Choose your video resources wisely

1. Allow time for students to reflect on what they have seen.
   Picking up from the previous point it is important to allow students to reflect on what they have seen. This can happen in a number of ways; for example completing set questions or discussing key points in small groups and eventually feeding back what they have discussed to the rest of the class. 
2. Technical quality is important.
   Make sure playback facilities are available in the lecture theatre or learning centre (and are working). Other areas to consider are whether the screen size is adequate for the number of students? Can you lower the lights near the screen? Is the sound clear enough? The payoff for downloading video resources from the Internet for free is often the quality of the resource. With educational resources that are bought through reputable distributers you avoid such problems and are guaranteed a professional product.  
3. Used as a refresher.
   The great thing about video is that it can be watched over and over again for revision. Educational sites can arrange digital licenses to be purchased, which allows educational videos to be placed online. This allows students to watch the educational video in their own time and means that you don’t have to show the video in its entirety during the lecture.
4. Extension work.
   A well-chosen video resource is better than text for stimulating a structured discussion, and it can make more efficient use of classroom time. Creating a blog and placing it alongside the educational video on the virtual learning environment can continue discussions and conversations from the classroom and it can also draw in comments from less vocal students.
5. To avoid stress
   Make sure that the equipment is checked prior to the lecture in order to avoid the stress of wondering whether it will work or not. There is nothing worse than pressing play and being met with a blank screen and a theatre of full of expectant eyes. It is also worth making sure that you have something prepared just in case (on the rare occasion) that the technology fails and that you have something to fill in the gaps. 
   Educational video resources are a great way to add visual stimuli to your lectures. They should always be used as an extension of the lecture and not as a replacement. When used properly they can help to heighten the educational experience for students and raise the level of engagement and achievement during lectures.