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The production professional's guide to designing and recording an educational course

Jan 28, 2024

The truth is that the creation of online courses involves many hours of work and can be an extremely lengthy process, particularly if you produce a large number of educational videos.
    What can help you in easing course design and production? Storytelling
   
    Elise London, our video expert who produces all our in-house and marketing courses She explains that the most important thing in creating interactive course is to use stories in planning and delivering details.
   
    The ability to identify what is the most important story to tell that is the reason for the issue as well as organizing the course in accordance with the method of storytelling of hero's journey is an important factor. Here's what you must be able to do in order to design your own thrilling online video training course and the equipment you'll require.

Jump ahead:

Find the perfect subject for your online training

You don't need an original, fresh plan to develop your own online class.
   
    Select a topic that is highly sought-after. An in-depth understanding of your business's goals and the market it is targeting is beneficial. Here's how:

Find out what's resonates.

Utilize the tools for data analysis like Google Analytics to find high-performing writing pieces. Perhaps you'll find an ebook on a certain subject that performed very well? Consider expanding it into a detailed video course.
   
    It is also possible to survey your subscribers' lists of emails to discover the topics that they would be interested in taking a an online course in. The same survey can be sent to other the social media (if there's a active user on the site) and also to any communities that you are associated with.
   
    Remember that the objective is to choose an area of study that your audience has an keen interest in.

Do it deep and not wide.




    What are you able to do? Analyze the issues your audience faces when tackling an issue.
   
    It is possible to ask you:

  • What issues are our readers facing as they attempt to resolve the target problem?
  • Do you have feelings that are that overwhelming, we need to assist to overcome them?

For live streaming for instance it could result in anxieties as people begin their very first live streaming. An instructional course on this subject will include "How you can easily setup live streaming so that you don't get overwhelmed."

The best tip you can make for your course's name is to use the word "course"

While you're mulling names for your program consider what your audience experiences with regard to the problem you're trying to solve and incorporate that into your title.

Designing the structure of your online course

Elise recommends using the hero's journey in order to outline the online course of instruction. The course consists of:

  • The solution to the problems that students are facing. Find these by understanding questions folks have about your course's topic.
  • Guide them in overcoming obstacles and discovering solutions. The time is now to break the topic into segments and videos where each lesson will answer questions.
  • After that, they'll get to see the potential of transformation. Provide them with additional tools such as checklists, templates and different forms that will assist them in applying what they've learned.

This is how you can dig up your audience's needs and questions to organize and plan your course:

Ask your audience members questions about research

Instead from making assumptions, try these steps:

  • Search Reddit as well as Quora to get a list of commonly asked questions.
  • Surveys and one-on-1 calls with learners to ask questions directly.
  • Answer calls from clients who contact the support and sales teams to get answers to commonly asked issues.
  • Find the index pages of bestsellers on Amazon to gain a better comprehension of the issues they tackle with regard to their subject.

If you've hosted webinars on the topic of your course it is also possible to review questions attendees ask for details to assist you conduct your own investigation.

The topic of the class into buckets

Woman recording herself with smartphone. Image reads, "Concept > modules > video lessons"

In the next step, consider the problems and issues of your viewers to divide your subject into sections of narrative which build upon each other as you progress to the learning journey.

"Instead of saying 'We're going to teach students via Interactive Studio' (which is a broad and difficult to wrap my brain around) Instead, state "We'll be teaching the beginner, intermediate and advanced features.' That means the topics that you'll be taking in one of three areas." Elise London, Senior content production manager

Simply put the simplest sense, you must break "disparate concepts" and put them into buckets in order to make sure that looking at your course at a distance, it appears to be less daunting."

Tips to organize your class

It is important to define the course structure to meet the students at every stage during their learning. It's easy to share too much and cause confusion for students due to the trap of ignorance (a mental bias which assumes that your students know as much as you are). Make sure to check your curriculum for a clear and easy learning experience.

