Video Content Creation and Editing Software for ID

As part of the process of developing engaging online learning experiences, video is a helpful element to integrate into content creation. We now see people using video platforms such as YouTube, Vimeo, TikTok, etc., to create content, learn a new disciple, access the latest news, share ideas, or for mere entertainment. Whichever the case, something to consider when creating video content -for education in particular- is that quality is a must.

Now let us imagine that some elite professor is giving an online lecture on a critical topic but the camera is off-focus, the picture is blurry, and there are distracting ambient sounds in the recording. In this scenario, even if the content is interesting and the person conducting the lecture is eminent in his/her discipline, if the video quality is below average, there is a higher chance to risk the learner’s engagement and content credibility. Because of this, content creators need to choose the right tools for video capturing and editing. Two video software that can help create high-quality video are Camtasia and Adobe Premier Pro.

Camtasia is my personal favorite. This video software is compatible with Windows and MacOS. Moreover, is versatile and easy to use. For a one-time purchase, you can use Camtasia to create instructional videos where you can add interactions and effects from a variety of features. Camtasia allows you to do screen captures and record yourself on the camera at the same time. Moreover, editing is super simple, and no extraordinary skills are required to manipulate the editing tools.

Collingbourne, H. (2019). Camtasia 2019 Review. photograph.

Other features included in this software are a voiceover recording and a simple audio editing tool that comes in handy when working with video. Also, in Camtasia, you can adjust the production features for higher performance on different platforms and export content directly to YouTube, Vimeo, or your digital folder.

Despite the positive features of Camtasia, there is one disadvantage with this software when rendering a video using a MacOS computer. For some unclear reason, when rendering in MP4 format in a MacOS, the file size is significantly larger than when produced in Windows. This is a common question from all MacOS users to the TechSmit Support team -Camtasia developers- with no clear answers on how to fix this issue.

For those with more advanced video creation/editing skills, Adobe Premier Pro is an excellent choice. This software can be used for a variety of video productions, including film and TV. For learning content, Adobe Premier Pro can help with the necessary tools to create stunning videos with high-quality visuals and audio. Similar to Camtasia, Premier Pro also allows the user to do a screen capture and record from a computer camera. When using Adobe Suit, Premier Pro lets you work interchangeably with other editing tools like Adobe Audition for audio content, and integrate a higher level of visual effects or motion graphics into your production with After Effects.

When producing videos in Adobe Premier Pro or Camtasia, something to keep in mind is that the size of a rendered video also considers the features added to the presentation. Thus, if you add a lot of animations, transitions, close captions, etc., you might end up with a pretty large file size, and sharing on some platforms can be an issue. However, you can reduce the video file size by adjusting Frame Rate, Bit Rate or even changing the Video Resolution, though, be cautious with this last approach as it can result in a poor-quality video. Another option for file size reduction is to use other tools like Adobe Media Encoder for instance, which is compatible with multiple file types like M4A, MP3, MOV, and more.

Adobe. (2022). The new Essentials workspace in Premiere Pro. photograph.

To sum up, I believe that both Camtasia and Adobe Premier Pro are great choices to create or edit videos for educational/training purposes. However, there are other software options on the market to achieve similar results in video production, ranging from different features and prices, but in the end, it is all a matter of choice. The most important when integrating technology in learning content creation is that the knowledge intended to be transferred is appealing and easy to understand for the audience and to achieve the desired learning outcomes.

References:

1. Get started with Adobe Premiere Pro with master trainer Valentina Vee. YouTube. (2021, March 14). Retrieved February 1, 2023, from https://youtu.be/8eDsvKwM40U

2. Knott, R. (2023, January 16). 5 types of instructional videos you can make right now (no experience necessary!). The TechSmith Blog. Retrieved February 1, 2023, from https://www.techsmith.com/blog/types-of-instructional-videos/

3. Professional video editing software | adobe premiere pro. Adobe. (n.d.). Retrieved February 1, 2023, from https://www.adobe.com/products/premiere.html

4. Aldredge, J. (2022, October 7). How to compress a video on iPhone, Android, windows, and more. Vimeo Blog. Retrieved February 2, 2023, from https://vimeo.com/blog/post/how-to-compress-a-video/