Creating Fantastic Programming Courses— Tips Based on My 10-Year Experience
Top three tips that will speed up your video editing process and help you produce fantastic software development courses.
Photo by Magda Ehlers: https://www.pexels.com/photo/selective-focus-photography-of-gray-stainless-steel-condenser-microphone-1054713/
I love creating programming tutorials. I started ten years ago on YouTube, tried Udemy along the way, and right now, I am a Pluralsight author. While I love creating video content, the process can become more complex as you aim to produce high-quality material. But you know what? I will share some ideas to make the process fun again.
In this article, I assume you have some basic experience recording video tutorials. I will not cover the basics of video recording or editing. Instead, I want to focus on proven practices that produce great results for your audience.
#1 Audio quality is more important than video quality
Initially, people shop for expensive cameras, 4K monitors, and video editing software. It might be a surprise, but people watching video courses prefer top-notch audio quality. Audio quality is more important than video, especially for online video courses.
You don’t have to take my word for it. How often did you stop a tutorial/course because you did not like the instructor’s voice or the audio was full of ambient noises that made the message hard to grasp? It happens to me all the time.
So, do yourself (and your students) a favor and invest in a good-quality microphone:
If you are recording screen-sharing tutorials (where you are not filming yourself), a solid USB microphone will do the trick. I am using a Blue Yeti, but Rode Podcaster also produces amazing audio output.
If you also want to record yourself, then you will need a lavalier microphone since the first option might be too bulky. I used Rode Lavalier, and I am pretty happy with the result.
#2 A script will cut your producing time in half
When I first started, I was recording without a script. And while this might seem spontaneous, it is not the best solution for most people, especially if English isn’t your mother language. I remember those days…I had to re-record many videos because I made mistakes while speaking.
My life drastically improved once I started using scripts. I now write every sentence I will use in a programming course. When I am recording, I read my script to deliver my message. This has tons of benefits:
You will cut your production time in half because you will make very few mistakes
You will have more elaborate phrasing and avoid the risk of repeating the same ideas or words
The message you deliver will be clear for your students
And you know what? Almost every successful vlogger or content creator uses scripts. So, there is no reason you should not.
#3 Alternating between slides and demos makes courses more engaging
When creating programming courses, many people will either go for the full “hands-on” approach or a more conservative “slides-only” approach. None of these are great for creating an engaging programming course. Instead, you should find a balance between information and demos. For optimal results, your slides should take up between 30 and 50 percent of your course, while live coding should take between 50 and 70 percent.
You should also alternate between theory and hands-on. Do a short concept presentation, and then follow along with a coding demo to improve your students’ understanding.
#4 Bonus: Audio correction software is a gift sent from Heaven
I mentioned earlier that audio quality is essential. Even with a good microphone, there will still be audio issues to correct. You may be like me and produce a lot of mouth pops when speaking. Your breath may be very heavy and is picked up by your microphone. You may have ambient noise that is picked up.
There are two approaches to correcting these issues:
Manual video editing and audio repairs — This works but takes up much time. In fact, this was the part I hated most when editing my courses.
Automatic software corrections — You are using a tool that will automatically correct your audio. If you want stellar results, you should invest in a program that is proven and battle-tested. I am using Izotope RX10, and boy, did it make my life easier. Honestly, I reduced my editing time by almost 50% since I began using it.
Important: This article has no hidden ads. All the products/services that are included in this video are my own. I have nothing to gain if you decide to use the same products.