Create video lessons

  1. Make sure you address your students' issues in relation to the problem that a video class can solve.
  2. Give solutions to the issues which they're confronted with.
  3. Capture the video and provide additional resources to assist students in their transformation.

Videos on script-on-demand

pro tip

Script generator gif

Shooting your course video content

Tools are required.

In order to get a top manufacturing equipment kit as well as set-up for a decent production setup, you'll need the following:

  • Microphone camera (two at the minimum) and a 3 or four-point lighting kit
  • Learn Management System (LMS). This software houses the video content, making it obtainable to students. Examples include: Teachable, Podia, and Kajabi.
  • . An online platform for videos that allows you to host your video without ads and make edits and record, or even add interactivity into instructional videos. It is possible to upload to your LMS.
  • Teleprompter. Display device that displays scrolling text on the screen, which makes it easy for users using the screen to capture videos.
  • Music pedal. A budget-friendly keyboard which can be controlled via a foot that allows users to alter the orientation of your screens.

Making the perfect video-making set

Elise suggests:

1. Beware of overhead fluorescent light sources

The harsh shadows can be cast upon your face. At times, fluorescent lights flash creating a green shade as well as altering video quality's regularity.

2. Recording in complete darkness, in the absence of any natural lighting

The light of the natural environment can shift throughout the daylight. If you're recording continuously for long periods of time and the lighting quality in the video doesn't appear uniform, Elise warns. It's also an issue in the event that you want to change elements of your video by switching from one part to another one.

3. Set your cameras at different angles

The second camera can't "just give a new dimension" to your editing (which helps even if you're using scripts or even if you are capable of doing it all flawlessly in one sitting) However, it aids in breaking up the monotony of people looking at the faces of instructors."
   
    "More crucially, a second camera is utilized to conceal cuts," Elise adds. "So when you're making a presentation that won't come out all at once and you'd like to conceal it, the method by which the edit can be disguised is by using B-roll or you simply cut on a different camera."

4. A clean, clutter free background

Avoid using bright colours like magenta, orange and yellow as they can create reflections in the color and cause distraction for viewers. Use neutral tones for your background including dark blue, grey and soft white instead. They're great for photoshoots and are also comfortable for your eyes.

Recording your online video course

The recording process can be a little anxious. If you've put in the time planning and writing your course, filming isn't a big deal.

5. Make sure to use a telephone prompter

Teleprompters can help you avoid becoming stuck in the screen as trying to remember which point you need to remember.
   
    This makes recording easy and also reduces editing time "it can also enable you to maintain eye at your camera while you're looking at the display of the teleprompter," adds Elise.

6. Use a music pedal change between slides

"Instead of using a mouse or clicker which is visible in your hands, consider using an electronic musical pedal that can change the slides you're playing. It's essentially an USB Bluetooth keyboard with a left and a right. Using it means the presenter does not have to grab the keyboard or mouse in order to progress the device."

Editing the videos you have available for editing

Try to cut down on the length of your editing and ensure that you have a great viewing experience through these professional tips:

7. Make a ruthless edit

8. Incorporate B-roll to maximize participation

One method to break the monotony of talk-head footage is to swap between camera on a regular basis.
   
    In addition, you could include animations, graphics slides, slides along with videos that you have created or customized for an engaging learning experience.

9. Layers of interactivity

  • Enjoy a build-your-own-learning path
  • Check out the video hotspots listed below to dig into more teaching tools
  • Jump between sections relevant to the video's content (useful to create in-house onboarding videos)

Interactive videos boost viewer engagement increasing retention. You can also assess your students' understanding by creating video-based quizzes with Interactive.

Are you prepared to design your own online training course?

Designing a video course your audience loves can be summarized in the following way:

  • It is important to be specific in the issue you want to solve
  • Making the data into a cohesive story
  • After that, arrange the data in a way that it is easy to follow and digest

Do not forget that using the appropriate equipment can ease the burden the process of creating high-quality videos which provide a stimulating learning experience.

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