Do you have a collection of pre-recorded videos left over from the past year or two? They certainly don't need to go to waste or get lost in an archive on your computer. 

If the content is still relevant to a course you're teaching or one you'll teach next semester, then let's figure out how to reuse those videos! Here are 10 ideas:

10 Ways to Reuse Your Pre-Recorded Videos

1. Watch Party

In episode 48 of the Lecture Breakers podcast, Dr. Melissa Wehler introduced us to the "watch party" as a way to create social spaces and build community in our courses. This is a great way to reuse your videos!

With this strategy, you play your pre-recorded video during your online synchronous class time and you and your students watch it together at the same time. Now, instead of worrying about delivering content and managing logistics, you can focus on facilitating the chat and answering questions.

2. Clone Yourself

My friend is a 2nd grade teacher, and this year, she is back in the in-person classroom with her students. After teaching online last year, she started wondering how she could reuse all of the videos she recorded.

She came up with the idea to play clips of the videos during her in-person class time. As the video is playing, she walks around the room and helps students in real-time as they are working through the lesson.

If they are struggling, she is right there to guide them through that part of the video or lesson. She can pause the video if many students are struggling, or she can let the video play as she works individually with students who need additional help.

She said this approach gives her instant feedback (and makes it easy for a substitute teacher to use if needed). She said, "I'm not tied to the front of the room at the board. It's literally like having two teachers!" 

3. Amp Up the Engagement

If you had to create videos quickly, you might not have had time to add many engagement tools or techniques. Now you can go back and amp it up!

Upload your videos to a video editing tool and then add interactive elements such as clickable buttons, calls to action, music, closed-captioning, quiz questions, and more. Screencast-O-Matic is one tool that allows you do add these features.

4. Video Exchange

Do you have a video that would be helpful for a colleague to share with their students? Maybe they have a video you can integrate into your course? Here's the perfect time to exchange videos! It's like a giving a virtual guest lecture!

5. Market Yourself

Post a clip of your video on your professional website. This is a great way to market yourself for jobs, speaking engagements, consulting opportunities, and media inquiries. 

6. Offer Choice

If your video addresses the same information as a reading, consider replacing the reading assignment with the video. Or, create a choice board and give students the option of completing the reading assignment or watching the video. Choice is a powerful way to motivate students and it aligns with the Universal Design for Learning principles.

7. To Be Continued

Create a little curiosity in your course! At the end of a lecture or activity, leave students hanging with an open-ended question that can only be answered if they watch your video as the next step. For example, if you are doing a case study in class, don't reveal how it ends. Instead, tell students the case will be continued and concluded in the video.

8. Flip It

Of course, you know I have to share a flipped classroom strategy! Ask students to watch your video prior to attending class. Be sure to give them something to DO with the video so they come to class prepared and ready to participate.

Note: Don't flip every lecture. It's the quickest way to burnout for your students. Be selective and intentional with the videos you choose for the pre-class work. 

9. Grab a Clip

Use a tool such as Headliner to grab a clip of your video or audio. Then embed it in your discussion forum, course website, or collaborative document (such as Google docs), and create discussion questions about the clip. You can also embed a clip in a blog post or article, or post to social media for other types of engagement and interaction.

10. Resource Library

Create a resource library in your learning management system or course website. Organize your videos by topic or theme and link to the library as needed throughout the semester to give students more information or support.

 

And there you have it! Ten ways to reuse your pre-recorded videos! I hope this list inspires you to dig out some of those videos and use them in new ways. Do you have another idea to share? Post it in our Lecture Breakers Facebook group!

 

 

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