Sunday, August 16, 2009

Advantages of Video


As educators and future educators, it is our main objective to engage and energise our students with tasks which are hands-on, authentic, and interesting (Griffin, 2009). The use of video as a learning tool provides a medium for which innovative and effective stimulation can occur, providing engagement and the perfect environment for visual and auditory learners.

Through video students can be taken on a journey around the world, see places with a real world context. Students can experience the pyramids in Egypt, a trip into space, famine in Africa, the colours and sounds of extinct species, and remote wilderness half way around the globe (Griffin, 2009). These journeys can be engaging and authentic, and encourage deeper understanding and higher order thinking about diverse cultures and the differences in their way of life.



Before using video in the classroom, specific outcomes should be determined and scaffolding of a lesson to be planned. The video is most effective if used as an enhancement to the lesson to provide engagement, relational and instructional information. It is ideal to keep the videos to a minimum to remain effective, as stated previously on my blog, these tools are not a substitute for good teaching pedagogy.



Video can also be used within the classroom through the use of technologies such as video cameras. During the last unit of work at a placement school, video cameras were used to film students role playing an advertisement for a toy they had constructed out of recycled materials. They were provided with a criteria and brainstorming sessions about effective advertising prior to filming. Once filmed the students downloaded the footage onto movie maker adding music introductions and credits. The completed advertisements along with the original toy were viewed by parents on culminating day.



The project was extremely successful and proving the theory of engagement where students must be meaningfully engaged in learning activities through interaction with others and worthwhile tasks, which is facilitated by the use of technologies (Kearsley, Shneiderman, 1999). The task provided the intimate use of technology and collaborative tasks which when intertwined proved to be highly engaging and meaningful.



Kellie

References

Griffin, L., (2009). Using Video in the Classroom. Retrieved 16 August, 2009, from:


http://www.libraryvideo.com/articles/article13.asp


Kearsley, G., Shneiderman, B., (1999). Engagement Theory: A framework for technology-based teaching and learning. Retrieved July 18, 2009, from http://home.sprynet.com/~gkearsley/engage.htm


3 comments:

  1. Hi Kellie,

    I had not really considered using video in the classroom until just recently. However, now that i have processed it a little more i can see so many benefits that it has to offer.

    Video can be used as a reflection tool for students to view areas that may need improvement and it can also be used as an instructional tool. Once again i must agree with you, that technologies such as this require good teaching pedagogy in order to achieve maximum students learning.

    Talk soon,
    Kerri.

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  2. Hi Kellie,
    I was just reading through this blog and I love the fact that you have through that video doesn't necessarily have to be something that students watch it can be so much more, like video cameras, digital camera's etc
    I thought your idea of using video as a reflection tool was good, I'm thinking of maybe setting a web cam up within my classroom for students to self reflect and so on, which is a form of video that students would definitely engage with.
    I could even use videos to film students throughout a unit and make a small clip for parents and teachers to look at which details what students have been learning and doing.
    Thanks for a well written blog,
    Sarah

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  3. Hi Sarah and Kerri,

    Most people think of videos merely as an introductory engagement tool, however they can be so much more than that. The use of video technologies such as web cams, digital cameras and video recorders provide fantastic opportunities for students and teachers to think outside the square and enhance lessons as never before.

    Sarah I love your idea of using the web cams and would like to try this out myself some day. I am sure that parents would be delighted with a visual representation of their child's learning.

    Regards,
    Kellie

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