Video Projects

Make video projects meaningful.

Like any assessment, video projects must be relevant and meaningful, meeting at least one course learning objective. You should be able to answer “Why?” for this project — why are they making a video (rather than essay, podcast, etc.), and why are they making the type of video you’ve assigned?

When considering “why a video project?” — think about what would make the content of the video unique and/or helpful. Since there are so many videos already available on YouTube and elsewhere, it’s important to focus video content more at the application, analysis, and synthesis levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy, rather than repeating facts or summarizing existing works.

One reason to use video in the classroom is its relevance outside of the classroom, which should be considered when designing the project. How can the videos that students create be useful to their activities/interests outside the classroom and/or their future academic or career goals?

Provide voice and choice.

When designing your video project, consider where you might embed opportunities for student voice and choice. Are students able to make decisions about their video topic and/or target audience? Can they choose their approach to the video (e.g. camera recording vs. slides-based)? Can they choose whether or not they work in a group? Certain aspects of the project will not be flexible so that they effectively meet your learning objectives, but other aspects provide an opportunity to give students agency in this assignment. (UDL Checkpoint 7.1)

Note: Too many choices can be overwhelming for some students. We recommend having a sample or recommended approach available for students who aren’t sure how to start. The assignment can include a statement like “Not sure how you want to record your video? One way is to use YuJa to record your webcam and screen.”

Set clear expectations.

Students have gotten used to the basic expectations for essays and quizzes, but video projects are less frequent and more varied as assignments. It’s important to be very clear about what you expect in the final product. Consider these questions:

• What is the purpose and audience of this video? (this may be up to the students, but clarify)
• How long should the final video product be?
• Does it involve research/citations? If so, how would you like those citations to be presented (e.g. verbal, in description, separate file, final slide)?
• Should it include media elements like music, sound effects, video effects, title cards, etc.?
• How will they submit this video to you and/or share with the class?
• How should closed captioning and/or text transcript be provided?

Each of those factors also affect the amount of time needed to complete the project. We recommend creating your own sample, following your assigned parameters, to help you judge how much time to dedicate to this project, both inside and outside of class time.

An additional consideration is that videos are meant to be shared with a broader audience than just the instructor. Will students be publishing their videos to the web? Embedding them on a website or ePortfolio? Sharing them with their peers in the course? This should be clear from the beginning of the project as it will impact their choices throughout the process. It also provides an opportunity for students to license their work with Creative Commons.

Lastly, as with any assignment, it’s important to clearly communicate how the project will be assessed. Rubrics are a great way to do this. A single point rubric that lists the expectations, has room for comments, and includes a points column is a natural fit for a project like this. Here are some sample rubrics for video projects:

DIGL 101 Video Project Rubric (analytic rubric approach; specific only to video quality, not content)

EDME 552 Screencast Project (single-point rubric approach; focuses on both content and video quality):

From Lehman, DuFrene, and Lehman’s (2010) article “YouTube Video Project: A ‘Cool’ Way to Learn Communication Ethics” (article appendix; single-point rubric approach):

From Bryan Alexander’s (2017) book, The New Digital Storytelling: Creating Narratives with New Media (Generated by a California State University, Chico class; single-point rubric approach):

Provide options for feedback and reflection.

Video projects are complex, so plan to set up check points throughout the assignment to help guide the process. When students submit an outline, script, storyboard, and/or production plan, they have opportunities for formative feedback from peers and instructors. Be sure to allow sufficient time for this feedback process. (UDL Checkpoints 6.2 & 8.4) 

Also, when leveraging peer feedback, it’s important to scaffold this for students. Providing them with some guiding questions will help them develop skills in constructive critique. You can also use your assignment rubric to guide peer feedback (rubric information above under “Set Clear Expectations”). (UDL Checkpoint 8.3) 

In addition to feedback from others, it is helpful to prompt students to reflect on their own experience of creating a video. When students document their learning, they are more likely to remember and apply these skills/concepts to future endeavors. This can happen during the process and/or at the end. (UDL Checkpoint 9.3) 

Scaffold ethical behavior.

When we think about ethical behavior in creating videos, we need to consider how this project will give students an opportunity to 

• create accessible videos (for a wide range of audiences) 
• learn ethical copyright practices 
• protect their own and others’ privacy 
• practice information validation skills 
• contribute positively to the media landscape 

As students plan and create their videos, have them consider those who may not be able to process it as they do. In video production, this most often means that you need captioning for folks who can’t access audio content. The content itself should also be accessible, explaining terms or references so as not to alienate the audience. (UDL Checkpoints 1.2 and 2.1) 

Additionally, that responsibility extends to respecting copyright. If any part of a student’s production is something they didn’t make/think/say, then they need to first find out if they’re allowed to use it. Then if they are allowed to use it, give credit where credit is due. Copyright considerations apply to student work too. Creative Commons licenses give students control over how their work is shared and used by others. 

If the video will be shared beyond the classroom, students will also have to think about privacy issues. If the video is an interview, they’ll need to consider the privacy of the person being interviewed. If students plan to film in public spaces, their production planning should consider their surroundings during filming. Who is in the background of the shot? Can they be identified? Considering questions like these will help students remember the privacy and security needs of others.

Additionally, researching topics and gathering material for a video provides an excellent opportunity for students to practice information validation skills. They will need to evaluate the credibility of the sources they want to use to develop their story to ensure they are sharing information that is accurate. 

Finally, at Messiah University, students are growing “toward a maturity of intellect, character and Christian faith in preparation for lives of service, leadership and reconciliation in church and society” (MU Mission Statement). They should be encouraged to reflect on how their work will contribute to the digital landscape — does their video reflect these values?