Share Recorded Videos

Using YouTube

Videos have become a necessary and popular component of online learning. They are often used in weekly announcements, course and module introductions, online or virtual lectures, instructional and supplemental material, assignments, discussions, and even for assignment feedback. Videos are also engaging because they combine sight, sound, action, and even text.

This page describes how to upload a recorded video to YouTube so it can be embedded and more easily viewed within D2L and elsewhere. (View instructions for embedding videos on D2L here.)

Uploading videos to YouTube also solves the problem of storing videos on a local online server.

Many instructors also upload videos to YouTube because it's a convenient way of adding closed captioning and transcripts to a video for accessibility purposes. (View more information about transcripts and closed captioning here.)

Login to Your YouTube Channel

Everyone with a PSC Google Email account also has a YouTube Channel, which is where you can upload and manage your YouTube videos.

Begin by clicking the Google Apps icon next to your profile picture (in the upper right corner) in your PSC Google Email account. Then, select YouTube from the drop-down menu.

Once you go to your YouTube Channel, click "Your Videos" on the menu bar on the left.

If you are uploading your first video, you will be asked to create a profile and accept the terms of use for your YouTube Channel. You will do this as part of the process in the next step.

Upload Your Video

To upload a video, click the "Create" icon next to your account profile (in the upper right corner), then select "Upload Videos."

In the popup window (shown on the right), drag-and-drop a video file (from your computer or other local storage area), or click "Select Files" to locate the video.

Complete the Video Settings

Video Settings: Page One

There are four pages of settings for the video.

On the first page, add a title and a short description. The title is required, but the description is optional.

You can also see a preview of the video and the URL on the right (it may take a few minutes to process).

Scroll down to view additional settings on this page.

Video Settings: Page One (continued)

Click the box on the left to upload an optional image that will be used as the "thumbnail" or "cover image" for the video.

Assign the video to an existing playlist (this is optional), or create a new playlist at the bottom of this section. Playlists are useful for grouping together several videos.

Both of these are optional and can be skipped.

Scroll down to view additional settings on this page.

Video Settings: Page One (continued)

In the Audience section, designate the video as "not made for kids."

Click "Next" to advance to the next settings page.

Video Settings: Page Two

On the second page, you can add an end screen and video cards to recommend additional videos at the end of your video. Click each section to add images, or click "Next" to skip.

Video Settings: Page Three

The third page checks for copyright issues. Copyright issues may happen if the video includes copyrighted music or video clips. Click "Next" when the check is complete.

Video Settings: Page Four

The final settings page asks you to identify privacy settings. Options include:

Private - A private video can be viewed only by you and any one you specify. Once you click "Private," you can add the email address of specific people who can view the video; these viewers must use the email address you specify to view the video.
Unlisted - Unlisted videos cannot be found through a search on YouTube, but anyone who has the YouTube video link can view the video. Many instructors use this option to share videos with students.
Public - Public videos can be found by a search on YouTube, and anyone can view the video. Do not use this option if the video contains sensitive or confidential material that should not be public.

At the bottom, assign an optional publication date for the video to publish it later in the future.

Click "Save" to finish.

Confirmation Pages

The final page in the video settings provides a confirmation that the video has been published to YouTube.

The top of the page shows the video preview with a thumbnail icon, title, description, and the upload date.

The bottom contains the video URL that can be shared with students. (Note that this URL is not the same as the embed code that's required to embed a video on a D2L page.)

Copy the link to share, click on it to view the video on YouTube, or click "Close" to finish.

You can also confirm video settings by clicking the "Your Videos" link in your YouTube Channel.

This area displays the video thumbnail, title, description, upload date, and settings for visibility and restrictions.

Further to the right, you can also see the number of views and comments for the video.

Hover the mouse over the video to enable the links to edit settings, view analytics, read comments, and view the video.

Once the video is on YouTube, you can share the link with students in a variety of ways (email, announcement, link on a D2L content page, module, assignment, or discussion).

To embed the video on a D2L page, view instructions here. To copy and distribute the video transcript, view instructions here.

For more information and support, contact Online Learning.

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