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Tips for Using Video in the Classroom
Creating
the appropriate environment for viewing video can make the use of
media a valuable and engaging experience for the learner and a powerful
and productive experience for the teacher. These ideas may provide
insight or ideas for making the most effective and appropriate use
of video in your classroom.
- Preview
the video(s) to review the specific segments that connect to lesson
objectives. Use the Explore More video jacket information as a
brief summary of the program segments.
- When possible,
use segmented viewing–use predetermined, short clips
from the longer program. The Explore More video clips are approximately
3 — 10 minutes in length. Take control of the way media is
delivered to your students and leverage the rich content in the
video.
- Leave the
classroom lights on and place the TV/VCR in plain view. Let the
students know this is active rather than passive and that
the TV/VCR is an important part of this activity. Let them also
know that the video will be discussed, paused, and/or stopped
frequently.
- A well-planned
activity prior to the viewing can provide the proper context for
the video, help to establish a reason for watching, and direct
the students toward meeting the desired learning outcomes. The
pre-viewing questions for each segment of the Explore More video
may help students make real-world connections, provide them necessary
vocabulary to review, or introduce a particular topic. The Explore
More Video Discussion Guides are great sources of pre- and
post-viewing questions. Check out other features of these guides
for key words and viewpoint extras.
- To set the
stage for "active viewing," always provide a focus for viewing–specific
things students should look for or listen for in the program segment.
Use the pause button to promote greater interactivity and
reinforce their initial reasons for viewing.
- Be sure
to visit the DVD Resources overview for
tips on leveraging this exciting and versatile technology in your
classroom.
When preparing
your students for viewing media, try these ideas:
- listen for
how this term is used
- think of
ways the idea you’re about to see is true in your life
- watch how
this idea works
- list all
the examples of this concept
- list all
the things in the video that you already know
- list all
the things in the video that are new to you
When pausing
the video with your students, try these ideas:
- what did
you hear/see–tell class, tell neighbor, write it down, every
time you hear ____ raise your hand (or make a tally mark)
- check for
understanding
- underscore
a point
- allow for
immediate student feedback
- predict
an outcome
- connect
to real-world applications
- allow journal
writing
- infer meaning
- Use the
paused image on the television screen as an electronic blackboard,
encouraging students to look closely for details, information,
or comparison. Put plastic wrap on the television monitor in order
to mark on the screen with overhead projector pens.
- Display
the picture with no sound–allow students to narrate concepts
displayed.
- Play the
sound with no picture–allow students to hypothesize what
is being shown.
- Integrate
the video into the overall learning experience by adding a "hands-on"
component to the lesson. No matter what the grade level or subject,
try to provide the opportunity for the student to apply something
from the video to his/her own experience in or outside the classroom.
In summary,
to make the viewing experience rewarding for both learner and teacher,
follow these steps:
- ask pre-viewing
questions to get your students thinking about concepts
- provide
students a reason or goal for viewing the media
- discuss
post-viewing questions following the media segment
- use the
students’ new learning as an integral component of the lesson
REMEMBER--80%
OF INFORMATION TAKEN IN IS VISUAL
* Use a 4-head
VCR for a clear picture on pause.
- Sources:
"Instructional Television in the Classroom: The Principal’s
Agenda," KQED, San Francisco, CA KQED Center for Education
and Lifelong Learning
- "7
Steps for Teachers Using Television in the Classroom" by
Elizabeth Reeves, KQED-TV
- WNET’s
National Teacher Training Institute www.wnet.org
- "Effective
Schooling Practices: A Research Synthesis, 1998 Update by Kathleen
Cotton, Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory
- "Complex
Reasoning Processes" Mid-continent Research for Education
and Learning
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