Running Head: CREATING QUALITY VIDEOS

M.S. in Instructional Science and Technology

California State University 
Monterey Bay

CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY

MONTEREY BAY
  
Creating Quality Videos for School Projects
 
CAPSTONE REPORT
 
Submitted in partial satisfaction of requirements of the degree of
 
MASTER OF SCIENCE in
 
Instructional Science and Technology
 
Joan Johnson Miller
 
December 11, 2020
  
Capstone Approvals: (At least one advisor and capstone instructor should approve)
 

__Dr. Farrington______________  ___________________________ _____________

Advisor Name                                 Signature                                       Date
 
___________________________  ___________________________ _____________
Capstone Instructor Name              Signature                                       Date
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Table of Contents
Executive Summary.............................................................................................................3
Introduction..........................................................................................................................4
Background..........................................................................................................................4
Problem Description........................................................................................................4
Target Audience and Context..........................................................................................5
Environmental Scan.........................................................................................................7
Literature Review............................................................................................................8
Solution Description............................................................................................................9
Project Goals....................................................................................................................9
Learning Objectives.........................................................................................................9
Proposed Solution..........................................................................................................10
Instructional Principles and Learning Theories.............................................................12
Media Components........................................................................................................14
Challenges......................................................................................................................15
Methods/Procedures..........................................................................................................16
Design and Development...................................................................................................16
Resources...........................................................................................................................17
Timeline.............................................................................................................................18
Evaluation and Testing........................................................................................................2
Conclusion...........................................................................................................................4
References............................................................................................................................6
Appendix A..........................................................................................................................8
Appendix B..........................................................................................................................9
Appendix C........................................................................................................................10
Appendix D........................................................................................................................11
Appendix E........................................................................................................................13
Appendix F........................................................................................................................14
Appendix G........................................................................................................................15
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Executive Summary

Ms. Shelley Wessels, (“the client”), serves as a credentialed teacher at Silver Creek High
School (SCHS), on the East Side of San Jose, California. She teaches a variety of classes,
including Sociology, Social Problems, and Economics, in which students are required to create
videos on topics relevant to each course. Ms. Wessels requested an instructional program
designed to teach her students how to create quality videos that accomplish the assigned task and
clearly communicate their intended message.
The goal of the project was to create a learning program tailored to the schedules,
resources, and objectives of Ms. Wessels’s students. Housed on a Weebly website, an
asynchronous e-learning course was created to guide the students through the major stages of
video production, from script preparation and scheduling, through filming and editing.
Information was also provided on how to form a video production team, and the roles and
responsibilities of each team member. The course was delivered in a flipped-classroom model,
allowing the students to better understand how to approach a video-making project prior to self-
assigning roles and exploring the assigned topic in the classroom.
The video-making course was assigned to a total of 64 students in Ms. Wessels’s two
economics classes, who served as the beta testers for the program. A pre- and post-course “30-
Second Video Challenge” was assigned and graded by two professional filmmakers who
assessed whether the student’s filming skills improved as a result of the course. The video
challenge was not able to assess their editing skills because it was determined prior to
development of this course that the students typically had no pre-existing editing skills. A post-
course student survey was conducted for developmental and usability testing of the course
modules. The results of the survey and video challenge, as well as feedback from the client,
provided the necessary guidance to revise the course for future users.
After completing this course, the students were assigned a seven-minute video project
wherein teams pitched a concept for a new business. In reviewing these videos, I saw that the
students used their new filming and editing skills with a high degree of competence, and
demonstrated a distinct improvement over their pre-course videos. Ms. Wessels and I both feel
that the final videos were significantly better than the products produced by her students last year
when given a similar assignment. Ms. Wessels expressed satisfaction with the video-making
course and plans to continue to use it in all of her courses in the future.
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Introduction

Background

Ms. Shelley Wessels approached the CSUMB Instructional Science and Technology
department requesting a learning program that would teach her high school students how to make
videos for school assignments. She feels that having her students make videos about social
problems, government issues, and economics concepts would help them engage with the class
material and foster collaboration and critical thinking in her students. However, Ms. Wessels
does not have personal experience with video-making tools and techniques and felt she needed
assistance from someone who understood both video production and instructional systems
design. I was in a unique position to help guide Ms. Wessels and her students because I worked
in the film industry, including producing documentaries, for nearly two decades. Because of
this, I served as the subject-matter expert (SME) for this course.

Problem Description

The East Side Union High School District (ESUHSD), headquartered in San Jose,
California, administers 19 public high schools with a combined enrollment of approximately
24,500 students. The student diversity profile shows that about 45% of students are Asian, 44%
are Hispanic, 5% are White, with the remainder of the students being either African American or
Multiracial. ESUHSD is committed to ensuring that equity and inclusion are essential values
within their school system, and that each student is fully supported in both their social-emotional
needs and academic needs. The district strives to ensure that “all learners engage with tasks that
develop the strategic thinking skills for full participation in their local communities and the
global society” (“Superintendent’s Letter,” 2020).
In 2015, ESUHSD created an Educational Technology Plan stating that technology
should be used by students and teachers “as a transformative device…(to) foster and drive
critical thinking, collaboration and communication at high levels, creative thinking, and the
development of things that are new or innovative” (“Educational Technology,” 2015). Though
this wording is nearly identical to prevalent descriptions of “21st Century Skills,” the plan doesn’t
mention 21st Century Skills specifically. Many education experts feel that student-lead video
production is an ideal way to develop 21st Century Skills, but the ESUHSD plan does not refer to
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video production tools, nor any specific form of technology. Nevertheless, Ms. Wessels feels the
district and SCHS encourage student video making as a way to approach the technology plan
goals. To that end, SCHS has recently invested in several new multimedia software programs,
most relevantly a cloud-based video editing software called WeVideo. However, the school and
district have not been able to provide any training for teachers, staff, or students on how to use
these software technologies. The solution was to create an online video-making course that
provides the needed training for Ms. Wessels and her students to utilize this multimedia software
to fulfill the Educational Technology Plan goals, as well as Ms. Wessels’s own goals.

