Zulma Calderon Zulma Calderon

Why Use Desktop Recordings? Intro to Clipchamp

Using desktop recording as an instructor can greatly enhance your teaching effectiveness and student engagement. Microsoft Clipchamp is an online video editor that simplifies video creation.

Using desktop recording as an instructor can greatly enhance your teaching effectiveness and student engagement for several reasons:

  • Visual Learning: Desktop recordings allow you to record course content, software, or websites, making complex concepts easier to understand.

  • Accessibility: Recordings can be made available for students to review at their own pace. This is especially helpful for those who may need to revisit certain topics.

  • Engagement: Incorporating multimedia elements into your lessons can keep students more engaged. Interactive elements or real-time demonstrations can make learning more dynamic and engaging.

  • Fostering Community: Creating desktop recordings with your class can create a sense of community, as students can see you and hear your voice, making it possible to connect with you. It can also make the classroom experience feel more personal and supportive.

  • Support Diverse Learning Styles: Not all students learn in the same way. Some may excel with visual and auditory information, making recordings an excellent tool for accommodating different learning preferences.

  • Feedback and Improvement: Reviewing your recorded sessions can help you evaluate your teaching style and identify areas for improvement, allowing you to enhance your delivery for future classes.

Overall, desktop recording can be a valuable tool to supplement your teaching and provide a richer educational experience for your students!

Clipchamp

What is Clipchamp?

Microsoft Clipchamp is an online video editor that simplifies video creation. It offers intuitive tools that make it easy to create videos without requiring extensive technical skills. Users can combine videos, images, and audio. Once editing is complete, videos can be easily saved to your device. Unlike many other editors, Clipchamp operates in your browser without needing software downloads.

Pricing: FREE
Paid subscription (access to premium features): Monthly $11.99, Yearly $119.99

Accessing Clipchamp

  1. Start by going to https://app.clipchamp.com/ Please note: You can only use Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge

2. Create an account or signup with your email

Recording your Video

  1. Click on Create a new video

2. Select Record and Create

3. Select the type of recording you will be doing. Make sure to enable your microphone and camera.

4. Click on the red button to start recording. You also have the option of turning on Speaker Coach. This will analyze your recording's speech, including pace, pitch and use of filler words.

5. Choose what you want to record, you will see your current browsers tabs, windows you currently have opened or the option to record your entire screen

6. When you've finished your recording, simply click on either (1) Stop Sharing or the Stop button. You'll then be prompted to either (2) Save and Edit your recording or to redo it.

Please note: If you haven't upgraded your account, you'll need to (3) save the recording to your local hard drive. This means you'll need to either work on the same computer every time you want to work on your project or save the file to an external hard drive, allowing you to access it from any computer you use.

Editing your Video

You have a wide range of options to enhance your video, including:

  • Resizing, cropping, or trimming to perfect your video

  • Adding text, transitions, or selecting from a variety of templates to seamlessly integrate into your media

  • Incorporating video filters, images, or background music

  • Adding captions for improved accessibility and engagement

Explore these features to make your video stand out and check out the Clipchamp YouTube to find helpful videos that will show you how to use Clipchamp like a pro!

Exporting your Video

Once you’ve completed your recording, you can easily export your video and begin using it in your class right away!


In conclusion, incorporating desktop recordings into your teaching strategy can enhance the learning experience for both you and your students. With tools like Clipchamp, educators can create more engaging learning environments.

Desktop recording offers both flexibility and convenience. Whether you share introductory psychology insights or more advanced topics, using multimedia resources can lead to a more enriching learning experience. So, start recording and sharing your unique teaching style. Your students will thank you!

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Instructional Design, Course Design Zulma Calderon Instructional Design, Course Design Zulma Calderon

A Guide to Using Google NotebookLM for Course Design

Google NotebookLM is a powerful tool for organizing and developing course content and can enhance and fine-tune your existing ideas.

What is Google NotebookLM?

Google NotebookLM allows users to easily create, organize, and share notes. It acts like a virtual assistant that uses existing information to summarize details, clarify complex ideas, and generate relationships based on selected sources. It can handle various content types, including text, images, graphs, and diagrams.

Benefits of Using Google Notebook LM for Course Design


Organized Planning

Instructors can create separate notebooks for course outlines, reading materials, assessment plans, study guides, and course lectures. This organized structure simplifies the planning process and allows for easy navigation and access in the future.

Notebook LM dashboard

Resource Compilation

It allows you to compile links, articles, videos, and other materials in one place. You can save links directly into your notebook, annotate them for future reference, and classify them according to topics.

Collaborate

It supports collaboration by allowing multiple users to edit and comment on notes in real time.

Easily Accessible

Since Google NotebookLM is cloud-based, you can access your notes anytime, anywhere, and on any device, allowing you to brainstorm ideas anywhere!


How to get started with Google NotebookLM

Let me walk you through how to start Google NotebookLM!

