The Importance and Creation of an Introductory Video for Online Courses

Building on the previous webinar on Creating Instructor Presence in the Online Classroom, this webinar looks specifically at the importance of creating an introductory video in your online course. Research has shown that “humanizing the online learning environment increases the student’s comfort level, and reduces the psychological distance between the instructors and students (DuCharme-Hansen, Dupin-Bryant, 2005).” So how can an instructor help to humanize their course? The easiest way is to develop an introductory video that students would watch at the beginning of the semester to help them ease into the course.

This webinar will cover the following topics:

• Research on the importance of introductory videos

• What information should be included in the introductory video

• What tools are available to develop and produce an introductory video

• How to share the introductory video in Blackboard

Source: DuCharme-Hanson, R. and Dupin-Bryant, P. (2005). Course Planning for Online Adult Learners. Tech Trends March/April 49 (2), 31-39.