Target Audience and Context

Silver Creek High School serves a very diverse student body of over 2,500 students.
Many of the students are first- or second-generation Americans, many of them fall under Title I
(low-income), and many speak English as a second language. Ms. Wessels teaches five different
courses, with a total of approximately 150 students per semester. Not all of her courses include a
video project at this time, but she is planning on expanding video assignments across all courses.
For the current Fall 2020 semester, we launched this video-making tutorial in her two economics
classes, giving us a test audience of 64 students. During the spring semester, there may be an
additional 65 students utilizing this tutorial. With SCHS’s commitment to the district
Educational Technology Plan, and the manifest purchasing of multimedia applications, it is
possible that this video course may eventually be assigned to the entire student body.
Context Analysis. As of the date of this document, and throughout the near-term
semesters in which Ms. Wessels plans to implement this learning intervention, we are in the
midst of the COVID-19 global pandemic. Most U.S. schools are closed and students are
sheltering in place in their homes, engaging in both synchronous and asynchronous distance
learning. The restrictions imposed by the pandemic impacted the design, development and
implementation of this learning program, as well as Ms. Wessels’s video assignments.
Originally, she had planned to purchase some basic filmmaking equipment for the students to
borrow, including mics for better sound, lights for better picture, and possibly a green screen kit.
My lessons would have included tutorials on using this equipment. However, Ms. Wessels
cannot feasibly loan out equipment during the pandemic, so the course was designed so that the
students could use filmmaking equipment that is readily available to them at home. For instance,
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the course modules focused on the use of smartphones for shooting video and recording sound,
and the lighting tutorial emphasized using natural and household light. In order to measure the
expediency of this plan I interviewed Ms. Wessels and performed a survey of 25 of her former
students to determine their access to the technology needed to both take this course, and to create
videos. All of the respondents reported having a smartphone, while only 16% had a video
camera, informing our decision to prioritize smartphone videography. Ninety-six percent of
students reported having a computer at home, with 72% reporting that they had reliable high-
speed internet. SCHS provides Chromebooks to any student who does not already have a
computer at home.
Ms. Wessels’s video assignments have always been collaborative, with students typically
working in teams of four. With pandemic restrictions in place, she will continue to group
students in the same manner but they will now have to collaborate remotely, which places a
heavy emphasis on the students’ needs for internet connectivity, computer equipment, and
applications that foster collaboration. We had initially been examining a variety of inexpensive
and easy to use post-production editing applications, many of which the students already had
access to on their smartphones, but that would require teams to work together in the same
location. Instead, we utilized a subscription service that SCHS paid for, called “WeVideo,”
because it allows teams to edit shared material synchronously, but from separate locations.
Prior Knowledge. The student survey also looked at knowledge of video-making skills
and attitudes towards video assignments. Only one student in the survey group had experience
with multiple video-making technologies, 52% had used a smartphone for filming, though not
specifically for a school assignment, and 36% had some experience with iMovie for video
editing. Only two respondents said they had attempted to light their videos, and none of them
attempted using any external sound recording devices. Half of the respondents had utilized stock
images, music or sound effects while the other half had not, with several expressing that they did
not know how to find these resources. In response to a question about what would improve the
video-making experience, several students said they would have liked more time, or that they
had organized their time better. This informed our decision to divide each group of four into
specific video production roles, and require the teams to create a production schedule. Many
survey respondents stated that they wished they had better equipment and better understood how
to use video editing applications.
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Environmental Scan

There are countless synchronous and asynchronous filmmaking courses, smartphone

videography classes, and books that thoroughly discuss the art and science of film and video
production. There are also several online courses that cater to teaching teens how to make films.
However, those courses take weeks, months or years to complete, and are geared towards people
whose end goal is to learn how to become filmmakers. They are not intended for people who
need to quickly learn video making techniques to meet a different learning goal. Ms. Wessels’s
students are not enrolled in a video making course; they are taking economics, government, and
sociology courses and need to quickly learn how to make videos to demonstrate their
comprehension of course materials. Therefore, they need a learning intervention tailored to their
tight schedules that delivers only the content needed to fulfill Ms. Wessels’s assignments. There
are also numerous videos on YouTube that explain how to both shoot and edit videos, including
videos on smartphone videography and the WeVideo editing application. However, these
YouTube videos are general in nature and are created by multiple individuals with widely
divergent skill sets. They are not curated into a comprehensive course that takes into account a
specific audience or learning context. This video-making course was tailored to my audience in
the following ways:
 The equipment and applications that the students have access to were featured in the
lessons, and the lessons themselves built using the same equipment and applications.
 The course takes into account COVID-19 social distancing requirements.
 The editing lessons were created using Ms. Wessels’s school WeVideo account, so the
onscreen layout and other features exactly match what the students see.
 The course guidance from Pre-Production through Post-Production conformed to Ms.
Wessels’s preferred student groupings, their schedule, and their specific workflow.
 The job aids offered in the course are specific to the client’s needs.
 The course website offers tips, tools and other information tailored to Ms. Wessels’s
students for their present and future video-making endeavors.
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Literature Review

