How to Make a Flipped Class Video with Someone Across the Country

One of the things folks have liked about Aaron and my videos is that we made them together.  We had classrooms right next to each other and though scheduling the making of the videos was often difficult, we felt the videos were much better with a partner, so we made this a priority.  

Often when we present about the flipped classroom, we hear from teachers that they wish they had a partner in their building to work with.  This certainly is ideal, but this is often not reality for many teachers.  They would love to have a partner, but there is no other teacher in their building either interested, or who teaches the same course.  

Enter the digital world:  What if you could make a video with somebody else and not be in the same room.  What if you found somebody who taught the same things you do, but they were in a different state?  Could you make videos together?  

Of course, the answer is Yes!  First you need to find somebody to work with.  To that I encourage you to go to the Flipped Learning Network NING ( and find somebody.  We have over 7300 educators who are interested in flipping their class.  Certainly there is somebody there whom you can partner with.  Then you need to discuss what videos you are going to make and then start making them together while being in different locations.  

Second you need to make these videos.  How should you proceed?  Meet English teachers Andrew Thomasson (@thomasson_engl) in North Carolina and Cheryl Morris(@guster4lovers) in California.  They met while virtually attending the flipped class conference (#flipcon12).  They realized they could make their videos together and they did.  Once I saw a few of their videos I insisted they make a video on how and why they made them together.  Below is their video explaining their process and why they decide to collaborate in this fashion

For those who need step by step instructions
1.  Find a partner (
2.  Plan a lesson together
3.  Using Camtasia Studio make sure the picture in picture option is selected. This might work with other programs such as Screenflow as well.
4.  Have your partner join you via a google hangout
5.  Using Camtasia Studio start recording your screen.  Make sure you have your presentation (this could be a google doc, a powerpoint, etc).  Remember, whatever is on your screen is being recorded.
6.  Now record your video presentation with your partner.
7.  Take some time afterwards to edit your video (this is optional) to spice it up a bit.
8.  Upload your video to your video hosting site so that your students can view it.  

Wala:  we can all have a teaching partner even if there isn’t one in the next room.   

2 Responses

  1. Very humbled to be included here.  Thank you for insisting on us making a video!  It has been a complete joy to work with someone as incredible as Andrew, and in the shadows of people like you and Aaron.  Thank you for writing about us!  We are also VERY open to helping people start the process for themselves, so feel free to contact either of us.  You can also read more about the project at

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