On 14 May 2024, the Open University of China (OUC) hosted a specialised workshop aimed at enhancing the video lecture instructional capabilities and camera presence of its faculty.
This initiative was part of the university's ongoing efforts to refine online teaching methods and elevate the quality of video course content. Renowned host Zhang Yang from China Media Group was invited as a guest speaker, sharing her expertise on improving camera presence and engaging in lively exchanges with the attending teachers. Her insights are expected to help educators craft more captivating and impactful video lectures.
Over 150 educators from various departments of the university, along with staff from affiliated enterprises, participated in the event. Li Wei, director of the Learning Resources Department, presided over the proceedings.
Zhang Yang addressed common challenges in video course production, such as a lack of warmth, entertainment, and practice, and emphasised the importance of cultivating imagination, expressive desire, and self-confidence among teachers. She advised that teachers should enhance their sense of audience engagement, recognising the similarities between their role and that of a presenter. They should adapt their delivery style, transforming theoretical written content into accessible, understandable, and memorable verbal and visual information for learners. Additionally, she highlighted the need for teachers to master presentation techniques, such as using concise sentences, creating a rhythmic flow, focusing on transition of breath, using rhetorical techniques, and employing storytelling and conflict to maintain student interest and facilitate natural communication.
To provide a hands-on learning experience, the event included a simulated recording session where teachers could practice in front of cameras and view their performance on a large screen in real-time. Zhang Yang provided live demonstrations and offered tailored advice to address the teachers' concerns and questions about video course production.
The event was met with enthusiastic engagement from the teachers. Looking forward, the university plans to continue hosting high-quality online teaching and sharing events, with a commitment to continually improving teachers' video lecture instructional capabilities, diversifying classroom formats, and supporting educational reform and the cultivation of high-quality talent.
By Zhao Di and Wang Yu, OUC