California is one of 19 States that are working together with the Partnership for 21st
Century Skills (P21) to promote real world 21st Century learning. The P21 Framework describes
the skills, knowledge, and expertise students must master to succeed in work and life, and
include the following essential skills for success in today’s world:
 Learning and Innovation Skills (The Four C’s: Critical Thinking, Communication,
Collaboration, and Creativity)
 Life and Career Skills
 Information, Media and Technology Skills
These skills are to be learned across an expanded list of core subjects that includes Government,
Civics and Economics (“Partnership for 21st,” 2019), yet as Borovoy (2016) suggests, “not only
is the idea of telling stories with video really engaging for many kids, filmmaking is ripe with
opportunities to connect to almost every academic subject area.”
In education, documentary filmmaking and video production have blended into an over-
arching concept falling under the umbrella term of “Digital Storytelling.” Robin (2008) states:
At its core, digital storytelling allows computer users to become creative storytellers
through the traditional processes of selecting a topic, conducting some research, writing a
script, and developing an interesting story. This material is then combined with various
types of multimedia, including computer-based graphics, video clips, and music so that it
can be played on a computer, uploaded on a web site, or burned on a DVD.
This aptly describes the process that Ms. Wessels wants her students to engage in, and what this
learning intervention is being created for.
The body of scholarly articles on the merits of Digital Storytelling (DST) as a tool to
acquire 21st century skills is voluminous. DST is seen by many as an excellent way to build 21st
century skills because it perfectly blends the “Four C’s” with media and technology skills.
Niemi, Niu, Li, Vivitsou (2019) assert that DST has been found to increase student motivation,
engagement and collaboration, allowing students “to become creators, producers and discussants
rather than simply passive audience members.” Furthermore, Niemi et al. (2014) have found that
designing, shooting and evaluating videos helps students acquire knowledge that is related to
their video topics. It is for these reasons that Ms. Wessels has looked to student-created videos
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to help her students connect with each other, as well as with academic subjects that are known to
be challenging for her students.
Solution Description

Project Goals

The goal of this project is to teach students how to organize a video production
assignment, as well as the basic techniques for writing, filming and editing videos. This includes
teaching students about the different roles of a video production team so that they may make
good decisions when assigning those roles. The intended outcome is for the students to be
knowledgeable, self-sufficient and timely throughout the pre-production, production and post-
production stages of filmmaking, and for myself and Ms. Wessels to observe a marked
improvement in video-making skills. The client and I agree that the course should be able to be
taken in under two hours. Given this timeframe, we narrowed down the training to these
essential topics:
 The four major team roles and responsibilities
 The “4 S’s” Scheduling, Scripting, Storyboarding, Scouting (Pre-production)
 How to shoot videos with a smartphone (Production)
 How to edit and post a video using the WeVideo platform (Post-production)

Learning Objectives

Terminal Objective: Student teams will be able to create a 7-minute video, on time, that
incorporates learned filming and editing skills with at least an 80% score on a grading
rubric (cognitive domain).
Enabling Objectives:
1. Given the “Group Roles for Student Video Projects” job aid, high school students will
select the appropriate team members to act as Director, Producer, Writer and Editor, upon
completion of this video-making course (cognitive domain - evaluation).
2. Given a sample production schedule, the producer will be able to create a schedule that
allots time for, and assigns team members to, the following tasks: research, script writing,
filming, stock media acquisition, and editing (cognitive domain).
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3. Given a sample for reference, the writer and director will create a shooting script that ties
the narrative to actions, visuals and sounds. (cognitive domain – creating)
4. Given sample images, students will be able to classify three shot types with 100%
accuracy (cognitive domain – recall).
5. From memory, students will be able to create a 30-second video that demonstrates
lighting, sound, focus, framing and performance with a 22 out of 30 score on a grading
rubric, as judged by two independent filmmakers (cognitive domain – applying).
6. Given access to course materials, students will create a 7-minute video that includes all of
the elements on a given check list, as observed by the instructor. List includes: A title
screen, edited A-roll with transitions between shots, use of B-roll, on-screen text, and at
least one use of stock media, music, or sounds (cognitive domain – creating).
7. Given a video tutorial, students will be able to upload their finished videos to their
WeVideo accounts and share a hyperlink so that it may be retrieved by the instructor
(cognitive domain).

Proposed Solution

This 1- to 2-hour online video-making course teaches high school students to divide the
workload of video production into roles with separate and defined responsibilities. Students
learn the three conventional stages of production and the processes that should be completed
during each stage. Lastly, students are given training on the equipment and concepts required to
successfully complete the three stages. The entire course is housed on a Weebly website and
includes the following content:
Video Production Course
1. Welcome screen introducing myself, my film background, the course outline, and
giving basic navigation tips
2. Pre-Production
a. Video introduction to the course
b. Text and video explanations of the “4 S’s” of pre-production: Scheduling,
Scripting, Storyboarding, Scouting. What do they mean and who does
what? Samples and templates are provided.
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3. Production
Shooting tips for iPhone and Android, including:
a. Preparing yourself and your camera for filming (video, quiz)
b. Framing: placement, horizontal, eye level, background (video, quiz)
c. Focus (video)
d. Lighting: outdoors, windows, household lights (video, quiz)
e. Sound: built-in mics, DIY mics, testing (video, quiz)
f. Shot types: Wide, Medium, Close-up, Static and Dynamic (photos, text,
quiz)
g. Coverage (photos and text)
4. Post-Production
How to edit a video using WeVideo (screencast video):
a. Log in and set up a project
b. Upload media from your computer and phone
c. The WeVideo Essentials Library
d. WeVideo editing window layout
e. Selecting clips and creating a “string out”
f. Adding narration and text to your video
g. Adding music and sound effects, altering sound levels
h. How to create transitions between shots
i. Credits and Attribution Screens
j. Export project and obtain hyperlink for Google Classroom assignment
5. Assigning Roles
Students were provided with a document that explains the four major video
production roles that they need to fill
a. Video-making terminology sheet is provided
b. No quiz or knowledge check in this segment. Groups reported back to
their teacher about their chosen roles.
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Instructional Principles and Learning Theories

