The short version
- One learning objective per video, ideally a few minutes long.
- Show, don't just tell — screen, whiteboard, document camera or demonstration.
- Clear audio matters more than video quality.
- Captions and on-screen key terms help every student.
- Protect student privacy and follow your school's policies.
Keep lessons short
Shorter videos are easier to watch, easier to find again and easier to update. Rather than recording a whole lesson, split it into short videos of a few minutes, each covering a single concept, worked example or skill. A series of short videos with clear titles ("Fractions 3: Adding with different denominators") is more useful than one long recording.
Plan one objective
- Write the objective: "By the end, students can…"
- Outline three to five steps or key points.
- Choose one worked example and one common mistake to address.
- End with a quick check: a question to try or a summary to copy down.
Recording options
| Format | Good for | How |
|---|---|---|
| Screen recording | Slides, software, websites, digital worksheets | Use the recorder built into your computer or tablet. See our tutorial guide. |
| Whiteboard or paper | Maths, diagrams, handwriting | Phone on a stand above the page, pointing down. |
| Talking head | Introductions, stories, discussions | Phone at eye level, facing a window. |
| Demonstration | Science, art, PE, practical skills | Tripod, with close-ups of the key steps. |
Combining formats works well: slides as the main video with a small face cam in a corner feels personal and keeps attention.
Clarity tips
- Speak slightly slower than in class, and pause after key points.
- Zoom in on the part of the screen or page you're discussing.
- Label key terms on screen as you say them.
- Point with arrows or highlights to show exactly where to look.
- Cut mistakes and waiting — students don't need to watch a page load. See our trimming guide.
- Record audio close to the mic in a quiet room — a headset works well.
Accessibility
Accessible videos help every learner, not only those with disabilities:
- Captions support students who are deaf or hard of hearing, those learning in a second language and anyone watching without sound. See our captions guide.
- Describe what's on screen as you go ("on the left, the red line shows…") for students with visual impairments.
- Use large, high-contrast text and avoid relying on colour alone to convey meaning.
- Provide a transcript or summary alongside the video where possible.
Student privacy
Follow your school's or district's policies on recording and sharing video. In general: avoid showing students' faces, names or work without appropriate permission, check that no personal information is visible on screen, and share videos through your approved learning platform rather than public sites unless you have clear permission.
VDOAPP processes everything in your browser, so your recordings are not uploaded to our servers while you edit.
Step by step: edit a lesson video in VDOAPP
- Add your recording to the free online editor — no account or installation needed, which suits school computers.
- Cut mistakes and waiting with Split, and speed up slow sections to 2× in the Clip tab.
- Zoom in on details with keyframes in the Clip tab.
- Add a face cam in the PiP tab as a small circle in a corner.
- Label steps and key terms in the Text tab, and add captions for spoken explanations.
- Add narration with 🎙 Record if you recorded without sound.
- Export and upload to your learning platform.