1. Introduction to the Video Tutorial
TECM 4180
Dr. Lam

2. Why Video Tutorials?
“Despite the need for instruction, users still steadfastly refuse to engage with traditional printed manuals. Novick and Ward found that…an underwhelming 20% of problems were solved using a manual. Most participants gravitated toward other people (90%) and online help (75%)” (Swarts, 2012)

3. Project 3 Create a tutorial on a technical subject
Must be delivered on a screen (traditional video tutorial/ screencast, animated illustration, or web-based module)

4. Let’s Define Some Terms

5. FAQs Q: How long should the video be?
A: Probably between 4 minutes and 20 minutes.
Q: What do we do if we don’t have a camera?
A: Use your smart phone! Most smart phones actually shoot HD (720p or better) video.
Q: What if we want to do a screencast?
A: Use Camtasia! It’s free for 30 days and has FANTASTIC post-production options that are fairly easy to figure out. You could also use CamStudio (Not to be confused with Camtasia Studio); QuickTime on a Mac (No editing capabilities), Screen-cast-o-matic.
Q: Speaking of video editing, what/how do I do that?!?
A: Windows Movie Maker (Windows) and iMovie (Mac) are probably already on your computer. Camtasia (stated previously) also will have plenty of power. Watch some video tutorials on YouTube to learn how to edit video (oh, the irony).
Q: Can I do a video on how to cook something?
A: Probably not. Unless it’s something that point to a “craft” (e.g., how to cook scrambled eggs will NOT work, but how to make eggs benedict MIGHT work)

6. Let’s watch a few https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfxpwbWBNuU

7. Major components of Instructions
From Anderson, p. 574

8. Written instructions vs. Video tutorials
Advice for written instructions
How it relates to Video
Examples
“Write for rapid comprehension”
Assume viewers will be working alongside your video.
”Help Readers locate steps quickly”
Use oral and visual cues to signal where one task or step ends and another begins.
“Group steps”
Create section breaks (whether oral or visual).
Recap steps and discuss how it relates to previous steps

9. 10 rules from Swarts reading
Clear section breaks
HD or Near HD quality
Well scripted
Introduction is well structured
Audio is clean
Narrator is enthusiastic
Narrator is credible
Video doesn’t distract from audio and vice versa
Clear conclusion
Pacing was not too fast or too slow

10. In-class activity
Complete the video tutorial analysis

11. Types of video tutorials
Instructional (physical procedure or screen capture)
These should be task driven and user driven (e.g., How to use BlackBoard is NOT a good topic but How to calculate your weighted grade on blackboard is)
Explanatory/Conceptual
These should explain a difficult concept or principle to a lay or generalized audience
E.g., What is a CDO? How does it work?

12. So, what topic should you do your video on?
“Generate lots of highly specific content and let the users sort it out. This is a lesson that some forum managers are learning as well. I am not suggesting that videos be made on a 1-to-1 ratio of questions asked to videos made. That’s what a forum is for. What a video might be for is addressing issues that multiple people ask about. A robust tagging vocabulary would then help users find what they are seeking.” (Swarts, 2012)
Good Places to Start
What technical knowledge do you already possess?
What are you interested in?
What will people care about??

14. What’s the process? Pick a topic
Narrow to a very specific video tutorial topic
Research the topic
Write a script
Create a storyboard
Record
Post-production