Do You YouTube?: Creating a Content Channel

July 24, 2006

Do You YouTube?: Creating a Content Channel

I've watched many library tutorials over the past year and found them to be too stuffy. I wanted to try to create something a little more natural, something with personality. I didn't want to focus on “information literacy” concepts or the proper way to use library resources, but rather to provide a quick and dirty here's how you can get what you need video clips. Ultimately, I failed. They just didn't capture the vibe I wanted. I guess that's what happens when you don't have a script and basically just wing it. I'm planning to rerecord them over the break before Fall semester and add a few more topics. I'm also pulling together non-library clips that might be of interest, for example a MatLAB tutorial, product and design demonstrations, news clips on alternative fuel sources, and other subject appropriate material.

Here is my proof of concept:
http://youtube.com/profile?user=GTMechEngVids

Why use YouTube?

I wanted to experiment with creating a video community, rather than just a listing of tutorials on the library web site. From observation, students don't use or know how to navigate the library site, so why bury video clips on there?

YouTube is cool because it allows you to create a channel. This particular channel is intended for students at Georgia Tech who are studying Mechanical Engineering. It gives me a place to post and receive comments, as well as free hosting of an unlimited amount of videos. The only restriction is that each clip has to be less than 100 MB and under 10 minutes long.

While YouTube is very popular, I am not expecting students to think, hmmm, I need to find journals, maybe there is a video here to help me. Instead I am promoting the channel concept. Whenever I respond to student email, I include a suggestion that they check out the videos I created to help them do research. I've also had it added to the ME orientation materials (from the school, not the library.) And of course, I've promoted it to faculty. The initial reaction was favorable. The faculty like that it is tailored toward their discipline and I'm hoping they will suggestion future topics or searches. For example, if there is an assignment to write a paper on autonomous automobiles, I could provide a customized clip on that subject. One professor is adding the link to his syllabus along with my AIM. So I am cautiously optimistic for the Fall.

The great thing about the videos though is that YouTube is simply a distribution channel. I own the master copy, which can be converted into various formats and used in other environments. For example, videos could be emailed, loaded into WebCT / BlackBoard, added to the library or a professor's site, burned on to a CD or flash drive, etc. Once the product is created, you can reuse it in various ways. Plus they are quick to make. Each clip was conceived, recorded, edited and produced in about 45 minutes.

Technical Considerations

I previously wrote about some screen casting experiments . I used Camtasia, which is reasonably priced for academic institutions, and found it be very easy and straightforward. The quality of the clips on YouTube is weak, but that is not due to Camtasia. The videos (pre-upload) were QuickTime and roughly about 33MB for 5 minutes. The other formats (wmv, avi, flash) did not provide the same quality. The screens look fuzzy on YouTube; I had to rely on the Zoom feature to make these readable. I know a lot of folks (library people) might complain that the screens don't look perfect, but I'm ok with that. I'd rather sacrifice a little quality in order to build the concept. Plus it's free hosting!

Final Thoughts

These tutorials are not the be-all end-all on doing research. As I noted, they are a quick little overview, meant to supplement email, IM, and telephone conversations. It gives students a visual – ok, I go here and enter my terms and click on the sfx button to get the article, ah, ok . The technology is only going to improve. Eventually we will have crystal clear online videos, but don't wait until then. I know there is a lot of debate about the value/usage of library tutorials, that's why I say, take them outside of the library domain, and couple them with other interesting and cool videos and see what happens. I will often include a 1-2 minute video clip (which takes less than 10 minutes to make) with my answers to reference requests and the students are usually very appreciative. Now I am going to apply that on a larger level and see what happens. Next up, channels for Computer Science and Distance Learning.

Posted at 10:09 AM | Permalink

Comments

Hi Brian.

I really like the "Channel" concept and one has to alike the free video hosting.

Are there any concerns about the fact that YouTube retains some rights to the video files you upload?

Also, you mentioned that you don't want to bury video clips on the library web site, and I see your point there. However, since you're pointing out the location of the video tutorials anyway, how does this make the videos less "buried?"

Since YouTube videos can be embedded anywhere, why not embed them in channels you design as a part of the library's site, and just enjoy the benefits of YouTube's free video hosting?

Really cool innovating, Brian. Kudos.

Posted by: David Rothman | July 26, 2006 at 07:59 PM

Neat idea, as usual, Brian. I notice that the videos in your collection are even a little smaller than the stuff I find on the main sections of YouTube, and I'm unable to resize them, as I am videos on other sections - any idea why that is?

Posted by: Paul R. Pival | July 27, 2006 at 07:52 AM

David,

Librarians are always so good about reading the fine print!

I don’t really have concerns about video rights. If I were making a profit, then perhaps, but the worst they can do is publicize the videos more. Right now I feel the videos are second-rate. I’d like to improve the visual and narrative quality a bit—but on the Microsoft philosophy, they’re good enough to go to market. I’ll just tweak them later.

As for location. I’m not opposed to having them on the library site. That’s the great thing about videos is that once you create the master product you can distribute widely.

The problem I have with most library tutorials is that they have be generalized for the masses. I wanted to create unique content for a specific audience and have the ability to swap, change, edit, and update material whenever I can or need to. I wanted to make it customized. At GT we’re on the subject liaison model and have to be very entrepreneurial toward our disciplines. Therefore, there is not a lot of centralization in our instructional efforts.

So sure, I’ll work them into the Mechanical Engineering subject guide. But my real goal is to create a collection of videos that are of interest to the ME community, which just so happen to include a few research tutorials. I really hope to expand the offering to include lots of non-library content. Secondly, my objective is to get links or embedded vids into the course management systems. And also use them to supplement my email/im/phone reference assistance.

So to sum it: sure, videos can go a library website, but don’t just stop there, aim for mass distribution!

Now for something a little less serious but a lot more fun: Storm Large
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjLNQAjWi8s

Posted by: brian | July 27, 2006 at 08:18 AM

Paul,

I know, I feel like I am missing a step. The master vids are super high quality. I just need to figure out how to make them clearer on youtube. I might give the Camtasia folks a call.

Posted by: brian | July 27, 2006 at 08:21 AM

You're the man, Brian. :)

A couple thoughts:

First, placing the YouTube video player on your own site would allow you to control the diminsions of the playback vieo to your own preferences, and that would do a bit for the viewability, regardless of the low resolution provided by any YouTube video.

Second, I doubt Camtasia's software is the problem. As you noted, the .mov produced by their software looked loads better than did the YouTube video- this is because the YouTube ISN'T serving up a Quicktime video, but a lower-res, transcoded version of it.

I think the only likely solution for that is the growth of the technology and/or YouTube enhacing its services. (My own prediction is that YouTube may offer "premium" services for paying customers that deliver higher resolution.)Remember, though, that the lower resolution is part of what makes it possible for YouTube to do the hosting.

Still, a great idea to expand and improve services for your users using the free service.

(Also, IS Storm related to Sebastian Bach of Skid Row?)

Posted by: David Rothman | July 27, 2006 at 02:49 PM