Roughly 75% of U.S. teens use YouTube daily, and about 1 in 5 say they're on YouTube or TikTok almost constantly.
Students already inhabit a video-first world, and that world will only become more central to how they learn, communicate, and work. By teaching video production, you can help them understand that environment, participate in it confidently, and build skills that will serve them well beyond the classroom.
In this guide, we'll cover the different types of video production for students, the skills they need, and how to include video production in your curriculum.
There are two types of video production:
Recorded video production: a producer (your student) films the footage, then edits it afterward: cutting clips, layering music, correcting audio, adding graphics, before publishing the finished version.
Live video production: the same editorial work happens while the video is streaming: switching between camera angles, adjusting audio levels, and adding graphics or lower thirds in real time, with no chance to revise it afterward.
Both types are worth teaching, but live is the fastest-growing video format. Read our detailed guide on livestreaming to learn more.
You probably already have everything you need to start teaching video production.
Modern video production relies on a few things: connection, audio, video, and production software.
Here's what you can use for each component.
Connection is how you send the video from your devices to your viewers.
School WiFi: the most common option for an in-building broadcast.
A private or restricted network: for identity-protected productions inside classrooms and other protected spaces.
A wired connection: for long productions like school assemblies, sports games, or graduation ceremonies.
Audio is arguably more important than video because viewers can tolerate slightly imperfect video, but they generally won't tolerate bad audio.
You can get clean audio from a few sources, such as:
Built-in device mic: like a phone or laptop, fine for casual, low-stakes broadcasts.
Clip-on or lavalier mic: a small mic clipped to clothing for a moving subject.
Shotgun mic: a directional mic that isolates sound from where it's pointed, for capturing a wider area from a distance.
Boundary or table mic: a flat mic that picks up sound from all directions on a surface, for panel-style discussions.
Start with what you have — built-in mics are enough for a first broadcast — and upgrade as the program grows. Switcher's audio gear guide breaks down specific gear recommendations for every budget.
There are a million ways to capture video, such as:
Devices you already have: these are the phones, tablets, and laptops you already have and use in labs.
Digital cameras: these can be simple, inexpensive DSLRs, more sophisticated mirrorless cameras, or really fancy NDI cameras.
Production software does the actual assembling: switching between camera angles, layering graphics, and sending the finished feed out to viewers.
There are two broad categories:
Traditional editing software: what you'd use for recorded video production. Options range from free open-source tools like Shotcut to industry-standard software like Adobe Premiere Pro or Final Cut Pro, running several hundred dollars for an initial purchase per license. You cut, layer, and polish footage after it's shot, and you can expect a real learning curve.
Livestreaming production software: here, you do the editing live, inside the broadcasting software itself, while you're streaming. In Switcher, for example, you get templates, overlays, prerecorded music, and logos built into the app, ready to trigger in real time during the broadcast instead of adding them afterward.
Livestreaming production software for a school plan typically runs from free to a few hundred dollars a year. Switcher's education plan runs $45 a month, billed annually. See Switcher for education to learn more.
Livestreaming production software also tends to have a gentler learning curve than traditional editing software. Students who already know how to use apps can generally pick up a mobile-first interface quickly.
Live production reaches into media craft, business, and personal skills. Here’s a snapshot of some of the skills your students will learn:
Scripting: writing the rundown, cues, and talking points before the broadcast
Visual storytelling: choosing which shot tells the story, when to cut, what stays in frame
Directing: calling shots and coordinating a crew in real time
Artistic direction: setting the visual style — graphics, lower thirds, the on-screen look
Distribution: choosing where and how the broadcast reaches an audience
Promotion: building awareness before a broadcast so people show up to watch
Audience engagement: reading and responding to a live audience while streaming
Resource management: matching people and equipment to the broadcast
Timeline management: sequencing rehearsal, setup, and air time
Delivering on deadline: the broadcast goes live at a fixed time, ready or not
Public speaking: for any student on camera or hosting
Confidence under pressure: performing knowing there's no retake
Troubleshooting live: fixing a technical issue while the broadcast keeps running
Improvisation: adjusting a plan mid-broadcast when something doesn't go as scripted
Contingency planning: having a plan B ready before going live
Communicating under pressure: relaying information to the crew quickly and clearly while live
Crew coordination: each role depends on the others functioning at the same time
Delegation: trusting a teammate with a role instead of doing everything yourself
Live production usually enters a curriculum in one of three ways:
As a unit: inside an existing broadcast journalism or media class
As a standalone elective, built around a recurring broadcast
As an extracurricular club: that still builds real communication and collaboration skills
With the requirements in place, building this into the curriculum comes down to five steps:
Start with a pilot: Launch as a small elective — one senior class, for example — before scaling to the full program.
Run it for a full semester or quarter: Give students enough time to learn the workflow and practice.
Vary the practice: Give students a range of formats to produce, such as individual livestreams, a class presentation, local school news coverage, a game broadcast — so they build confidence and improve by making mistakes across different situations.
Build toward a final project: A major event like senior prom or graduation, where students apply everything they've learned.
Teach hands-on, not theory-first: Hand students the software and hardware and let them figure it out in the classroom or lab. Teachers and instructors act as mentors for the students, stepping in for support along the way.
Switcher removes the barriers that used to make video production a heavy undertaking in most schools — the expensive hardware, the technically complicated software, and the dedicated crew to teach skills that are outdated by now.
With Switcher, you can:
Use all your devices: phones, tablets, and digital cameras all work as cameras
Use a simple UX: to create professional-quality video production
Create unlisted, safe links: for students to broadcast to, so you can protect their privacy
A few questions come up often when programs are just getting started.
No. A classroom multicam setup is built to be learned inside a class period, not a semester.
As many as there are devices and roles to assign — camera operator, director, graphics, and audio are the standard four, and a larger crew can add more camera angles.
No — a recurring project like morning announcements or an after-school club works as a starting point. Many programs formalize into an elective once the workflow is established.
Switcher's guide to live streaming for schools covers cost tiers, FERPA, and how to make the case to a school board.