Don’t Just Watch, Do.
7 Tips To Make The Most Of University Webinars & Education Videos

There are many videos on UniversityWebinars.org that are of speeches, lectures, presentations, and seminars from experts at top universities. Just watching the university videos is great, but it’s not enough. You need to apply what you are seeing and hearing to enhance your learning and development. Don’t just watch, do. Here are some tips to do just that.

1. Create something useful. Actually create something from watching the video. I once watched a video on how to create and optimize a web page. I made sure that I would create something as a result of watching the video and learning the tips. Now, I have a tangible result – a “product” in the form of an optimized University Training web page. When you know you are working to create something, you will listen much more attentively.
2. Journal. Reflection is a powerful technique for learning. There is a big difference between just watching a video and journaling about it. Describe what you are learning, and apply that knowledge.
3. Have a project. Maybe you have a big project that you are working on and what you learn from the video can help you with something you are already doing. You are not creating something from scratch, but rather applying or implementing the learning into your existing work. Jot down the insights that will help you while watching the video. Many university videos, webinars, and even Ted Talk-style presentations offer tips and techniques that are ready to implement.
4. Link videos together for your own learning. On UniversityWebinars.org, you can see all of the videos in a particular category, like innovation or education. You can do a more specific search, like “higher education” or “social entrepreneurship.” Choose the results that will help you learn what you want to learn. Don’t just watch one video; do a series and integrate them together for your own development. Think of it like assembling a variety of courses to create your own program. They all fit under a theme with a purpose for you.
5. Have a partner. Don’t do it alone. Go through the video programs with a friend or colleague. Schedule a time where you can get together to watch the videos. Discuss what you are seeing, hearing, and learning. Share your insights with each other. You will get new ideas and build upon the knowledge.
6. Teach someone something. While I was doing a webinar video program that I paid for, I couldn’t help but teach friends things I was learning from it. I know a lot of people who are creating online programs and the things I was learning would benefit them. So, when I met up with them at the coffee shop, I shared the ideas I created for them. I made it a point to help a few friends with what they were doing. This was engaging, and I listened more attentively and jotted down more ideas. Before you start your next video program, think about who you would like to teach. Who else could benefit from what you are about to learn?
7. Make this a program, and use best practices. My book Root Down & Branch Out: Best Practices for Leadership Development Programs details the best practices for designing programs for learning. Research already exists on how to design your experience so that you have a high impact. These are some best practices you may want to consider as you design a video-focused program for yourself or others. Below I include premium subscriber content for you.

Innovative Education Program & Materials: Premium Subscriber Access

This webinar originally done as a live event with the University of Maryland can help you to innovate the way you teach and design your programs so that students learn and develop leadership skills. After all, you seem like the kind of person who is into innovating teaching and learning and the educational experience…you are on this site utilizing webinars! We can also collaborate with institutions to do live web events like this!

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Darin Eich, Ph.D. is the author of Root Down & Branch Out. His book brings key findings to practice from a research study conducted to determine the most important characteristics of high quality leadership development programs. Darin interviewed over 60 program developers, educators and participants from high-impact leadership programs to uncover what mattered most for learning and leadership development. The Grounded Theory Model of High Quality Leadership Programs was developed to outline the best practices that positively contribute to students’ learning and leadership development. This book uses real quotes to walk you through each cluster, attribute, action, and corresponding effect of the model. The tips in this book are ready to apply immediately to help you have a high-impact on learning and leadership development in your programs.

Want more of this information? You can: 1. Buy the book on Amazon and 2. Sign up for ongoing book resources starting with a pdf sampler.

3. Premium Resources for Subscribers:
Leadership Program Best Practices Assessment Worksheet
Program Assessment Qualitative Interview Questions
Flipping The Leadership Program Article
Leadership Books For College Students List

The Book At A Glance:

• Innovation ready: Learn from and root down in the high-impact practices in action at universities – and branch out from them with ideas you can launch in your own program
• Research based: Be more scientific and gain insights from a University of Wisconsin study of high quality leadership development programs in US higher education
  
• Grounded in real stories: Understand what works through reading quotes from over sixty students and practitioners from different leadership programs
  
• Ready to apply: Use the charts and tools to apply the model and best practices to your own setting, workshop, course, program, institution, initiative, or organization
  
• Assessment friendly: Use the included assessment sheets for program evaluation, development, reflection, idea generation, and improvement
  
• Current and growing: New resources, activities, tips, guides, videos, networks, and updates are becoming available regularly at DarinEich.com/Book