Making a welcome video is a great way to start off on the right foot with students. The beauty of a welcome video is that it doesn’t have to be a polished, professional production; it’s all about sharing a little of your personality and teaching style to create an early connection with your students.
Check out some short videos we have created for our students, inspired by a post by Jon Hvaal (Learning Designer – L&T Services) where he shared his simple video creation process.
Video 1
Made by: Ceridwen Clocherty
Made for: Academic Communication (ACOMM1000) students
Why: The rationale for this video was really to create something that the students might find interesting to watch!
Video 2
Made by: Bronwyn Mortimer
Made for: Academic Communication Skills (ACS01S1) students.
Why: We wanted to create a welcome video available for students on the unit’s Moodle page from the moment that they enrolled. The approach we took was to be friendly and welcoming, to show that they would receive support throughout the unit from approachable and qualified teachers. The overall aim is to reassure students and make them feel comfortable about the course, setting their expectations of it, while setting out our expectations of students and what they need to do to be successful in the unit.
Handy Hints:
- I scripted the video first so that I would know what to cover and the tone I wished to take. I had the script there to refer to as needed. I worked together with a colleague and we went over each others’ script first and gave feedback and then acted as camera person for each other.
- Film it in landscape and not portrait, so you don’t have the large black margins on either side of the screen. We did a continuous shot and when a mistake was made, just stopped, took a breath and then started again so it wouldn’t change the framing of the shot. I then edited it using MovieMaker and put in an intro slide.
- Have a go! Overall, I found it an easy and enjoyable experience that I’m sure will add to the unit and the students’ overall experience.
Video 3
Made by: Sarah Kent
Made for: Academic Research and Writing (ARW01S1)
Why: Collaborating with a colleague, our aim was to give students a more personal welcome to their core communications units before they even attend their first class. We wanted to send a message to our students that we, as their teachers are approachable, friendly and want them to succeed. The video is also a great tool to give students some background to the unit and outline what they will be learning over the study period. For late enrolling students who may feel disconnected from their class having missed the first week, a welcome video helps to bridge that gap.
Hopefully, one of ours may inspire you to try making one for your students. If you aren’t sure how to get started, take a look at Jon Hvaal’s time-saving process. We would love to see what you come up with!