Video Tutorial

The Challenge: Learn to make informative, engaging video tutorials. Use Camtasia software to create a tutorial on a topic of your choice. You can use the screen capture capabilities in Camtasia to share a tip, trick, or technique for a computer-based activity like a software application or website. You could even use Camtasia to share a project you have been working on in order to help explain how you did it. If you would like, share your tutorials on YouTube or other social media websites!

Camtasia Studio is a video tutorial production tool used by professionals.

Camtasia allows you to:

• Record your computer screen so you can show people your favorite software tips, tricks, and techniques

• Import video and audio files from other sources, so you can record videos of SmartLab projects

• Use edit your video by adding audio, graphics, animation, and more

*Resources at bottom of page

Challenge Resources:

Learning to use Camtasia Studio is easy. However, making a great video tutorial is more difficult, because the following have to be done well:

• Planning and scripting your tutorial

• Practicing and recording your presentation

• Editing your recording

• Adding graphics and animation

Your video tutorial skills will grow with experience, but we are going to jump right in by making a video tutorial that looks professionally made. This will give you a good overview of all of the useful tools and features in Camtasia.

Tips for Making Great Professional Video Tutorials

• • Consider Your Audience

  • This is an important step for planning any type of communication, including online tutorials. Who is going to watch your video? How old are they? How much do they already know about your topic? Your audience will determine the vocabulary you use, the length of your video, and the complexity of what you teach.

  • Decide on the goals for your tutorial

  • Clearly define what you expect people to learn from your tutorial. This will guide every step of your video. State these goals at the beginning of your video so viewers know what to expect. You may also want to repeat the goals at the end to reinforce the learning goals.

  • Write a Script

  • A script helps you carefully plan your tutorial and allows you to communicate clearly and concisely. Even great natural speakers do better when they start with a script, or at least an outline of talking points.

  • Keep It Brief

  • The length of your video will depend on your audience, but some experts recommend that you keep your tutorial videos under four minutes whenever possible. (Two minutes or less is even better.) If your topic takes a lot of time to teach, consider dividing the video up into segments, giving each one a descriptive title. (E.g. Part 1: How to create an account. Part 2: How to log into the system.)

  • Find a Quiet Place to Record and Use a Good Microphone

  • Audio quality is important. Try to record in a place without distracting noises like people, fans, and traffic. And turn off your phone!

  • Practice

  • Practice your presentation several times before recording. Be sure you can recite your script naturally while demonstrating the techniques you plan to teach. If it is difficult to coordinate speaking and demonstrating, consider having one partner do the speaking while the other does the demonstration. Another option is to record your audio and video separately. It may be easier for you to narrate what you see in the video, or to demonstrate the tasks as you hear them spoken in your audio recording.

  • Use Text, Graphics, and Animation to Make Your Point

  • Text, animation, and graphics help reinforce important points in your tutorial. They can also help keep your viewers’ attention at times when video actions are less active.

Editing Your Audio and Video:

The next three tutorials in the Getting Started series cover important aspects of editing your tutorial, including adding transitions, animations, and other visual and audio effects. If you are comfortable with the basics of Camtasia, browse the rest of the Camtasia Advanced Tutorial series for other helpful tips and techniques.

STEAM U Levels:

Student Examples:

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