Using multimedia
Video and other forms of multimedia are valuable tools for learning and teaching. Multimedia describes any combination of one of more forms of media, such as images, sound and text. Multimedia can be used to communicate concepts and content in engaging ways, bringing complex learning concepts to life and demonstrating action and procedures in a richer way than just text.
Video can also be a great way to connect with students where there are fewer opportunities to establish a social rapport between educators and peers in blended or online settings.
Expand the accordions below to learn about the benefits of using multimedia and teaching and tips for creating multimedia.
Benefits of using multimedia
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Multimedia can be used for a wide range of purposes in teaching. Expand the accordions below to learn more about how multimedia can be used in teaching.
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Supported activities Example Lecture capture, workshop capture Students can access and review course content videos and use them in ways that support learning. Teacher (and student) created original content, Third party resources Record, edit and embed in Moodle different kinds of videos for students about course content and activities.
Easily organise and share video content online and in person.
Demonstrations of discipline based practice Record demonstrations of teaching activities in physical spaces as exemplars. Interactive videos Embed quiz questions in a video to increase engagement or gather feedback. Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality Create virtual environments for students to explore that would otherwise be logistically difficult, expensive to access or unsafe without appropriate training, such as labs, factories or hospital environments. For more information, see Use Multimedia for creating content.
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Supported activities Examples Submission of video assessment items Students can generate content and create video as a part of assignment submission. Interactive videos Embed quiz questions in a video to increase engagement or gather feedback. Interactive H5P activities Allow students to self-assess their own understanding and learning in interactive ways with simple interactive activities such as drag and drops, image hotspot, etc. Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality or 3D simulations Provide authentic and relevant learning experiences with simulated environments that would normally be logistically difficult, expensive to access, or unsafe without appropriate training, such as labs, factories or hospital environments. For more information, see Create Learning Activities using Multimedia.
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Supported activities Examples 1:1 consultations Hold virtual 1:1 consultations with your students to answer questions or provide support. Student group project meetings and collaboration Students can meet virtually to work on group projects using Zoom, google documents, etc. Enhance online presence Provide weekly video posts that preview/review of the unit topics, offering signposting of the relevance of concepts and activities in the wider course. Learning activities synchronously involving in-person and virtual cohorts (hybrid-concurrent) An in-person cohort can meet virtually with another cohort and undertake learning activities together in real time. For more information, see Use Multimedia for Communication and Collaboration.
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Supported activities Examples Use of video in the assignment brief Present students with a video based scenario to respond to. Use of video in a quiz/exam question Provide more context or information or as content. Record performances/practice for assessment and feedback Students can submit a recording of me demonstrating my knowledge/skill as part of their assessment. Video feedback (from teacher to student, peer to peer) Record feedback talking to the camera with screen capture of annotation on student work. For more information, see Use Multimedia for Assessment and Feedback.
Tips for using multimedia
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Here are some recommendations to consider when creating multimedia to ensure you create high-quality teaching resources. You can contact your faculty educational designer to see what existing AV equipment and resources may be available to you.
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Consider how you will use multimedia in the context/structure of your teaching.
- Clearly signpost how you would like students to engage with the content, for example writing instructions for what you want students to do and why.
- Add activities around your content, such as questions before and/or after, for students to engage with in conjunction with multimedia content. This can increase learner engagement with the content.
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Planning is important to ensure you convey all the important information in your content.
- Prepare a list of key items to be covered, this can be a list of dot points or checklist or a storyboard depending on the content and complexity of your content.
- Consider how you will match the visuals on screen with your audio. Try to show on screen what you are describing in the audio at the same time, for example sharing text or images on slides, sharing your screen and making annotations.
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Breaking up your content will make it easier and more digestible to process for your students.
- Focus on one single key concept or theme at a time. Consider breaking your content into multiple chunks, each covering a single key concept or theme.
- If using presentation slides, keep each slide focused on a single key concept or theme and avoid simply reading text from your slides. Instead expand upon your dot points. If you leave sufficient blank space, you can even illustrate points with on-screen annotations
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There are existing resources available that you can use to create multimedia.
- You can produce good quality audio using only your smartphone or laptop/tablet device. However investing in better recording equipment makes a big difference in the presentation, professionalism and longevity of your content. Contact your faculty educational designer to see what existing resources may be available to you.
- You can film in dedicated Microstudios at various Monash campuses if you require a quiet and professional studio environment.
- You can use existing multimedia from Youtube or the internet in your teaching within copyright and usage guidelines. It is recommended that you use existing resources created under the Creative Commons licence. For more information, see copyright and teaching.
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Creating multimedia requires an investment of time and resources. It is recommended that you create resources that will have longevity and that can be used over a number of teaching periods.
- You can produce good quality audio using only your smartphone or laptop/tablet device. However investing in better recording equipment makes a big difference in the presentation, professionalism and longevity of your content.
- Where relevant, avoid being too specific about content. For example, in a video introduction to the unit avoid referencing specific learning activities in specific weeks, instead give a broad general overview of what learning content that will be covered. This will allow you some flexibility and allow you to reuse your content even if there are some changes.
