Thursday, November 17, 2011

10 Tips for Using Videos in the Classroom

1. Establish a purpose for showing the video. The purpose should have a clear link to the content you are teaching. The video should not just be a 'treat', but should have as much rigor and relevance as any other activity you would do with students.
2. Make your purpose clear to students. Students should know what the video is going to be about, why it is important, and how it connects to what they are or will be learning.
3. When you show a video is just as important as what you show. Traditionally we have used videos at the end of a unit, as a treat or reward. If a video is going to be used as a curriculum resource that benefits your students, it needs to be shown before or during a unit, not after. Use video(s) before and during can get students excited about a topic, deepen their background knowledge, and help them to acquire the necessary vocabulary for the unit.
4. Establish expectations for behavior. Students should have a procedure for watching videos in the classroom.
5. Model your own expectations for behavior. Don't use videos as a substitute for instruction so that you can clean your desk, organize files, and get papers checked. When you are modeling your own expectations for behavior, you are showing the students that the content in the video is important and worthwhile.
6. Keep the videos short and sweet. In order to be most effective, clips should be between 3-5 minutes in length. Longer videos cause students to lose interest and forget the information presented. If you do show a longer clip, make sure you are following tip number 7.
7. Keep the remote handy. Stop the video and stop it often to deepen student understanding and keep students interested. Asking questions, clarifying vocabulary, and discussing ideas are great ways to use the teachable moments that are often neglected when showing videos and other multimedia presentations.
8. Make videos accessible. The great thing about videos is that instruction can be provided 24/7 in and outside of the school setting.
9. Always preview the video. You should be looking for inappropriate content, but also making sure the the content is age appropriate. If the video contains vocabulary words that are at a much higher level than your students can comprehend, you have just wasted valuable instructional time. You also want to make sure that the video is able to load properly with the software you have on your computer.
10. Make sure students are accountable for the information presented in the video. In order for group work to be successful, students must be accountable. The same applies to videos or any other instruction you present. By giving students accountability, we are making sure that their minds are turning on, instead of allowing their minds to tune out, which usually happens in front of the television at home.

Friday, October 14, 2011

Top 100 Classroom Blogs

Visit the Top 100 Classroom Blogs. Chose to follow or just look at a few today, to get an idea of how teachers are using blogs with their students.


Wednesday, October 12, 2011

3 Professional Learning Networks Every Educator Should Build

Learn more about PLN's by checking out the post, 3 Professional Learning Networks Every Educator Shoudl Build at Learning Today. *Microblogging, Social Bookmarking, and Groups/Forums


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Professional Learning Networks Presentation


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Tuesday, October 11, 2011

What Students Need

Recently I came across a blog post called, 21st Century Students need 21st Century Teachers. The post included the three videos below. After watching these, I am even more convinced of the urgency for teachers to step into the 21st Century. All of this may seem overwhelming to many of you, myself included, but I know, with a positive attitude and willingness to learn, we all can become the 21st Century Teachers that our students need and deserve!!