In addition to being fun and motivating, video projects teach students to plan, organize, write, communicate, collaborate, and analyze. A successful video project has undergone a process of researching, scripting, organizing, filming, editing, and publishing. Students also have the opportunity to apply artistic and dramatic skills to their academic work.
With the proliferation of webcams, phone camera, flip cams, digital recorders and editing tools already installed on computers, video has exploded in the media lives of students. Many of them spend as much time, if not more, watching YouTube as opposed to television. As I learned at the Google Summit in Charlottesville, some colleges even include video submissions as part of their application process. As this media further matures, students may need to be able to express themselves as effectively through moving imagery as with the written word.
And you thought, Kindergarten Teachers had troubles getting a student to hold a pencil correctly?!?!
But as I have learned in my Graduate studies, using video could be as simple as recording a student oral presentation for future review, or as elaborate as producing an original short film or PSA. Depending on the complexity of the project, consider the steps needed to ensure that your students create thoughtful final products that demonstrate their knowledge rather than pieces full of flash but potentially lacking in substance.
Remember with little ones- a video project does not have to only include actual footage captured by a video camera. Still images can be combined to create an animated slide show or to enhance existing footage that the students took. Many audio tools on programs such as iMovie, or Windows Movie Maker allow students to create a narration to accompany the imagery or add a sound track. Most editing software also includes the ability to add titles or captions to both video as well as image files.
Not every student is the next Ron Howard, but little minds are surely creative...
Hi Ashley!
ReplyDeleteI can relate to your last paragraph, especially given that I teach the little guys, too! We use digital stories in our classroom ALL the time and my kids just love it! The digital video software that I use is fairly simple and my kids are now experts at actually helping me create the stories we make! They love recording their voices and enjoy watching the finished products as well. What kind of stories do you make? I'm always looking for new ideas! If you are looking for any, I posted about some of the stories that I always create with my kiddos!:)