Early attempts at using a file-sharing approach to online communication education proved inefficient. In theory, waiting for video downloads and managing storage space don’t sound like insurmountable obstacles, but in practice each recorded speech compounds the frustration that comes with using video as a medium for online communication education. This is especially true when one considers the myriad of free applications that exist to facilitate video sharing in today’s information age. As of yet, there is no online service that is specifically tailored for the needs of online communication education; fortunately, there are free applications that, with a little bit of management, make it possible. This lesson is going to go through the simple steps you need to take to setup an online communication course.
We will be using video recordings throughout this course to submit assignments and evaluate peers. The easiest way to share videos, by far, is through YouTube. It is a free Google product that lets you upload and store videos. But, there are some default settings that will make your YouTube experience far more enjoyable during this course. If you already have a Google account, simply go to YouTube and follow the instructions below. If you don’t, then you will need to create one before moving on.
How to set your default privacy to ‘Unlisted’
Using YouTube as a medium for video submissions keeps video formatting consistent and therefore, easily accessible for review (whether to grade a speech or have a peer prepare a rebuttal). It also lets students maintain control of their video content. For those unfamiliar with uploading YouTube videos, making a video “unlisted” means that the video is unsearchable and can only be viewed by sharing a link to your video.
How to upload a video
There are actually many ways to upload videos to YouTube. The video below is how to choose a file on your computer. If you want to reduce the storage space taken up by videos on your computer, you should research streaming services that send videos straight to YouTube. We recommend StreamYard because it is free, and extremely easy to use. The drawback is that streaming is live, so any mistakes you make are permanent.