Create Your Slides
1. Download a Studio Slides Template
We designed these slide templates to adhere to Teaching Studio best practices and MIT Sloan brand guidelines. If you’re considering using a different design or format, please consult with our team for guidance.
Projector Scene Slides Template
In the Projector Scene, your slides appear in a window next to you. This setup looks like a classic presentation. We designed the Projector Scene Slides Template with an empty “buffer” space on the right 20% of most slides so you don’t have to worry about blocking any essential information during your presentation. Learn more about the studio scenes.
Download the Projector Scene Slides Template
Full Screen Scene Slides Template
In the Full Screen Scene, your slides fill the entire backdrop behind you. This setup looks more like a typical video with content appearing around and alongside you during your presentation. We designed the Full Screen Scene Slides Template with an empty “buffer” space on the right 40% of most slides so you don’t have to worry about blocking any essential information during your presentation. Learn more about the studio scenes.
Download the Full Screen Scene Slides Template
2. Customize Your Slides
Once you’ve downloaded the template of your choice, you can customize it to fit your content. While the design and layout adhere to MIT Sloan’s brand standards, there’s ample room for personalization. Add your images, text, and other visuals to make the slides uniquely yours.
Prioritize Visual Content
In Multimedia Learning, Richard Mayer’s rigorously researched, evidence-based guide to multimedia instruction, the Multimedia Principle states that “People learn better from words and pictures than from words alone” (as quoted in Davis & Norman, 2016). You can optimize your video for this principle by doing the following:
- Include images to illustrate key points.
- Ensure that all images enhance or clarify meaning rather than being purely decorative.
- Use simple graphs, charts, and infographics to convey data or complex ideas in a visually engaging and understandable manner.
Balance is key: the visuals should support and enhance your spoken words, not overshadow them.
Keep It Simple
Less is more when it comes to designing slides for studio presentations. As Mayer describes in Multimedia Learning, learners benefit most from streamlined content free of extraneous material (as cited in Davis & Norman, 2016). Aim for a minimalist design that helps your audience concentrate on the key takeaways.
- Use a clean layout: Keep your slides uncluttered with ample white space to highlight the essential points.
- Be concise with text: Limit the text to key phrases or bullet points, and maintain a large font size (at least 18pt) for easy readability.
- Align written and spoken text: Where possible, make sure the text on your slide exactly mirrors phrases you’ll verbalize. This helps your slides support rather than compete against your verbal presentation.
Write Your Script
Crafting an effective instructional video requires careful planning, clear content selection, and thoughtful execution. This guide walks through the essential tips to create an engaging and informative script for your video.