When you think of instructional video in engineering education, you may think solely of distance learningapplications. While distance delivery is a viable use of video technology, the FIC also offers high caliber video production services. Video technology can be a powerful medium when it comes to conveying actual settings and actions as well as portraying more complex and interconnected problems. In addition, video stories can help learners more easily understand and remember content in comparison with expository materials. Furthermore, research indicates that information obtained visually is more memorable, and the simultaneous processing of both auditory and visual information increases learner comprehension and retention.

Video instruction is an effective medium to present real-life situations. Are you able to take your students to an actual job site? One way to do so is with video. Or perhaps you'd like your students to watch a video before they begin a lab.  Dr. Paul Bommer in PGE explains, ''I use video to demonstrate several complicated labs. The students are required to watch the video before coming to the lab. This allows the instructor to present the material to the class and it takes some of the teaching load off of teaching assistants (some of whom may be inexperienced). I believe it greatly improves the learning opportunity in a lab." See an example of Dr. Bommer's Cement Lab series: http://utwired.engr.utexas.edu/bommer/cementlabs/CementLab1.mov

Dr. John Ekerdt (CHE) shares his story of working with the FIC to create instructional videos. "I approached the FIC in August only a few weeks before the semester to develop a web page that could be used for an upper-division undergraduate laboratory, called the NANOLAB, which is designed introduce engineering and natural sciences students to nanoscale science and engineering (NSE) concepts.  NANOLAB is not a stand-alone course, but rather is a laboratory 'station' that interfaces with existing laboratory courses in the participating departments (Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry & Biochemistry, Mechanical Engineering).  This was designed to impact up to 960 students per year, although the numbers will be considerably less during the first year.  I needed a way to reach students in three different departments, describe the laboratory, distribute manuals for each experiment, and have links to training videos that described how some of the equipment worked.

The FIC developed the web site and separately filmed and edited the video clips in time for them to be used this semester.  They prioritized the tasks, brought in outside contractors, and implemented it in stages so the most important features were available on the schedule that the course dictated.

They are extremely service oriented, take the time to learn what the customer wants and are extremely knowledgeable about the best approaches to convert a nebulous idea into a useful educational tool." Go to http://www.engr.utexas.edu/nanolab/experiments to see what Dr. Ekerdt's students are using.