Technology in the Classroom: Videos

Projector on a table

The Benenfits

Students watching a video

I think it's safe to assume that most people people who are or have been students in the past 30+ have watched some type of video in class.  While there may be different reasons for a teacher to play different videos or movies, they can have a positive impact in the classroom in terms of understanding a topic or just associating your class with a more relaxed environment.  As a history teacher, I think that there are some topics that can be better represented or explained by a video or a movie (such as John Green's Crash Course).  I also think that there is a place for days in the class that rest the brain.  By playing relevant and engaging vidoes or movies in the classroom, I believe my students will be able to learn and retain important information while also having a mental break from the standard rigorous teaching methods.  I don't think I would ever show a video or movie in lieu of teaching material though.  While videos or movies can be beneficial as an introduction or review of a topic, they should not be used to replace traditional instruction.

The Downfalls

Bored student

While movies do have a place in the classroom, there are certainly some areas where it becomes more of a hinderance.  For instance, when I was in high school, I had a teacher who would play Shark Tank every Friday and we just had to take notes.  This is incredibly unengaging and unfun for students most of the time.  These types of random and irrelevant videos only create boredom in the classroom.  While some students may enjoy this lack of effort in a class, it is ultimately detrimental to them and their learning.  I think it ultimately comes down to the type of video or movie that's played and how it relates to what is going on in class.  I think that students also have a tendency to get bored quickly so the video or movie should also be engaging on its own.  Another aspect that students don't like when having to watch a video or movie for class is the required skeleton notes.  I personally believe that these assignments only leave students paying attention to key words that match their skeleton notes.  While notetaking is important, I think that it is more important for a student to develop and use their own notetaking system and mark down only what they think is beneficial to.

Recap

Videos and movies, like many other nontraditional teaching methods, have pros and cons.  They can give students an easily digestible lesson while being visually engaging.  On the flip side, though, they can be boring or too complex for the purposes of your class.  I think there is a place at the beginning or end of a unit for some type of relevant video or movie, but it is important to understand its place within the learning environment.  I also believe that a teacher shouldn't dictate how a student watches whatever media with the use of skeleton notes, but should encourage students to develop their own notetaking style themselves.