Videos are a great way to advocate for your class. Whether it is a highlight reel or promotional footage, creating a video to “sell” your class can be easy, effective and fun.
There are many benefits to creating a class video. For starters, a video is a great way to showcase what your students are doing in class. Exhibits and shows can highlight art, but a video can demonstrate the excitement that happens while the art is being created. A highlight reel can show both parents and administrators all the wonderful things that happen in the art room.
Another great use for a video is the class promotion reel. Every year, students have to choose their electives when they sign up for classes. A promo reel will give a visual representation of the exciting happenings that they will experience if they select your class. You could also create a promo reel to entice new members to join art club.
There are many solutions available to help you create a video. Both Macs and PCs have built in movie-making programs. With only a few photographs, you can create a slideshow quickly and easily.
Another option is to create and promote your video online. Web 2.0 tools like Animoto.com allow you to add photos, video clips, and even select from a variety of music genres. Your video can be ready in minutes and promoting it through social media sites like Facebook and Twitter is just as easy.
Here are two promotional videos I created for my classes using Animoto:
Along with the social media sites, consider hosting the video on YouTube or Vimeo. This way you can share the link with parents through email or your school newsletter. There may also be other, non-virtual, places to promote your class video. For example, you could play your video for parents when they visit for open house or, if your school has a closed circuit TV system, see if you can have the video shown during homeroom.
The NAEA advocacy page talks about getting out the message and making it visible. Video is the prefect vehicle for accomplishing this goal. It’s a great way to spread excitement and educate everyone about what’s going on in your class.
Have you used video to promote your classes?
If so, which programs would you recommend?
Magazine articles and podcasts are opinions of professional education contributors and do not necessarily represent the position of the Art of Education University (AOEU) or its academic offerings. Contributors use terms in the way they are most often talked about in the scope of their educational experiences.
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