Teachers need to use all available tools to reach students and ensure they have the skills to succeed. Keeping students engaged and excited about what they are learning helps keep them invested and on track. Video helps students amplify their learning by adding audio and visual elements to concepts.
When introducing a new subject, video clips with pertinent information allow students to visualize the new concept and activate background knowledge. Students are constantly connecting with videos through television or the internet. Taking advantage of the pathways they’re already engaged with to introduce new concepts produces results.
Teachers can find supplementary videos on a variety of text, including historical documents, literature, or scientific articles. Class discussions and reading about the subject gives students one level of comprehension, but the video component lets students expand their critical thinking and draw new conclusions.
Teaching with video requires more prep than finding the video and pressing play. Teachers should choose specific clips carefully. They should connect directly to the subject being taught and be focused on specific skills or concepts. This will help students remain on task. Teachers should also give students thinking points to keep in mind while they are watching. This may be a specific question or a task to report information they discover in the video. Pausing the video along the way for discussion and response will also help students economically use the information presented in the video. Ensure students are on-task and the video is amplifying their learning, not distracting from it.
Students require multiple forms of delivery for topics and new concepts. Engaging students through video can help embolden their learning process and lead to more success.