From dissections to bananas: how a teacher team mastered video production!
Abstracting from one’s academic field isn’t easy — which is why hearts, livers, and lungs were replaced by bananas at a video workshop held at the Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences. The focus? Acquiring video production skills while having fun!
The didactical challenge
Time constraints are a recurring issue in the first-year course Veterinary Anatomy and Physiology. In the current setup, teachers demonstrate dissections to a lecture hall of 180 students, followed by hands-on practice in twelve essential anatomical exercises. Newly appointed course managers Julie Birch and Merle Fenner sought a more effective approach to address two key goals:
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Improve preparation opportunities for students before class.
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Maximize hands-on time during in-class sessions.
Their solution? Flip the classroom.
The approach
To tackle these challenges sustainably, Julie and Merle decided to establish a local video production hub at the department, building on the existing skills within their team. With support from their head of section, Associate Professor Kirstine Callø, they organized a customized workshop led by digital media producers Christian Schmidt and Jonas Nilaus Vilhelmsen from the Centre for Online and Blended Learning.
During the three-hour workshop, the teacher team explored didactical and practical aspects of video production. Exercises included scriptwriting, directing, and recording in different formats, with all participants using identical cameras and microphones. This ensured everyone could confidently use the same technical setup, enabling peer support and fostering in-house production expertise.
Jonas and Christian emphasized the importance of creating a positive and hands-on learning experience. However, one challenge remained: How do you teach academics to communicate their field through video without getting stuck in disciplinary details?
The answer was Bananas!
The solution was as simple as it was effective: bananas. Participants were tasked with explaining how to peel and dissect a banana. “As soon as we pulled out those bananas, they realized the focus was on production,” Christian explains. “It helped them relax and engage more with the exercises.”
The playful exercise broke the ice, making the learning process enjoyable and productive.
A win for teachers and students
The workshop not only equipped the team with essential video production skills but also highlighted the importance of collaboration and innovation in teaching. With their newfound expertise, Julie, Merle, and their team are ready to create engaging video materials that give students better preparation tools while freeing up valuable class time for hands-on activities.
This case serves as a reminder: teaching and learning can be fun—especially when teachers embrace the role of learners themselves!
As Head of section Kirstine Callø puts it: “It was a huge success. Fun and very educational! The anatomy and pathology teachers are working on the first videos, so we're keeping the skills up."
Stay tuned for the students’ view - the course has been developed in connection with the new veterinary curriculum, which starts in 2025.