Breathing New Life into Teaching Materials

Teaching materials, no matter how effective they may be, require periodic renewal, content updates, and adaptation to an evolving reality. Yet enhancing learning materials is not simply a matter of updating slides or improving visuals with AI tools. It is an opportunity to rethink how students engage with content, incorporate advances in clinical and research knowledge, refine key messages, and promote active, interactive learning.

Faculty members at Bar-Ilan University have access to the professional studios of the Center for Teaching and Learning, where high-quality asynchronous learning videos can be produced using advanced recording, sound, lighting, and digital technologies.

Recently, the Department of Pediatrics, together with a representative from the Faculty of Medicine’s Medical Education Unit, participated in a dedicated recording day at the studios in Ramat Gan. Beyond professionally upgrading teaching materials, the project created an opportunity to foster more interactive learning. The lectures incorporated pause points and guiding questions that will later be integrated into the learning platform through Annoto. Students will be prompted to stop, reflect, and respond before continuing, shifting from passive viewing to more active participation. Research suggests that embedding questions within educational videos can increase engagement and contribute to improved learning outcomes.

The recording day was supported by the professional team of the Center for Teaching and Learning, and the resulting materials will serve the Introductory Pediatrics Course for years to come. As department members reflected, “Despite the relatively long journey from the Galilee, it was worth every moment. We were delighted to discover this valuable resource available within our own university.”

The Medical Education Unit invites additional departments and faculty members to take advantage of these opportunities and leverage this university resource to enhance, refresh, and further develop their teaching materials.