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- Find the quietest part of your home to record from, limit ambient background noise by closing any windows and doors and turn off electrical equipment, such as fans and heaters. Ask those around you to be quiet, or ideally move to a place where you won't be disturbed.
- A clear uncluttered background is recommended. Remove anything in the background that is too distracting or reflective or find a blank wall to record in front of.
- Film yourself facing a source of natural light, such as a window. If this is not possible, try to introduce sources of indirect light to improve your lighting. Lighting that is too bright or dim will reduce the video quality. Avoid strong direct sources of light which will cast heavy shadows and avoid filming with a source of light behind you which will make you appear as a dark silhouette.
- Place the camera at eye level to create the sense of a direct engagement with the viewer. If you’re using a USB webcam, you could put your camera on top of the monitor or invest in an inexpensive tripod. If your camera is a part of your laptop, but is not located at a flattering angle, consider propping up your laptop on a stable surface to improve the camera angle.
- Place yourself in the centre of the frame, you should leave some space above your head and try to try to include your shoulders in the frame.
- If you are using your phone to record video, use the front facing camera and record horizontally. Investing in an inexpensive tripod may also make the filming process easier.
- Small mistakes can be easily fixed with editing. If you make a small stumble, take a breath, and continue from your last sentence. A single perfect take is an unrealistic goal.
Note: If you have notes you will refer to during the video, try to position them near to the camera so you can maintain eye contact with the camera when you look at your notes.
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Clear audio is vital in order for students to hear and understand your content. It is recommended that you use an external microphone or a headset with a microphone. Your faculty can order a headset through eSolutions.
- Before recording, conduct a sound test to make sure your speaker/headphone volume is at a reasonable level. Be very mindful of room noise, like air conditioning when you listen back to your test recording.
- High quality audio makes a big difference in the quality and accessibility of your content. You can produce good quality audio using only your smartphone or laptop/tablet device. However investing into better recording equipment makes a big difference in the presentation, professionalism and longevity of your content.
- Avoid placing your microphone too close or directly in front of your mouth. Place the microphone to the side and down from your mouth or keep it under your chin. Words containing strong “Tt” and “Pp” and “Ss” sounds said directly into the microphone can make your audio sound sharp and unpleasant.
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Video is a powerful student engagement tool that can provide connection to their educators and peers and opportunities to establish a social rapport, especially in blended or online units where students may have less opportunities to meet their teachers and peers.
- Videos filmed in an informal setting are more engaging to students than professional looking studio locations.
- Share your real experiences and incorporate something from your own teaching background to make you seem more real, present, and familiar to your students.
- Where appropriate, use student’s names to personalise online engagement.
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While multimedia benefits by presenting content in both visual and auditory ways, following accessibility principles in your work not only benefits users with identified disabilities, but makes for a better user experience for everyone. For more information, see Accessibility in Moodle.
- Ensure videos have closed captions. With Panopto, you can quickly generate automatic captions in English and other languages.
- Provide links to download files, transcripts or slides that appear in the video.
- Consider breaking long videos into shorter segments by topic or theme to make content more digestible.
- Make it easier for users to see and hear content. For example, make sure your audio is clear without any background music. If you are presenting slides they shouldn’t contain too much text per slide and text should be large and high contrast with the background to be easily readable.
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Many forms of media online are protected by copyright, for example popular licensed music. As an educational institution, it is permissible to use some copyrighted material in teaching at Monash University under certain circumstances. For more information, refer to the library guides.
Another option is to use media covered under Creative Commons licence, which allows the reuse of content provided that licence terms are followed, such as attribution to the original creator. You can also use Copyright free images, which have no conditions. If you want to use resources that are not covered under creative commons, you would need permissions. For more information, see Short Courses Permissions and Obtaining Permissions.
Note: If you have shown YouTube clips in your Zoom class, ensure your Zoom recordings are shared with your students only (your unit Panopto sharing settings should limit access to only your student by default). Recorded Zoom meetings containing copyrighted material should NOT be made widely available to the public, such as YouTube or other platforms.
To search for images covered by the Creative Commons licence:
- Search for an image using Google image search.
- Below the Google image search toolbar, select Tools.
- From the "Usage Rights" dropdown list, select Creative Commons licences.
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The Education Performance Standards identify the expectations of education practice at Monash – See the Education Performance Standards for more details.
Impact on student learning
Impact on educational knowledge
Impact on educational environment
Effective teaching and learning
Responsive program design
Student- centred orientation
Professional learning engagement
Pedagogical content knowledge
Education research performance
Education innovation
Education leadership
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You could address these Practice Elements by providing evidence of how you:
- Improve teaching practices through the use of empirical evidence on the outcomes of pedagogical innovations
- Adopt evidence-led rationale for unit/ course design
- Provide targeted or personalised support to students through the use of data Empower students to reflect upon their learning through the use of learning analytics
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You can use the tabs on the left-hand side menu to navigate between the sections or click on the links below:
- The How-to section provides you with instructions and/or strategies to implement in your teaching.
- The Supporting your students section provides you with key strategies for creating a good learning experience and a list of resources to share.
- The Related resources section provides you with additional resources.
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