Some of your students may be deaf or have hearing trouble, so it’s important to provide a written transcript to accompany your recording. If you wrote a script for your lecture, you can edit that to create your transcript.
Conclusion
Recording lectures can be an effective tool for remote teaching and learning. With the right preparation, equipment, and software, educators can create engaging and informative content that can be accessed at any time. By following the tips outlined in this guide, instructors can create polished and professional-looking lectures that cater to a wide range of learning styles.
With the variety of lecture recording apps available, educators can choose the option that suits their needs and preferences. Whether you are an experienced educator or new to the field, recording lectures can help you reach your students and provide them with a high-quality learning experience.
HR Future Staff Writer