Dick and Carey Instructional Design Model. Though first introduced in 1978, the

Dick and Carey Instructional Design (ID) Model continues to be one of the most popular ID

models in part due to the fact that it views learning as a comprehensive, interconnected system

rather than a variety of individual components. The model gives instructional designers a

stepwise approach to designing learning programs that will bring about desired student learning

outcomes. Pappas (2015) describes how to apply the Dick and Carey Model to eLearning design

with the following nine steps, which I used in designing this course:

1. Identify goals and objectives

2. Complete instructional analysis

3. Determine entry behaviors and learner characteristics

4. Write performance objectives

5. Develop criterion-referenced eLearning assessments

6. Develop the instructional eLearning strategy

7. Choose learning materials and online activities

8. Carry out formative evaluation

9. Carry out summative evaluation

Flipped Classroom Instructional Model. In the flipped classroom instructional model,

students are exposed to initial learning content prior to class through instructor-provided video
lectures or other pre-class learning materials. This allows for in-class time to be used for
student-centered active learning. Long, Logan and Waugh (2016) found that students had a
positive attitude towards learning via watching videos prior to in-class sessions, with the caveat
that students felt the videos should be kept short (no longer than 20 minutes), engaging,
appropriately paced, and preferably be developed by the instructor. In his study comparing
student perceptions of flipped versus traditional classroom experiences, Frydenberg (2013) found
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that the majority of students felt that the flipped classroom helped them learn the material much
better than had they been in a traditional classroom, and that short quizzes motivated students to
watch the pre-class videos if the quiz counts a small amount toward their final grade.
Gagné’s Nine Events of Instruction. The online course will also apply Gagne’s Nine
Events of Instruction (Pappas, 2019). The following table outlines the nine events and their
application within the course.
Gagné’s Nine Events Course Application
Gain attention Students shoot a 30 second pre-course video with minimal direction.
At the beginning of the production module students watch a short
sample video that is poorly executed, challenging the students to
think about what is “wrong” with the video.
Inform learners of the Short introductory video explaining what this course is for, describe
objective what students will be able to do at completion, and explain how it
will benefit them to acquire these new skills.
Stimulate recall of Begin the course with a short sample video that is poorly executed
prior learning and challenge the students to think about what is “wrong” with the
video. (Gains attention and asks them to think about their own
possible experiences with shooting videos).
Present the content Chunk information to match professional video production stages,
utilize a variety of text, graphics, pictures, sounds and simulation to
stimulate the senses, and use a variety of approaches such as visual
cues, written job aids and active learning to suit people with different
learning styles.
Provide learning Provide video examples of how to frame, light, move and record
guidance sound, with prompts to rehearse and review their own work while
filming.
Elicit performance Practice activities in the WeVideo module. Have students reshoot
(practice) their 30 second pre-course video demonstrating concepts just learned
in the course.
Provide feedback Provide students with objective and positive feedback on the
(reinforcement) observed differences between their pre- and post-course 30 second
videos.
Assess performance Short quizzes and knowledge checks throughout the course. Pre- and
post-course video-making challenge. Post-course survey. Review of
7-minute videos assigned by Ms. Wessels.
Enhance retention and Client assigns a 5- to 10-minute video project that she will grade.
transfer Course website will be available to students for recall of what
they’ve learned, and will provide resources for further study.
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Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning. In Richard E. Mayer’s seminal research on
multimedia learning (Mayer, 2020) he describes his “12 Principles of Multimedia Learning.”
Though these fundamental principles were first published back in 2001, Mayer updates them as
new technologies emerge, keeping them relevant for decades. The following table illustrates
how some of these principles will be applied to both the website and course modules for this
course.
Multimedia Website Course Modules
Principle
Coherence Limit text and images to keep pages Keep videos simple and to the point
uncluttered
Contiguity Overlay text on navigation images Words/voice will be presented
that clearly tie to page subjects simultaneously with corresponding
pictures/video
Modality Narration with on screen visuals
rather than text with onscreen visuals
so visual system is not overloaded.
Multimedia Words will be tied to pictures Video lessons inherently tie words to
whenever possible pictures
Personalization Videos and simulations presented in
conversational style
Pre-training Relevant video production terms and
definitions provided on a reference
page
Segmenting Easy navigation to multiple pages Create multiple short videos for
with chunked information different topics
Signaling Visual cues highlight key information
and its organization
Voice Videos and screencasts will use
human rather than synthesized voices

Media Components

I used my iPhone to record video and sound so that the course videos would mirror the
tools and processes the students were being asked to engage with. Screencasts were made using
Camtasia, which also served as my video editing platform. Videos that contained quiz questions
were created first in Camtasia, and later in Edpuzzle. I used my iPhone’s built-in screen
recording software to record a phone app demonstration. WeVideo was used to edit the video in
my post-production screencasts. A post-course survey was created with Google Forms. All of
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the course content was delivered via a Weebly website. The website allows for efficient
organization of the modules, and the provision of supplemental materials that both the client and
her students can access to explore topics not covered in the 1- to 2-hour course. These
supplemental materials are particularly important as they provide information and instruction on
video production techniques that may be considered once we are past the COVID-19 pandemic.
Closed captioning was provided on all videos in the course.

