Videos are a great way to help train new employees and provide instructions for existing staff. They can be used to explain various processes in your company, or they can show off your product or service. But creating a compelling training video takes time and effort— and it won’t happen overnight!

There are many tricks of the trade that will help you along the way so that you don’t get stuck with something that looks amateurish or unprofessional. Use this guide to learn more about why employee training videos are so crucial, the different kinds of videos you can create, and tips for making effective training content.

What is Video Training?

Video training is a video that gives information to users in a way that makes it easy to understand. These videos educate new and current workers on the practices and policies of your workplace. They can teach them about specific processes or tools they’ll use in their day-to-day life.

Or, these videos can provide more background on the company, its structure, and its values. They’re often used as an alternative to traditional text-based or one-on-one training methods since they’re less expensive and make it easy for workers to absorb new information. You can do a lot with employee training videos, too (more on this later).

Why is Video Training Beneficial?

You’re probably asking yourself, “Why should I use video training?” The answer is simple: it’s an effective way to communicate a message. Video training allows you to engage your audience and provide them with information in a clear, visual way. It enables them to get answers quickly and easily, making learning more enjoyable than ever before. In fact, video training is as beneficial for workers as it is for companies.

These are just a few great reasons to use video training for your employees.

• Videos are consistent, ensuring all employees receive the same information and reducing mistakes and miscommunication down the line.

• Employee onboarding and training software simplify the onboarding process for new staff.

• People retain information better and are more engaged throughout training with video.

• Employees can revisit content easily if they have questions after their training period.

• Videos are more cost-effective since they can be reused over and over again.

Types of Employee Training Videos

Training videos are a versatile tool; many different kinds of videos exist. Here are a few different types that you may choose from:

• Instructional Videos - General videos used to educate on any topic

• Corporate Videos - Instruct employees on corporate policies and procedures

• Health and Safety Videos - Help employees avoid injuries, unsafe situations, and potential lawsuits

• Tutorials - Train workers on specific tools and machinery

• Screen Recordings - Train workers to use software and computer programs

• Presentations - Share a lecture, slideshow, or other presentation with relevant information to your employees

• Animated and Whiteboard Videos - Simplify complicated ideas and engage your audience with graphics, text, and animation

Prepare Your Lessons in Advance

As a teacher, you’re likely already accustomed to preparing lesson plans well in advance. But with virtual classroom software, the process can be a little different. You may have included the materials and resources you will use in your lesson plan, but don’t forget to think about how you will use them. How long will it take for students to complete each part of their work? What type of feedback do they need from you when they’re done with a task? How long does it take for students to respond to one another’s comments online versus face-to-face? These are all questions that should be answered before starting any new lessons.

Planning ahead also means thinking about how much time is needed—and not just in terms of hours or days on paper, but mentally as well. There are many different pieces involved in preparing virtual classes:

• Preparing materials with a screen recorder and video editor.

• Testing those materials.

• Ensure technology works correctly.

These things can be tedious tasks if you don’t do them ahead of time, but they’re essential to ensure that there aren’t surprises during class time.

Establish Classroom Rules and Procedures

Establish a clear set of classroom rules and procedures. You will have to create your own set of guidelines, but keep in mind that the same rules must apply whether you are in the room or not.

The following should be addressed:

• What is expected from the students, and what are their responsibilities? Responsibilities should include things like being on time, paying attention, completing assignments, and participating in class discussions.

• What actions will result in immediate dismissal from class? This can include leaving early or arriving late without permission, cheating on assignments, disrupting the class environment, and repeatedly not following directions.

Let Students and Parents Know How to Contact You

You can let students contact you through email or phone, depending on the situation. You can also give them the contact information for your school so that they’ll be able to reach out if necessary. If parents have concerns about their child’s performance in class, it’s best to give them your email address and phone number so they can reach out directly as well.

5 Practical Strategies for Teaching Remotely

Now that you have a better idea of how to prepare your virtual classroom, you can start thinking about practical teaching techniques that’ll make your class a success. We recommend using strategies like:

• Testing classroom software and tools ahead of time

• Becoming comfortable on screen to appear more confident and energetic

• Checking on your students regularly

• Staying flexible

• Using a screen recorder and video editor to make lessons exciting and fun

Get more details on these online teaching tips below.

Test All Materials and Tools Before Using Them

Testing your virtual classroom software, equipment, and tools before you begin is essential to ensuring a successful transition. If you don’t, you could waste valuable time figuring out what isn’t working or how to use it.

Here’s the list of things that we suggest testing in your classroom before launching the virtual class:

• Technology (computers, projectors)

• Software (video conferencing software, screen recorder, and video editor)

• Hardware (webcams, microphones)

• Internet connection

Be Confident and Energetic

If you appear nervous or uncomfortable on camera, your students will pick up on it immediately. Your discomfort may cause them to lose focus or have less confidence in the material you’re teaching them. Whenever you’re leading class, try to exude confidence and energy.

