Additional Tips and Best Practices
Timetabled Time
- Plan materials according to the time students have.
- Bear in mind that students typically take longer to go through the materials in detail than the summative length of the videos and readings (they often stop, repeat, take notes, etc.).
Chunk Content
- Divide material into smaller parts, each covering a specific concept or outcome.
- Use a variety of methods to deliver the content: text, videos, screencasts, activities, interactions, self-checks, quizzes.
Interaction
- Include activities that require students to think and interact with the content.
- People learn more effectively when they have to think and do something, rather than just read and watch.
- Insendi provides a host of interactions you may want to utilise: Insendi guide to all activities
Screencasts
- Use for complex concepts; keep them short (3-6 minutes is ideal).
- Avoid uploading PowerPoint slides without narration.
Knowledge Checks
- Provide frequent opportunities for students to check their understanding.
- Useful activities on Insendi: Reveal, Question, Formative Quiz, Summative Quiz (in Practice mode!).
Timed Release
- Consider if content needs to be released at specific times.
- On Insendi, activities like Explanatory Box or Reveal or the various quizzes can be released on a certain date/time.
Clear Guidance
- Provide a checklist of what students need to learn/do.
- Use signposting, explanatory text, and a conversational tone.
Teaching Presence
- Be mindful of the need for teaching presence in the materials – give the materials a voice.
- Introduce resources (e.g., tell students what you want them to get from a video they’re asked to watch).
Drafts
- Always draft materials in a separate document and save frequently.
Copyright and Accessibility
- Always make sure you follow the relevant copyright and accessibility guidelines.
- A good starting point is here: ICSM staff copyright guidance
- Official Imperial College copyright guidance
- All videos need to have captions and Panopto generated captions may need to be corrected.
- Official Imperial College accessible content guidance
