How do I use the Generic Video block?

The Generic Video block allows content creators to add video content for learners to watch. Video can be shared by embedding it directly on the page or linking out to it in a new window, with embedding recommended whenever possible for a more seamless learner experience.

1. Navigate to the page and select Edit this Page. Find the position you want to add a block and select the plus (+) icon.
   
2. From the dropdown, select Add Block.
   
3. In the Add Block modal, either: 
   • Use the Search field to find a block by keyword
   • Select a block from your custom list of Favorites
   • Scroll through the list of All Blocks to select one

   • Use the various Categories to filter by block type

   • Select a star icon to add or remove blocks in your Favorites list

     
     

4. Select the Generic Video block. The Add Generic Video form will open, offering two ways to share a video: There are two options to share video:
   • Link to a video: opens the video in a new window
   • Use embed code: plays the video directly on the page
     
     NOTE: Embed the video whenever possible. Embedding keeps learners on the page, so you can build context around the content for a clearer, more seamless experience. Only use a link when embed code isn't available.
     

Embed Video

1.  Select I have embed code, and then follow these steps:
   • Video Title: Enter a clear, descriptive title. Block titles will appear in the Insert Block dropdown when adding the video to tabs, accordions, or quiz blocks. They may also display in student-facing areas of the course, such as activity names in the Table of Contents.
   • Embed Code: Paste in the embed code.
   • Transcript: Enter the transcript. A transcript provides a searchable text version of the multimedia content, including important spoken, audio, and visual information. It gives people who cannot see or hear the media, people with auditory processing difficulties, and users of assistive technologies such as screen readers and refreshable Braille displays a flexible alternative to real-time audio or video. 
     
2. Once all the required sections have been saved, select the Add Block+ button to save the block to the page.
   
   
3. The new block will appear on the page in Edit Mode with a red, dotted outline indicating it's editable. Note that sometimes the video content is disabled when in the edit page view.
   
   
4. Select the Publish My Edits button to save the block to the course page and see the content as it will appear to learners.
   

Link to Video

1. Go to the source website and copy the video URL from the browser address bar.
2.  Select I am linking to a video, and then follow these steps:
   • Video Title: Enter a clear, descriptive title. Block titles will appear in the Insert Block dropdown when adding the video to tabs, accordions, or quiz blocks, and may also display in student-facing areas of the course, such as activity names in the Table of Contents.
   • Screenshot Image: Click +Select an image file to launch the File Manager, then choose an image to serve as the video's title screen. If no image is added, the Video Title text will display instead.
   • Video URL: Paste in the video's web address. 
   • Transcript: Enter the transcript. A transcript provides a searchable text version of the multimedia content, including important spoken, audio, and visual information. It gives people who cannot see or hear the media, people with auditory processing difficulties, and users of assistive technologies such as screen readers and refreshable Braille displays a flexible alternative to real-time audio or video.
     
     
3. Once all the required sections have been saved, select the Add Block+ button to save the block to the page.
   
   
4. The new block will appear on the page in Edit Mode with a red, dotted outline indicating it's editable. Note that sometimes the video content is disabled when in the edit page view.
   
   
5. Select the Publish My Edits button to save the block to the course page and see the content as it will appear to learners.
   

Video Instructions

Watch the video to learn how to add a Generic Video block.

To add a video from Vimeo, use the Vimeo Player block.

To add a video from YouTube, use the YouTube Video block.