Session 2 - Conducting Interviews

We all understand the power of a good discussion to inform and inspire. So how can we use recorded interviews to enhance and enrich our teaching? This short session will show you how to plan, execute and record a well-designed interview. We will discuss different interview genres, how to draft great questions, how to build rapport with your interviewee, strategies for conducting, recording and editing interviews, and discuss the pros and cons of audio versus video interviews. Hopefully by the end of the session, you will be able to:

  • define the role of an interview or discussion recording in your teaching plan/learner pathway
  • decide on an appropriate recording method from the tools available in the Microstudio
  • articulate the difference between an interview and a guided discussion
  • identify what makes for an engaging interview
  • choose an appropriate interview type from a range of common options
  • plan your interview strategy
  • prepare an interview soft-script
  • 1. Planning

    The first step in planning your interview or discussion recording is to decide what kind of dynamic will best serve the topic or theme you are trying to explore. This involves looking ahead and imagining how the final recording will be presented. One way to do this is to think about common interview/discussion formats we’re already familiar with from the media:

    • One-on-one interview
    • Talking head interview
    • Unmoderated discussion
    • Moderated discussion
  • 2. Refining

    Once you’ve identified your general approach, you can refine your interview planning around the interviewing strategy, content and length of the recording. There are many interview strategies, and a skilled interviewer often combines or switches approaches. Here are some common ways of approaching interview strategy:

    • Conversational chat
    • Expert-novice
    • Hard talk
    • Personality driven
    • Oral history
    • Vox-pops
    • Key messages
    • Soundbites
  • 3. Preparing

    Once you’ve decided on your interview dynamic and your interview strategy, you should be able to research and write your questions. Depending on the dynamic, you might write a whole set of questions, or potentially just map out the topics you’re hoping to cover. But unlike a scripted presentation, the questions should act as a guide only, to help you keep on track. Reading pre-prepared questions in a set order, without actively listening to the direction the conversation is taking, is the fastest way to ruin the dynamics of an interview.

    If you are writing questions to elicit soundbites or key messages, your questions should be written to prompt a self-contained answer. For a one-on-one interview, questions should be open-ended to encourage elaboration and foster a sense of dialogue. In both cases, avoid closed questions with simple answers, otherwise you’ll spend all your interview time asking for elaboration. In all cases, your questions should be short and flexible enough to recite without reference to a script, although notes to keep things on track are ok.

  • 4. Briefing

    Briefing the interviewee is also critical to success. You should tell them what kind of interview you are planning, who the audience are, what the dynamic will be, how long the interview will run for, and at minimum send them a sample question or two. You should also reassure them that you are interviewing them for their expertise and perspective. You should also discourage them from pre-scripting their answers, although again notes are ok.  

    A pre-interview can also be a very effective way to prepare. This involves calling or meeting the interviewee in a less formal setting, running through your questions or notes, establishing which parts of the upcoming interview might be most valuable to viewers, and revising questions accordingly. This is great for rapport building, will help put the interviewee at ease on the day, and should yield a useful map of the conversation to come.

  • 5. Recording

    Now that you’ve prepared an engaging interview, you can decide whether it needs to be recorded on video or whether audio would be a better choice. Does having the interviewee on camera add anything to the production? Consider that you guest may be more comfortable in an audio-only setting.

    The general rule is to allow one hour of studio time to record a quality, well-prepared 10min interview. This will allow for time to warm up, practice, and record pickups or introductions. In terms of wardrobe choices, we recommend you and your guest avoid large amounts of solid black or white, and also avoid fine patterns of stripes, checks or dots, all of which can appear distracting on screen.

  • 6. Conducting

    Regardless of how you’re recording, there are a few keys to conducting your interview. Firstly, time management is critical. This includes keeping an eye on the overall interview length and wrapping up the conversation when time is up, but also having the flexibility to drop a topic or move the conversation along if the interview is proceeding slowly. It’s also crucial to manage talk time – remember that the guest is always the main focus, and your role is to facilitate the conversation.

    Active listening is also really important – if the guest covers two topics in one answer, you might need to rethink your questions on the fly to avoid offending your guest by asking a question that’s already been answered. Finally, go with the flow. A conversation is like a journey, and it should have a beginning middle and end. Don’t be afraid to take some unexpected turns, and try to enjoy the ride, but always keep your audience in mind and don’t overindulge.

  • 7. Delivering

    In general, you’ll be able to deliver your video directly into your Canvas subject site by uploading the recording to Kaltura My Media or Echo 360 (‘Lecture Capture’) video hosting, both of which are integrated into Canvas. Once your video is in Kaltura or Echo, you can request an automatic transcription to create closed captions. These transcriptions vary in accuracy, so you will need to allow some time for proof-reading / checking against the original script.

    It is also good practice to provide a transcript file as a separate download. Students who may have bandwidth limitations or who spend a lot of time commuting have also reported that they love it when teachers also make a downloadable, audio-only version of the video available.

    Embedding videos in Canvas LMS with Kaltura:

  • 8. Gauging Student Engagement

    So, how will you know if students watched the interview? Another way to think about this is to ask yourself “what am I asking my students to do once they have watched the interview?”. A good online module design shouldn’t just rely on a playlist of videos. Think about using the tools available in the LMS to construct activities around the video. Whether it’s a simple post-video quiz or a carefully staged reflective task, a well-aligned learning activity will make sure the interview remains meaningful in the context of your overall design.