Teaching with video: survey results

Last fall we sent out a survey about the instructional use of streaming videos and DVDs at UW-Eau Claire.  We wanted to find out how people were accessing and sharing videos and what needs exist in that area in order to help guide our decisions in the future.

We had 146 responses from all four colleges and learned quite a bit about classroom video use:

• Of our respondents, 125 reported currently using video in their classes
• Videos are viewed in class or assigned as homework in roughly an even amount
• A substantial amount of video content shared with classes is free, provided by faculty themselves, or available on platforms without institutional subscriptions.

When we asked what topic areas the library should carry more of,  we got a wide range of

disciplinary areas, and even some specific suggestions.  Science, economics, social justice, healthcare, disability, social work, kinesiology, American Indian Studies, Latin American Studies, gender, education, and history were some of the more frequently mentioned subject areas.

One implication of having so many disparate needs is that we would be hard pressed to find a streaming service that meets even a third of these.  Our streaming service Films on Demand probably comes closest, with content in almost all of the subject areas mentioned. Kanopy is our second most used service, with an emphasis on providing contemporary documentaries.  

But the fact is that content needs tend to be more specific than subject areas or even topics.  And that is why we realize developing our collection at the individual title level, with input from you, will be an important prong in our efforts to support the curriculum.   Given the constraints on the library budget and the expense of streaming media, we want to make sure that what we do purchase gets used. We also are trying to anticipate the ways that the diversifying production of moving pictures will affect future requests.  We've already been challenged in trying to acquire films that are only available streaming from one source.

In the meantime, whenever you want to request videos, simply email your request to Carrie Butler-Becker or contact your library liaison.  DVDs/videos vary widely in pricing, licensing restrictions, and availability, but we will try to fill every request.