In general, you should:

• Be confident in your abilities

• Be excited about teaching

• Be energetic and enthusiastic

• Be flexible, ready for anything that comes your way, and willing to try the unconventional approach when needed

Check-in with Students Frequently

One of the best ways to keep students engaged is by checking in frequently with them:

• Have them tell you their weekly accomplishments and share any challenges they’ve faced.

• Ask what they found most helpful about the class and what else they’d like to learn from it.

• Remind students that you’re always available if they need help or just want to talk about the material.

Expect the Unexpected and Keep Your Plans Flexible

The key to successfully transitioning your classroom to a virtual setting is keeping an open mind, being flexible, and preparing for the unexpected. If you expect everything to go perfectly, then nothing will be perfect.

Having a plan in place is essential so that when things don’t go as planned, you can think on your feet and make adjustments quickly. This will keep both the students and yourself from getting upset or frustrated when something unexpected happens because everyone will know what to do next.

Don’t get mad at students if they need more time than expected; transitioning to a virtual learning environment may be challenging for them. Instead, ask what strategies would work best for them. Help them feel confident about their abilities before moving forward into new material (or simply acknowledge how hard it must be). Please don’t get mad at technology either; sometimes bad connections happen due to network issues outside of our control, but there are steps we can take to avoid losing momentum. This includes ensuring everyone has access before diving into lessons and, if necessary, installing additional software/hardware.

Use a Screen Recorder to Create Engaging Videos for Class

Whether you’re pre-recording videos to support the day’s lesson or prepping review materials for an upcoming exam, a screen recorder and video editor can be powerful tools to have at your disposal. This type of virtual classroom software allows you to record your desktop (or any other area of your computer screen) in real-time. You can play back videos of yourself demonstrating how to complete a task and then upload them directly onto YouTube or Vimeo for students to view at their own pace.

Some of the advantages of using a screen recorder include:

• With a screen recorder, there is no need for additional equipment such as cameras or microphones. You can use the same equipment already available in most classrooms, such as laptops and projectors.

• You can edit screen-recorded videos to include engaging transitions, music, voiceover, on-screen text, and more to make them more interesting for your students. This will keep their attention and ensure they absorb the information better.

• Easily shareable content with other teachers or parents who may not have access to technology like Google Hangouts or Skype but still want to participate in class activities with their children.

4 Methods for Keeping Your Students Engaged

If you’re going to be a successful teacher with a classroom fully immersed in the world of digital learning, you’ll need to find ways of engaging your students. Keeping the focus of a whole classroom full of students can always be a challenge, but it can be even more so in a virtual environment. Several methods can help you achieve this goal; check out these four online teaching tips to keep your students focused and attentive.

1. Encourage Participation in Group Discussions and Chats

Give students plenty of opportunities to take a more active role in class. It can be difficult to pay attention when you’re just sitting and staring at a computer screen for hours. But, by encouraging class-wide discussions, group projects, and chances to participate, you can keep your students active and engaged each day.

2. Play Games

Games like icebreakers or virtual trivia can help your students get to know each other and build a sense of community. Games are also a great way to teach concepts through play. For example, if you want your students to learn about different types of poetry, have them play a game where they must use rhyme schemes for their answers. This will help them understand how poetry works and what makes it unique from other forms of writing.

Games can also teach students critical thinking skills. Creating a memorable learning experience may help them absorb the material better. Finally, games are excellent ways for kids to develop essential social skills. Try to look for virtual classroom software that makes it easy to create and play games during lessons.

3. Use a Screen Recorder to Take Virtual Field Trips and Create Other Interesting Videos

Screen recording tools are great for creating videos, and they’re easy to use. With a screen recorder and video editor, you can create engaging videos that can break up the monotony of lectures and keep your students attention. This allows you to create videos about anything ranging from science experiments to art projects. Get creative with your screen-recorded videos. For example, if you’re learning about ancient Egypt, you can use a screen recorder and Google Maps to film a virtual field trip to the Great Pyramid of Giza. You will be able to create fantastic videos without being a professional videographer.

4. Have Fun!

The most important thing you can do to keep your students interested is to have fun!

• Be yourself; this is a great time to be your quirky self and have fun with your students. Try not to act like a robot, but rather be your goofy self—they’ll appreciate it!

• Be flexible and open to change. You’ll need to be open-minded about what works in the virtual classroom and what doesn’t work so well. Don’t get stuck on something that just doesn’t work for you or your students!

• Be a good role model for them by being kind even when frustrated (or asleep). They must see how much you care about their success, so they know how important it is for them too!

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the prospect of starting an online class, don’t worry. It will take some time to adjust to this new way of teaching and learning. But, with the online teaching tips above, it can be a rewarding experience for both you and your students. The most important thing is to remember that you don’t need every tool or resource at once! You may start with just a few tools and slowly add more as your needs grow. Remember that plenty of resources are available online for free if you want them—and remember, too, that many great tools come from within your creativity and imagination!

A screen recorder and video editor can be a powerful virtual classroom software. Visit us to learn more about the helpful features FlashBack Screen Recorder has for teachers.