As education evolves and remote learning becomes an increasingly common option, educators and institutions face the challenge of producing engaging, interactive content that effectively reaches students anytime, anywhere. This shift requires creating content that is not only accessible and scalable for a growing and diverse student population but also maintains student engagement without the benefit of face-to-face interaction. To explore how this transition impacts our work, I spoke with Brad from our admin team about his journey from video editor to editor supervisor and his insights on creating and managing educational content.
Brad, can you define CAMTASIA for me? It sounds whimsical at first, but having worked with it myself, I’m curious to hear your perspective since taking over that project.
Camtasia is the software we use to edit lecture videos for our university clients. It’s much simpler than most professional editing software, making it ideal for educators and content creators who might not have a background in video editing. Camtasia stands out because of its ability to include embedded, interactive quiz questions in videos, providing an interactive learning experience. Additionally, its intuitive interface allows non-editor content specialists to easily make revisions, ensuring the content remains current and accurate without requiring advanced technical skills.
What has the transition been like as you’ve moved into a more administrative position at the company? Can you elaborate on your experience editing versus managing a team of editors? Do you feel pretty hands-off?
When I started at JPG/Veracity, I was a part-time editor working on lecture videos in Camtasia. There was an adjustment period with Camtasia’s quirks compared to other editing suites, but I quickly realized its potential for streamlining the editing process. I developed a workflow that includes a well-organized file system and reusable motion graphic templates, making it easy to produce high-quality content efficiently. This plug-and-play approach is one of the first things I teach new hires, ensuring our deliverables consistently meet the university’s standards.
After a few months, I transitioned into a more administrative role. Now, I manage our Camtasia editing team of about a dozen remote editors. I’m involved in every part of the process, from interviewing and training to reviewing early edits and facilitating communication with the university. With the comprehensive training and clear editing notes we provide, our editors quickly become self-sufficient. This allows me to take a hands-off approach, confident in their ability to maintain the quality and consistency of our work.
What do you say to new hires who might be unenthusiastic about learning a new program or producing this sort of work?
During interviews and training, I’m upfront about Camtasia being simpler editing software and that the work isn’t flashy. However, I emphasize the stability, reliability, and simplicity of this role. Many of our editors use this job as a side hustle while pursuing other film industry work, appreciating the flexibility and steady income it provides.
If you could change one thing about Camtasia, what would it be?
Camtasia, being geared towards non-video-editors, lacks a few features common in other editing suites. I’d love to see a proper keyframe system and more shortcuts. While Camtasia does have some keyframe functionality and allows for setting up shortcuts, it lacks basic features like moving the playhead a frame at a time with the arrow keys. Despite these limitations, its ease of use and interactive features make it a powerful tool for educational content creation.
What’s your tip for educators recording content?
The quality of the recorded lecture video can make the editing process smooth or challenging. My biggest tip is to balance the content of your slideshow with elements that can’t be conveyed through slides alone. It helps if there are clear points for text callouts, but also take advantage of the video format with anecdotes and stories to replicate an in-person lecture experience. Don’t just read off the slides—make it worth watching. Using Camtasia, you can easily add these elements, enhancing the overall learning experience.
Are you an educator or content specialist looking to create engaging and interactive videos for your students? At Veracity, we specialize in creating high-quality educational content tailored to your needs. Reach out to us to see how we can enhance your educational videos.
