Students are far more likely to tune into a video than read a block of text. Blame it on TikTok or YouTube, but attention follows movement. And I think part of it is just human. People connect more with a face, a voice, and a story than with blocks of static text.
But here’s the thing: using video in your instruction needs to be grounded in why. Why this video? Why now? What does it actually do for student learning?
Sometimes, a video adds clarity. Other times, it adds noise. The point is: use it with purpose. You can either pull a good video from a trusted educational YouTube channel (I’ve shared my go-to list in earlier posts), or create your own.
Personally, I prefer creating my own when I need something specific, aligned with my goals, tone, and classroom needs. And over the years, I’ve tested a ton of tools.
In the visual below, I put together what I think are the most practical tools for creating engaging educational videos. These aren’t sponsored. Just tools I’ve actually used or reviewed.
Quick take:
– I use ChatGPT and Claude to draft scripts.
– For recording, Loom does the job. Camtasia if I want full control.
– Capcut is a favorite for editing especially for quick projects.
– If I need voiceovers, ElevenLabs is solid.
– For transcriptions, I bounce between Otter and Rev.
One last note: for AI text-to-video tools, I stay away from them for now. I’ve tested most, and honestly, they’re mediocre at best. Use them if you’re short on time, but don’t expect magic.
