Many teachers shy away from bringing video and other media into the classroom, fearing technical difficulty or excessive prep time. Learning your way around the equipment may require an extra effort at the beginning, but your newfound technical savvy will bring swift rewards. Video has tremendous power to focus students' attention and spark engaged discussions. Gaining command of this medium will add a new dimension to your classroom.

Instructions

1

Assess the AV equipment in your classroom. Take note of what video formats (DVD, VCR, laserdisc, computer/Internet media) you have at hand. If equipment in your classroom is lacking, there may be a way of reserving shared equipment. Make inquiries right away, as you may need to sign equipment out in advance.

2

Time is wasted and students get restless when the teacher fumbles with the remote.

Practice operating the equipment in advance, no matter how simple it looks. You may find that remotes are lost or broken, or that certain machines aren't hooked up properly, or that you need a password you don't have. Bring in sample media to make sure it will run on the machine. Don't wait for the class day to figure this out. Classroom excitement fizzles rapidly when an anxious teacher fumbles with a remote.

3

Select a video clip that illuminates your lesson content. If you are teaching a foreign language class, for example, find a clip that demonstrates the grammatical concepts you are covering. Watch potential selections with an eye for the kind of discussion you will be able to have afterward.

4

Write down the time codes so that you can find your clip without trouble.

Write down where your clip begins and ends on your DVD or media file, noting the exact time codes where possible, and take note of the clip's length. Trim the clip down to the essentials, especially if it is intended to illustrate a specific point, so that you don't risk diffusing your topic into tangents.

5

Plan a short introduction to your video that will set the mood for the activity at hand. You may simply want to say a few words to hint at why the video is exciting and let the students know what they should look for. You could also plan a quick group activity, but do not allow the students' focus to stray. If your technology allows it, you could plan to use a still image from the video to lead the students in a brainstorming session about what is to come.

6

Plan a "debriefing" activity, something that will incite the students to share and develop what they've learned immediately following the video clip. You may wish to move directly to a small group activity at first, but be sure to close with a discussion in the plenary to refocus the students' attention and make sure that they have all grasped what you intended to convey with the video.