Challenges

There were a number of challenges that had to be overcome in developing and

implementing this project, most of them having to do with technology and a short development
timeline. Originally the course modules were going to be built in Adobe Captivate and then
housed on the Weebly website. I experienced some technical glitches in the newest Captivate
update which slowed progress and threatened to delay delivery of the course. Mrs. Wessels
wanted to use this video making course with students already in session in her two economics
classes, which meant only fourteen days could be allotted to develop and implement the
program. Given this short timeline, the decision was made to abandon Captivate and build the
course entirely in a website. In order to compensate for some of the interactivity that was lost by
not using Captivate, interactive videos with embedded knowledge checks, multiple choice
quizzes, and interactive screencast activities were included in the website. A more serious
technical challenge arose with the lack of access to a learning management system (LMS).
Interactive video content requires an LMS in order to function and track user data, such as
answers to quiz questions. CSUMB only allows the use of their servers for a short time after
graduation, and Mrs. Wessels plans to use this video course for years to come, so CSUMB
servers were not an option. Ms. Wessels originally thought that her school had an LMS that I
could host this course on, but correspondence with their IT department revealed that the school
does not have an LMS. This means that hosting both the final interactive videos, and the original
proposed Captivate modules, was not a possibility. To solve this problem, I uploaded my
interactive videos to Screencast.com, a hosting service owned by the same company that built
Camtasia, which is what was used to create the interactive videos. However, the free version of
this software only allows a certain amount of bandwidth, or activity, per month. I had no way to
estimate the amount of bandwidth that would be required for Ms. Wessels’s sixty-four students
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to view the interactive videos. When they took the course, the bandwidth was exceeded,
resulting in only twenty of her students being able to see the interactive videos with embedded
quizzes. These videos contained the majority of content addressing how to film a video using a
smart phone. Fortunately, the students were able to access text handouts that covered the same
information, and the students worked in teams so that course knowledge could be shared.
Ms. Wessels has always been in favor of having the course videos contain knowledge
checks and quizzes, mainly to keep her students engaged with the content, but she is unable to
allocate funds towards this program. A long-term solution needed to be found for hosting these
videos, but research revealed that there are no LMS’s or servers that can that can be accessed for
free with such a large number of users. The only solution was to use Edpuzzle, which Ms.
Wessels had originally been against using, but later conceded.
Methods/Procedures

Design and Development

This Capstone project is a one to two-hour course delivered asynchronously in a flipped-

classroom model. I utilized the Dick and Carey Model to design this learning intervention
(Reiser & Dempsey, 2018). Through interviews with the client, and a review of her previous
student’s video projects, I was able to analyze the student’s existing behaviors and compare them
to Ms. Wessels’s desired performance objectives to identify a performance gap. A survey of her
previous students served for a further analysis of prior knowledge, attitudes towards, and
feasibility of making videos as part of school assignments. With this information, coupled with
my professional understanding of the filmmaking process, I designed a streamlined approach to
maximize student time and results, given their limited time for both this course and their
overarching projects. There is interactivity incorporated into the modules and learners control
the navigation through the entire course. Leaners can access the course website at any time and
explore the primary and secondary content at their own pace.
List of Steps Completed:
1. Reviewed the final content outline with the client
2. Assigned pre- and post-course “30-Second Video Challenge” to students
3. Built a website to house the course
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4. Filmed and edited 16 course video tutorials and screencasts, as well as an application
demonstration
5. Photographed visual aids
6. Created a post-course survey
7. Created grading rubrics for the “30-Second Video Challenge,” and for Ms. Wessels to
use for grading her students assigned 7-minute video projects (Appendices C and D)
8. Created 9 course handouts, templates and samples
9. Curated additional content for further study for the course website
10. Graded the video challenge and instructed a 2nd independent grader through the same
process
11. Reviewed the students 7-minute economics course videos
12. Revised modules for usability and functionality based on survey feedback and
observation of student-made videos
13. Revised course website based on feedback from the client
The project is complete.
Resources

There were no costs associated with the design and implementation of this course. Video
production was once expensive, but advances in mobile device technology have made perfectly
good cameras readily available, and have provided free software to edit photos and videos. All
equipment, software and applications to be utilized are free or were previously acquired. SCHC
purchased a group subscription to WeVideo, but not in association with this course.
Previously Acquired:
 WeVideo for video editing and screencasting (using client’s subscription)
 Camtasia for additional editing of course videos
 Microsoft PowerPoint for storyboard
 Microsoft Word for course handouts and templates
 Weebly website builder
 iPhone, microphones, additional equipment for video shoots
 Google Workspace for assigning course and creating surveys
Technical Skills
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The skills required for this project have been acquired through the CSUMB MIST program, or
were previously acquired during my filmmaking career.

