Creative, Active, Responsible Students in the Digital World 1

CO-FUNDED BY THE ERASMUS + PROGRAMME OF THE EUROPEAN UNION educational videos/clips, in order to find the one that best fits its intended purpose. • The ethical issue. There are a huge amount of educational video resources available to download on the internet. However, it is important as educators that we instill in our students a respect for other people’s property. Remember that a number of videos available online have copyright restrictions placed on them. It is vital that you check these out before downloading them and showing them to your students. • Spend time introducing the video resource. It is imperative to spend time introducing the educational video resource/clip before the viewing. Introduce students to some of the key topics that will be discussed in the resource and highlight the areas that you want to draw their attention. This way they will be focused on the relevant information when watching the video. • Keep it short. There has been a lot of research conducted that has shown that the average attention span lasts anywhere from 7 – 15 minutes. Therefore, it is a good idea to show the educational video in short-bursts (clips), rather than screening an entire film in one go. This allows time to be spent on both the introduction of the topic (prior to the viewing) and the dissemination of the key points (post-viewing). • Make students work while they watch. It is a good idea to set some questions so that students are engaged when they are watching the educational clips and are not simply passively viewing. This makes sure that students are concentrating on the areas of importance and remain focussed throughout. • Allow time for students to reflect on what they have seen. Picking up from the previous point it is important to allow students to reflect on what they have seen. This can happen in a number of ways; for example completing set questions or discussing key points in small groups and eventually feeding back what they have discussed to the rest of the class. • Technical quality is important. Make sure playback facilities are available in the lecture theatre or learning centre (and are working). Other areas to consider are whether the screen size is adequate for the number of students? Can you lower the lights near the screen? Is the sound clear enough? • Used as a refresher. The great thing about video is that it can be watched over and over again for revision. This allows students to watch the educational video in their own time and means that you don’t have to show the video in its entirety during the lecture. • Extension work. A well-chosen video resource is better than text for stimulating a structured discussion, and it can make more efficient use of classroom time. Creating a blog and placing it alongside the educational video on the VLE can continue discussions and conversations from the classroom and it can also draw in comments from less vocal students. Educational video resources are a great way to add visual stimuli to your lectures. They should always be used as an extension of the lecture and not as a replacement. When used properly they can help to heighten the educational experience for students and raise the level of engagement and achievement during lectures. (BBC Active Education videos: Ten ways to use them well) More Edutopia Resources about Teaching with Online Video • Online Interactivity for Educators: A Teacher’s Tour of YouTube • How to Use YouTube in the Classroom • TeacherTube Is a YouTube for Educators • Educational TV 2.0: Screen Time Can Be a Good Thing • Discussion: Facebook & YouTube in Schools • Use YouTube to Inspire Young Artists • Freedom of Information: How a Wisconsin School District Ditched Internet Filters • Playing It Too Safe Online Will Make You Sorry • Upload University: Teachers Get Online with TeacherTube CREATIVE, ACTIVE, RESPONSIBLE STUDENTS IN THE DIGITAL WORLD 7

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