Recording video conversations to clarify content

Dr. Todd Bacastow and Dr. Leanne Sulewski of Penn State's College of Earth and Mineral Sciences developed and teach GEOG 885: Analytical Methods and GeoAI in Geospatial Intelligence. This innovative course aims to simplify a complex and ever-changing topic, making it accessible and engaging for learners. After offering the course for several semesters, Bacastow and Sulewski realized that some complex concepts were challenging for students to grasp fully. Along with learning designer Jennifer Babb, the team decided to create videos explaining those topics. Given Bacastow and Sulewski’s strong rapport and engaging conversation style, they settled on a series of nine recorded conversations rather than typical lecture-style videos.

"We wanted to bring the material to life in a way that felt natural and accessible," said Babb. "The conversational format allowed the instructors to dig into the material and share insights in a more organic way. It’s not just about delivering content; it’s about engaging students and sparking their curiosity."

Dutton’s videographer, Kay DiMarco, was enlisted to assist in the planning, production, and post-production of the videos. “We met regularly [with the learning designer and videographer] to ensure we were capturing the heart of what we wanted to convey. It was a truly collaborative and wonderful experience creating innovative content that will reach more of our students more effectively. The process was also incredibly efficient,” Dr. Sulewski said. “And Dutton even created multiple versions for us to choose from.” The collaborative process was integral to refining the course’s content and ensuring it met learning objectives."

The success of this project highlights the power of working with learning designers and multimedia experts to enhance course delivery. Dr. Bacastow emphasized, “It’s a collaborative effort that leads to innovative, engaging content for students. Working with Dutton has been incredibly valuable, especially given the rapidly evolving and largely undocumented nature of the subject. Leveraging Dutton's resources and expertise was essential. In a short time, we successfully created a series of brief videos that introduce and emphasize key concepts to support understanding the complexities."

Below is a 2:46-minute example.

Faculty interested in exploring similar approaches can learn more at Dutton’s Teaching and Learning Showcase or by contacting the Director of Learning Design, Stevie Rocco, at sxr133@psu.edu.