Timeline

September 22, 2020 Storyboard for the course website completed

October 5-10, 2020 Began building course in Adobe Captivate
October 10 - 18, 2020 Course website built in Weebly
October 12 – 18, 2020 Course videos filmed and edited

October 20, 2020 “Video elements to include in your business plan video” document
sent to client
October 21/22, 2020 Video making course launched and assigned to students as beta
test, including post-course survey
October 29, 2020 In-course quiz answers and course survey analyzed
November 15, 2020 7-minute business videos due. Provided video grading rubric to
client
November 16, 2020 Met with client to discuss beta test outcome and website layout
November 18, 2020 Revised course website based on client feedback
November 23/24, 2020 30-Second Video Challenge videos graded by 2 filmmakers
November 27/28, 2020 Course website revised based on student feedback and observation
of student video outcomes
November 30, 2020 Reviewed 7-minute videos assigned to class by client
December 15, 2020 Final report completed
December 19, 2020 Capstone Presentation
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Evaluation and Testing

Formative Evaluation

Due to the short development and implementation timeline, the entire course had to be
delivered to its intended audience without any beta testing. Therefore, the students in Ms.
Wessels two current economics classes served as the beta testers for her future students who will
take this course. Ms. Wessels took the course herself, along with her students, and everyone
filled out a post-course survey. The survey, additional client feedback, and observation of the
pre-course 30-second student videos provided the necessary details to adjust the course website
navigation, job aids, and some of the content. Data from the knowledge checks and quizzes in
the course was not intended for formative evaluation, but rather to gain the attention of the
students.
Usability. The usability of this course was assessed through two post-course surveys
designed to measure the learners’ reaction to the course design, content, and learning experience
(see Appendix E). The responses on the in-course survey ranged from 74% to 91% positive for
most questions, yet revealed that only 63% felt the course was easy to navigate, with 11%
finding it difficult to navigate. Concerns over navigation, as well as the bandwidth issue students
experienced in the three interactive production videos, prompted a second survey to explore
these problems in more depth (see Appendix F). The answers regarding the production videos
revealed that many of the students received little to no training in how to film videos using a
smart phone. The pre- and post-course “30-Second Video Challenge” only measures filming
ability, which meant that my initial sample size of sixty-four students had to be reduced to only
the twenty students who were able to interact with that content. As for the navigation issues, my
initial assumption had been that the layout of the course would be clearer if students had to click
a button at the end of each lesson that took them back to the parent section they were engaged
with. I thought of it as a reminder to the students of which section, from Pre-Production through
Post-Production, they were learning about. However, this forced the students to click on more
buttons than were necessary to navigate the course, and required them to think about what they
should click on next. I revised the course layout so that at the end of each individual lesson there
is a button that takes them immediately to the next lesson or section. I also added more written
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navigation notes in places where they were needed. There is now very little chance of getting
lost as students navigate this course.

Summative Evaluation

The post-course surveys served for both formative and summative evaluations of the
course, since there was no beta testing prior to the course being assigned to Ms. Wessels first
user group. That is, their survey answers not only addressed usability issues that would lead to a
redesign for the next user group, but also lent insight into how effective this learning program
was. It is clear that the majority of students responded very positively about the level of
instruction, the effectiveness and the delivery method of the content, and the overall learning
experience (see Appendix E). When asked for constructive comments, most students also
responded positively, stating that the course was “well done,” “extremely helpful,” “very
comprehensive” and “amazing.” The main criticism was the lack of access to the interactive
production videos. Though one student felt the course was a bit long, a few students stated that
they would like more information on how to film things other than interviews, about how to light
when it’s dark, and that they would love a follow-up course that went into more detail about
filming techniques.
The bulk of the summative evaluation centers around the assigned pre- and post-course
“30-Second Video Challenge,” in which students were given minimal instructions to film a series
of shots (see Appendix B). The goal was to see if there is a marked improvement in students’
filming abilities by having both myself and another professional filmmaker independently judge
the videos using a grading rubric (see Appendix C). It bears repeating, however, that this video
challenge does not assess any skill sets from the pre- and post-production modules of the course
because it was determined via survey that students wouldn’t have had any prior knowledge of the
contents of those modules.
Summary of Data Collection and Outcomes. The scores from the pre- and post-course
“30-Second Video Challenge” were manually entered into a spreadsheet in Excel, then the scores
from the two observers were averaged for each of the twenty participants. Excel was used to run
statistics for the data set to determine the effectiveness of the production section of the course.
The hypothesis for this study was that the “Production Learning Module,” which taught students
how to shoot video with a smart phone, would result in a statistically significant increase in the
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student’s post-course 30-second video scores. The null hypothesis was that the training would
have no effect, and thus show no statistical difference between the pre- and post-course video
scores. The hypothesis was directions so a paired one-tail t-test was used to evaluate for
statistical significance. Based on the t-test results, it can be concluded that there is a statistically
significant mean difference between the pre- and post-course video scores. A comparison of the
absolute value of the t-statistic (5.71) to the smaller t-Critical value (1.73) supports rejection of
the null hypothesis. The p-value of .000008 is smaller than the .05 conventional alpha level,
which also supports rejection of the null hypothesis. Additionally, the pre-course video scores
(M=22.15, SD=4.96) and the post-course video scores (M=27.35, SD=4.68) shows improvement
and demonstrates that learning did increase as a result of this module (see Appendix G).
Conclusion

