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How to create and use online video content to benefit student

learning

TILT seminar, 9/25/2007

David G. Alciatore, PhD, PE (“Dr. Dave”)Mechanical Engineering

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Presentation Outline

• Example online video demonstrations• Instructional benefit of online video

demonstrations• How to find video content• Posting resources in and outside of RamCT • Demo of video capture, edit, production,

post(time permitting)

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Example video demos used in class

• video_demos.colostate.edu– selected “Hall of Fame” clips– Mechatronics clips and example student project– Camtasia MathCad demo (under

“Mathematics”) • high_speed_video.colostate.edu

– equipment– selected “Hall of Fame” clips

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Instructional benefit of online video demonstrations

• Students get excited about videos in class.– can be fun and interesting.– change of pace (and delivery mechanism) is good

• Clips can provide concrete, real-world examples– students can relate to these

• Students can view the demonstrations as often as they like– the clips are available on the Internet

• Clips can provide “access” to equipment and hardware not readily available or safe for in-class use.– a video clip can serve as a time and cost effective alternative (but

not substitute) for a field trip or lab work.

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Instructional benefit of online video demonstrations

• Live in-class demonstrations have their disadvantages.– things might not work properly– things can break or get “lost”– it can be difficult or inconvenient to obtain and/or transport the materials

and equipment.• Past student project demonstrations can be captured for future students

to see.• Demonstrations can be projected onto a large screen for the whole

class to see.• Super slow-motion reveals hidden physics

– you can see phenomenon and interactions not normally visible to the human eye.

– this creates excitement (a feeling of discovery)

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How to find video content

• YouTube: www.youtube.com (great resource)– Examples: Tacoma Narrows Bridge, Ford Pinto

exploding, human slingshot– See fun stuff in Miscellaneous video_demos– WARNING: YouTube can be an addicting time-sink

• Google search– Example: “physics video demonstrations”

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Example course website

• www.engr.colostate.edu/~dga/mech324(RamCT for quizzes only)– See “course website” and “lecture resources”– See Student View in RamCT– See quiz 2 as example (in Build view)– Online database-driven quizzes

• Custom question and value selection for each student• Encourages class attendance and reading• Automated grading, instant feedback• Despite course policies, students still “work together”

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RamCT vs. non-RamCT online contentNon-RamCT:• Don’t need to learn advanced

RamCT• Dreamweaver basics are easy• File management more

straightforward (with college support)

• Offline presentation easier (copy website locally)

• Accessible to all• Useful for non course stuff

(research results, publications, book websites, etc.)

• RamCT is sometimes cumbersome and slow

RamCT:• Auto class roster• Grade posting

(with auto stats and plots)• Grade recording

(required as of F ’07)• Great tools: online quiz,

assignments, chat, organized content, discussion, etc.!

• Auto organization and layout• Protected content

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More Demos / Q&A / Discussion

• Pinnacle Studio (free alternative: Windows MovieMaker)

– digital video editing and production• YouTube

– video posting and embedding• Camtasia (~$140)

– narrated computer demos• Dreamweaver

– web content editing(easy with edit of any “Save-As template”)

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Thank you for coming

• URLs:– video_demos.colostate.edu– high_speed_video.colostate.edu– www.youtube.com