Abstract:

In most organizations, live presentations are common practices. This represents a huge amount of knowledge. However, it is not available after the presentation. The present paper describes the development of online courses created by enhancing video recordings of live presentations.

This creation process happened in the context of an international organization. It started in 2008. There were three waves of presentations that were converted to video courses: first, around 30 so-called “scientific seminars” by staff experts or guests specialists intended to increase the scientific knowledge of staff members; second, around 20 technical presentations by researchers intended to explain the deliverable of their R&D projects; third, a presentation repeatedly made for newcomers converted to a consolidated didactic video.

There are several purposes for creating online video courses from live presentations. The first is to increase the number of viewers for each presentation. When a presentation becomes a course, it can be repeated for other audiences and for other people through internet. People who watch these videos gain time not only because they do not have to travel to attend, but also because the enhanced videos are condensed versions of the presentations. The second purpose is to give an opportunity to live/deferred attendees to deepen their understanding by revisiting the presentation. The third purpose is to help the speakers by giving them feedback, allowing them to check what they say and to use their recorded presentation for other people.

These purposes were achieved by enhancing the didactic features of the original recordings. This paper details three kinds of video enhancements: reduction of duration, audio improvement and visual improvement. It also details some of the measures taken to prepare the recordings so that the enhancements could be even more efficient. The special case of consolidated videos based on multiple instances of the same live presentation is also discussed.

The main conclusion is threefold. First, making a video out of a live presentation is an opportunity to enhance the didactic power of the original live presentation. Second, the time gained by those who watch and use the video outweighs the time spent on enhancing the video. Third, the video enhancement of live presentations requires skills and expertise in video and didactic communication. It could become a new specialized job in the field of educational technologies.

Eventually, the major criterion of success is probably the enhancement in terms of self-esteem in that the speaker can be proud of the enhanced video of his/her presentation.

Keywords:

e-learning, didactic videos, video courseware, live course, MOOC.