Feedback from the students and the client, as well as observation of post-course video
skills, led to updates to the course content, job aids, and website design. Ms. Wessels only
advice for the course website involved changing font types and adding background color to ease
eye strain. She had no issues with navigation or course content. The biggest problem with the
course was that many students were unable to view three of the production modules due to a
server issue that was unknown at the time. That issue was resolved by recreating the videos with
embedded questions in Ms. Wessels’s Edpuzzle account. Ms. Wessels does not care for
Edpuzzle because it requires her to “assign” those three videos to all of her students each time
they take this video making course. However, she remains interested in continuing to have
embedded knowledge checks within these videos. I plan to continue to research ways to provide
these interactive videos in the course using a different free hosting platform.
Some survey respondents requested more information on the different camera techniques
they could use to shoot their videos. This is not surprising to me because filmmaking courses
normally take months to years to complete, largely because cinematography is complicated.
Given the time constraints that these students face in Ms. Wessels’s classes, and given the fact
that the school does not own any professional videography equipment, I do not think it would be
wise to make this video course any longer. The course did offer several handouts with filming
tips and additional, non-required, 3rd party videos covering camera techniques and lighting
setups. I also purposely built the course within a website knowing that some students would
want additional filmmaking information, and the website offers a great way to provide that. I do
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not know if this test group took the time to study the additional videos and web pages, but the
course website is always available to them for reference when they get their next video
assignment. I will continue to monitor the course website to make certain it is functioning
properly, and I do plan to add some additional optional content to the site for students who are
interested in further study.
Subjecting videos, which are ultimately a subjective expression, to a statistical analysis
felt awkward to me. Students can be judged on whether or not they followed instructions, or
tried the different techniques they learned, but in the end, there is a lot of artistic license to be
taken. Gathering statistics required the judges of the 30-second videos to ignore the content of
the videos and focus solely on looking for evidence that instructions were followed, or that the
student understood the main points of the production module. It was unfortunate that we were
unable to judge the students on a complete video assignment that included the post-production
content, which was the largest module in this course.
Unfortunately, due to schedule conflicts between the CSUMB schedule and Ms.
Wessels’s schedule, the grades on the 7-minute videos that the economics students made could
not be included in this analysis. However, Ms. Wessels and I have seen these videos and we are
both impressed by what we’ve seen. These videos clearly demonstrate everything that the
students have learned about video production. Ms. Wessels expressed satisfaction with the
overall course, and was thrilled with the outcome she witnessed in many of the final 7-minute
videos. She stated that these business pitch videos were a big improvement over the final
products her students delivered last year when given the same assignment.
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References

Borovoy, A. (2016, February 12). 5-Minute Film Festival: Resources for Filmmaking in the
Classroom. Retrieved September 27, 2020, from https://www.edutopia.org/blog/film-
festival-classroom-filmmaking-resources

East Side Union High School District. (n.d.). Retrieved July 05, 2020, from
http://www.esuhsd.org/Students--Parents/Instruction/Educational-Technology-
Plan/index.html

Frydenberg, M. (2013). Flipping excel. Information Systems Education Journal, 11(1), 63–73.

Funk, C. D. (2020, August 6). East Side Union High School District. Retrieved October 10,
2020, from http://www.esuhsd.org/BoardSuperintendent/Superintendent/index.html

Gagne's Nine Events of Instruction. (n.d.). Retrieved September 28, 2020, from
https://thepeakperformancecenter.com/business/learning/business-training/gagnes-nine-
events-instruction/

Long, T., Logan, J., & Waugh, M. (2016). Students’ Perceptions of the Value of Using Videos as
a Pre-class Learning Experience in the Flipped Classroom. TechTrends, 60(3), 245-252.
doi:10.1007/s11528-016-0045-4

Mayer, R. E. (2020). Multimedia learning. Cambridge, United Kingdom: Cambridge University

Press.

Niemi, H., Harju, V., Vivitsou, M., Viitanen, K., Multisilta, J., & Kuokkanen, A. (2014). Digital
Storytelling for 21st -Century Skills in Virtual Learning Environments. Creative Education,
5, 657-671. http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/ce.2014.59078

Niemi, H., Niu, S. J., Li, B., & Vivitsou, M. (2019). Supporting Student Learning Toward
Twenty-First-Century Skills Through Digital Storytelling. Perspectives on Rethinking and
Reforming Education Shaping Future Schools with Digital Technology, 95-112.
doi:10.1007/978-981-13-9439-3_6
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Pappas, C. (2019, September 24). 9 Steps To Apply The Dick And Carey Model In eLearning.
Retrieved September 5, 2020, from https://elearningindustry.com/9-steps-to-apply-the-
dick-and-carey-model-in-elearning

Pappas, C. (2019, September 24). How To Apply Gagné’s 9 Events Of Instruction In eLearning.
Retrieved September 28, 2020, from https://elearningindustry.com/how-to-apply-gagnes-9-
events-of-instruction-in-elearning

Partnership for 21st Century Skills. (2019, May 13). Retrieved September 26, 2020, from
https://www.cde.ca.gov/eo/in/cr/p21cskls.asp

Reiser, R. A., & Dempsey, J. V. (2018). Trends and issues in instructional design and
technology. Boston: Pearson.

