2020 has taken us all on a roller-coaster ride… and it’s only August. Indeed, the spread of COVID-19 has affected the whole world and a wide range of educational institutions. Back in March, more than 120 countries closed schools and universities to help flatten the curve. This meant that over one billion children and youth were forced to take lessons from home. As we don’t know whether schools will reopen, educational institutions should be aware of these online video tools for teachers.
Video is a useful tool to have in your classroom, especially when teaching has moved online. It can help you capture and hold students’ attention, and present new information in a more digestible format. In fact, visual content plays an important role in today’s education. According to The Visual Teaching Alliance, this is why visuals should be used in the classroom:
- 90% of information transmitted to the brain is visual.
- Our brains process visuals 60,000 times faster than text.
- Visuals improve learning by 400%.
As a teacher, you have one mission — to help facilitate the learning process for your students. And you can fulfill this goal by adding video lessons to your classroom. And these online video tools for teachers can help you with that.
Let’s check them out!
Hippo Video
Hippo Video is an online video tool that helps teachers create lectures, and share them with their students. You can send your video recordings via email or share them to Google Classroom. This tool also contextually integrates with Google Slides and Google Docs.
Furthermore, Hippo Video allows you to create videos using your own webcam, audio, and screen. With this tool, you can record interviews, whiteboard explainers or even an entire web browser. And you can take each lesson to the next level with the help of annotation tools. So, hold your student attention by adding emojis, merging, erasing, or enabling mouse click highlighter.
And your students can get a taste of Hippo Video as well! Have them record assignments as video or audio, and forward them to you. In this way, they can show how they understand a particular lesson.
Cost: You can use a free plan. The paid version starts at $15.
Animoto
The market is full of online video tools for teachers, and we’ve made sure to carefully select the picks in our article. Next on our list is Animoto.
Animoto is an online video maker that is aimed both at teachers and students. Use it if you want to easily create tutorials or slideshow videos. To make a video, you only need to choose a template, and then upload your videos or photos. Animoto allows you to customize the selected template and change its colors, add text and/or music.
Furthermore, teachers and schools also use Animoto to record ads for event recaps, school fundraisers, and social media posts. As for students, they can make photo essays, student portfolios, and book reports.
If you decide to try it out, you’ll see that Animoto is a great tool for making informative, fun, and educational videos.
Cost: You can utilize its free version. The paid version starts at $33.
Moovly
The online video tools for teachers on our list make it easier to create educational content for your students. Moovly is one of them as well!
Moovly is a tool suitable for teachers who want to create video clips in just a few easy steps. Using this app, you can explain any educational topics in just a few minutes. Not only that, but you can also make flipped classroom videos with Moovly! And if you want to engage your students even more, have them send a video assignment!
You don’t need to be a video expert to create fun and engaging content with Moovly. In fact, you can record video lessons by dragging and dropping photos, videos, and music. And you can personalize everything in the video: colors, background, footage, and sound.
Cost: You can use a free plan. The paid version starts at $24.
Edpuzzle
For most educators, our next pick for online video tools for teachers remains a favorite. And you’ll soon see why.
Edpuzzle is an easy-to-use platform that turns any video into an educational one, helping you teach new lessons in a more digestible format. The video creation process is simple and doesn’t require any technical know-how. You simply find a video, add questions and your voice to it, and your creation will be ready to be shared with your class.
Moreover, this tool helps you monitor every student’s progress so that you’re aware whether or not they’ve understood a particular lesson. Another perk is that it has an online classroom component, meaning you can assign videos to individual students.
As you’re creating your own Edpuzzle lesson, you can make it a requirement for students to respond to a question before watching other parts of the video. Choose Edpuzzle if you want to turn any video into a true lesson.
Cost: You can subscribe to a free plan. The paid version starts at $11.50.
Powtoon
Are you searching for online video tools for teachers that can help you create short video presentations? There is one tool that is just what you’re looking for — Powtoon.
Powtoon is an online platform that enables you to create animated presentations and videos. After all, animations can be quite effective in the classroom, and allow you to engage your students and explain a story with impact!
Furthermore, Powtoon comes with an extensive library of live-action videos, animations, photos, soundtracks, and graphics. Alternatively, you can use your own visual content and voiceover. Once you select a template, just drag and drop the visuals you want to use.
Of course, students can also learn to utilize Powtoon and create animated video presentations. That’s how they’ll showcase their understanding of any lesson.
Cost: You can use a free version, but it comes with limited features. The paid version starts at $19.
Why Use Video in the Classroom?
Millennials and Gen Z-ers love video content. In fact, experts say that the key to Gen Z-ers are videos, especially as 62% of them watch this medium every day. So, if you want to grab a teenager’s attention in the classroom, use videos! They will be a welcome break from traditional activities that teens can find boring.
Here are other reasons why you should use online video tools for teachers to create engaging and educational content.
Video Engages the Class
During your virtual lessons, you can use texts, listening exercises, or writing activities. But, none of them are instantly engaging like videos. Students, regardless of their age, find videos appealing and even think they are a treat when introduced in class.
Whether you create a new video or use an existing one, one thing is for sure — you’ll catch and keep your students’ attention. And that’s how you’ll have a successful lesson. If the students are interested in what you’re teaching, they’ll be more open to learning and participating in different activities.
Video Motivates Students
The biggest advantage videos bring to the table is that they motivate students. As we mentioned in the beginning, students can learn more from visual materials. If you provide new information by way of video, students can easily grasp them, making them feel more confident.
Video Provides Context
Video provides strong visual cues which students can’t find in reading text and listening activities. These cues help them understand what’s happening in front of them — even when the language is hard to follow. So, if you can make a new lesson easier for your students, why not do it?
Online Video Tools for Teachers Are Your Allies!
As a teacher, you probably know how difficult it can be to motivate your students. But, you can solve this issue with the help of videos. It will be a win-win situation for both your students and you. After all, they want to see engaging content, and you want to hold their attention throughout the lesson.
So, before another school year comes, check out these online video tools for teachers, and see which one is suitable for you and your needs!