Creating a Notebook

  1. Go to https://notebooklm.google.com/ and login with your Gmail account.

  2. You will see your Google NotebookLM Dashboard with all the different notebooks you have created so far.

  3. To create a new Notebook select "Create New"

Adding Content to your Notebook

  1. It will prompt you to upload documents, google drive files, text, audio files, website links and YouTube videos. If you are not ready to do that, you can click on the X to close the window.

  2. Make sure to name your Notebook.

Summarizing content using NotebookLM

Once you have uploaded all the content you want for the specific Notebook you created, you can use the "Chat" feature to ask questions about the different content. You can easily select the content you want to include by checking or unchecking the corresponding boxes next to each item. NotebookLM also offers you prompts to choose from, making it easier to develop your content. Please note: Content might not be accurate, so make sure to check for any mistakes.

How to Use Google Notebook LM for Course Design

Google NotebookLM is a powerful tool for organizing and developing course content and can enhance and fine-tune your existing ideas. You can use Google Notebook LM as a starting point for your course content. It will provide a solid foundation for you to build upon the ideas and suggestions it offers to make them even better and more tailored to your specific needs.

  • Create Course Objectives: create course or module objectives based on selected content. You can enter prompts like, “Create objectives for a module on [topic]” to get customized suggestions.

  • Develop Lesson Plans: outline the main concepts for each lesson. For instance, input, “Create a lesson plan for teaching [specific topic], including objectives, materials, and activities.”

  • Create Study Guides: use prompts like, “Create a study guide for [topic] that includes key concepts and questions.” NotebookLM can help summarize important information and develop study questions.

  • Create Discussion Prompts: generate discussion prompts based on content selected. You can input, “What are some engaging discussion prompts for [topic]?” to stimulate thoughtful discussions in class.

  • Create Rubrics and Criteria: determine what you will assess (e.g., projects, participation, etc.). Input requests along the lines of, “Create a rubric for assessing [specific project or assignment] that includes criteria for [aspects such as creativity, understanding, effort, etc.].” This will produce a structured assessment guide that you can further customize.


You can effectively use Google NotebookLM to streamline your course design process, enhance student engagement, and collaborate with others in the educational field! Happy designing!

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Virtual or Augmented Reality in Instructional Design: A Guide for Educators

The world of instructional design is constantly evolving, and virtual or augmented reality (VR/AR) is one of the latest trends in the field. Both of these technologies allow users to engage in immersive learning experiences and allow for some exciting possibilities for learning different content.

The world of instructional design is constantly evolving, and virtual or augmented reality (VR/AR) is one of the latest trends in the field. Both of these technologies allow users to engage in immersive learning experiences and allow for some exciting possibilities for learning different content.

Difference between VR and AR

Virtual Reality allows the user to immerse themselves in a computer-generated environment that appears natural. In comparison, Augmented Reality provides a real-world experience of visual elements, sounds, or sensory stimuli delivered through cutting-edge technology. Both have unique benefits and challenges in instructional design.

Let's go over these benefits and challenges.

Learning Objectives

VR/AR can be a powerful tool for creating an engaging and enjoyable learning experience. However, it's important to consider whether the technology is being used to support the course's learning objectives or simply using it for the sake of using it. It should also aid in providing students with hands-on experience and a better understanding of complex concepts.

VR/AR platforms 

Various VR/AR platforms are available, from simple mobile apps to complex headsets. Choose the platform that best suits your learning objectives and budget. For example, Adobe Aero allows you to create immersive AR without coding, which is excellent for beginners. Adobe Aero will enable you to add 2D images from Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator. Another example is Google Tilt Brush which is great for artists and a great VR design software. It allows you to paint in 3D using different brushes and interact and walk around your artwork.

Realistic Scenarios

The latest AR/VR technologies are revolutionizing how students learn and explore. With immersive learning experiences, students can now travel through time and witness historical events firsthand or explore the human body in remarkable detail. These state-of-the-art tools are opening up a whole new world of possibilities for education.

The power of VR/AR lies in its ability to create realistic, immersive scenarios that textbooks cannot offer. Learners can hone their real-world skills in a secure and structured setting. Whether it's hands-on training or simulated scenarios, these experiences can help learners gain confidence and expertise without the risks associated with real-life situations.

For example, you can create VR scenarios such as medical procedures or visiting Michelangelo's David in the Galleria dell'Accademia without flying to Italy. You can also use AR overlays to view the night sky. For example, SkyView allows students to view the universe and identify stars and planets.

Challenges of using AR/VR

It's worth noting that AR/VR technology can come with some challenges. For starters, it can be quite costly and requires a fair amount of technical resources to maintain. Additionally, some users may experience fatigue or anxiety when using AR/VR due to the high cognitive demand placed on them. It's also important to acknowledge that while AR/VR can be affordable to use in some instances, there are, unfortunately, some educational organizations that may require assistance to be able to afford this technology.

Support and feedback

VR/AR can disorient some learners, so providing clear instructions and feedback is important throughout the experience. Ensure learners know what they are expected to do and allow them to give feedback on their experience. With feedback, you will be able to gauge the effectiveness of the technology.


To sum up, implementing AR/VR technology in education can revolutionize how students learn by providing immersive, lifelike experiences that translate into improved comprehension and retention of critical concepts.

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