Robin, B. R. (2008). Digital Storytelling: A Powerful Technology Tool for the 21st Century
Classroom. Theory Into Practice, 47(3), 220-228. doi:10.1080/00405840802153916
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Appendix A

Learner Analysis Survey with client’s previous students

 Which course did you take that required creating a video or screencast?
 Did your group create a Video, a Screencast, a Google Slides presentation, or a
Combination?
 Estimate how long it took your group to create your project(s) from the time it was
assigned until you handed in your final project?
 Do you feel you had enough time to create your video/screencast to fulfill the
requirements of the assignment?
 What equipment did your group use to film your project?
 What other equipment did you use, if any, to create your video (such as external
microphones, lights, tripods etc...)
 What computer software or app did you use to create or edit your project?
 Would you have benefited from further instructions on how to use any of the above
equipment and/or software? (Explain)
 Did you use any externally sourced video, artwork, music or sound effects?
 Were you satisfied with the quality of your final product?
 On a scale of 1 to 5, how confident do you feel about making films for school
assignments?
 On a scale of 1 to 5, how much do you like the idea of creating videos and other
multimedia (like screencasts) as a part of homework assignments?
 What equipment do you have access to at home for filming video/yourself?
 Do you have reliable high-speed internet access at home?
 Had you ever filmed AND edited a video or screencast prior to taking one of Ms.
Wessels' classes?
 Is there anything you learned from the process of making the video/screencast
assignments that you would do differently if you had to do the assignment again?
Anything that would have improved the process for you?
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Appendix B

Pre-Course “30-Second Video Challenge” Instructions

For this challenge I want you to make a 30 second video about any topic you like
using your smartphone. For example, it can be about your pet, a sibling or parent, something in
your backyard, a book or hobby. There are just a few mandatory shots which I’ll list below.

1. Film yourself talking to the camera about your topic

2. Film someone else talking to the camera about the topic
3. Film a few different shots of the topic (item, person, event) you are talking about
4. You can embellish your video beyond these 3 mandatory shots if you have time, but keep
it to 30 seconds

If you already have experience with stringing clips together into one video using an
editing app or software, feel free to do so. Otherwise, just send in the individual clips you take,
adding up to the 30 seconds.

Upload your video/shots to Google Classroom.

Post-Course “30-Second Video Challenge” Instructions

For this challenge I ask you to make another 30-second video using your
smartphone, but this time, use more of what you learned in the “Production” section of the
video-making course. Like last time, it can be about any topic you like. For example, it can be
about your pet, a sibling or parent, something in your backyard, a book or hobby. There are just
a few mandatory shots which I’ll list below.

1. Film yourself talking to the camera about your topic

2. Film someone else talking to the camera about the topic
3. Film a few different shots of the topic (item, person, event) you are talking about
4. You can embellish your video beyond these 3 mandatory shots if you have time, but
keep it to 30 seconds

If you want to try stringing clips together into one video using WeVideo, feel free to do
so. Otherwise, just send in the individual clips you take, adding up to the 30 seconds.

Upload your video/shots to your Google Drive and submit the link in Google Classroom.
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Appendix C

Appendix D
Instructions for Ms.Wessels on the video elements students should include in their 7-
minute videos. This was shared with the students when they were given the video assignment.

Video Elements to Include in Your Business Plan Video

Based on the video-making course you took prior to creating your group video, your final video
should include the following technical elements:

 Title Screen (introducing the business)

 Edited A-Roll with attention to transitions between shots
(A-roll = interview or main action video footage)
 B-Roll interspersed with the A-Roll
(B-roll = video/photos you shot to support your main topic)
 At least 1 instance of on-screen text
 Evidence that more than 1 shot type was used during filming
 Evidence that good sound and lighting techniques were attempted
 Evidence that good framing was attempted
 At least one use of stock footage, music, or sounds
 A Credits Screen
 An Attributions Screen (if attributions are required for stock media utilized outside of
WeVideo)
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Appendix D

Grading Rubric for Ms. Wessels

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Appendix D (Continued)
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Appendix E

Post-course student survey questions

Answers that included pie charts are shown below

 How much time did you spend on this e-learning course?

 The course was written for my learning level (not too easy, not too hard).
 The course provided an effective way to learn this topic.
 The course website was easy to navigate.
 The course videos were informative and appropriate for teaching me how to make videos.
 I feel more confident about making videos for school assignments.
 I am excited to put my new skills to the test and make a video.
 Overall, the course was an excellent learning experience.
 What topics, if any, should be added or omitted? (Paragraph answer)
 Your constructive comments are very welcome as they could help me make changes that
will help other students take this course in the future. (Paragraph answer)
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Appendix F

Secondary Student Survey to explore navigation issues and

accessibility problems with the 3 videos that contained quizzes/knowledge checks

 Did you watch the 3 videos in the Production section of the course, titled “Getting
Ready, Framing & Focus, and Lighting & Sound?”
 If you did not watch those 3 Production videos, please explain why and what
happened in detail.
 If you were unable to open the 3 Production videos, did you engage with the other
Production sections called “Shot Types” and “Coverage?”
 Did you see this notice (in red) on the course website that says “all sections are
mandatory?” (Image of website inserted here).
 Did you take the Post-Course Survey? If not, explain why.
 Did you notice the “Return to Course” button at the bottom of each of the 4 main
sections of the course? (Pre-pro, Post-pro and Assigning Roles are the 4 main
sections).
 Did you tend to use the “Return to Course” button at the bottom, or use the menu at
the top of the website to navigate to the different parts of the course?
 If you had trouble navigating the course, please explain as best you can what your
navigational challenges were so that I can make the experience better.
 Was there any other section of the course (other than what has been mentioned above)
that you did not take, or had trouble taking or understanding?
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Appendix G

Paired t-Test and Cohens’ d