10 Questions

What do you want to achieve using video in your lesson?

With each media project that you plan to start in the future, we recommend that you first ask yourself a few questions that may help you in better analysing and carrying out your project.

• Objective
  What is the objective of the video/media project? Information, instruction, awareness raising? Do you want your video to introduce a subject, stimulate activity, affect or move the learners, enable the learning, or demonstrate and show something that cannot be shown by any other means? Each of these objectives may require a different approach.

• Target audience
  Are you creating video or media for your learners or for teachers to use? What age are these learners? How can your specific audience be addressed in the most effective way by this media?

• Media selection
  Is video the most effective means to support this particular learning and teaching activity? Or is there another more effective way of teaching this particular topic or subject?

• Duration
  How long should the video be? Don't forget to consider your specific target audience but also where will your viewers be watching this video: in the class or at home? How long do you expect that your audience will be kept interested by this video? How much time do you need to show what you need to show? Should it be broken up into shorter pieces?

• Displaying the video
  Will viewers watch the video on their individual PC, are they watching in small groups or in the classroom altogether? This too can have an effect on how your overall concept.

• Distribution
  Is the video only intended for use inside your own classroom, or will it also be used by other teachers in other schools, even in other countries? You may have to take into account language issues as well as intercultural differences. Do you need translation, subtitling?

• Complementary materials
  Do you intend to create additional materials that support or accompany the video? It is best to create these together with the video and keep content and style well in line with each other.

• Deadline
  When will the video need to be finished? Is there enough time to create it in an acceptable manner, be aware that this type of work always takes more time than you expect! If there is a certain event linked to the making or the publishing of the video, is the timing realistic?

• Budget
  What budget is available? Adapt your ambition, methods, choice of materials etc. to the available budget and means. Make a realistic plan and budget for your production.