Video analysis is a powerful tool for teacher learning and collaboration. It can help you reflect on your own practice, share feedback with peers, and discover new strategies and ideas from other teachers. In this article, you will learn how to use video analysis effectively in your professional development.
Before you start recording or watching videos, you need to have a clear purpose and a focus for your video analysis. What are your goals for your own learning or for your collaboration with others? What aspects of teaching and learning do you want to observe and improve? For example, you might want to focus on classroom management, student engagement, questioning techniques, or differentiation. Having a purpose and a focus will help you narrow down what to look for and what to discuss in your video analysis.
People default to one of two types of feedback - overly general/ positive or overly critical. Neither one build shared meaning, and growth or fosters trust and authentic exchange of ideas. So naming a focus and terminology for how to identify what the viewer is seeing is critical. Observing students talk in a lesson? Here are two ideas to start: 1. Student-initiated response (listen for times students initiated a question, or comment) 2. Opportunity for student (a time when a teacher could have allowed a pause for students to think/respond). Come up with 3-5 five things to look for that are both affirming and or identifying areas for growth. Shared terms will preserve the relationship and make feedback meaningful.
I use videos to teach concepts that one teacher is stronger in than others. I record a teacher teaching a concept like Heart words and show the staff at PLC time. She essentially is teaching the concept to the group of teachers so that she is the "expert" in the skill and it empowers her peers to come to her with questions. In the past, I have used videos to showcase behavior management strategies that worked well.
One of the benefits of video analysis is that it allows you to see your own teaching from a different perspective. You can record yourself teaching a lesson or a segment of a lesson, and then review it later. When you watch your own video, you can use a self-reflection protocol or a rubric to guide your analysis. You can also pause, rewind, or fast-forward the video to focus on specific moments or details. You can use video analysis to identify your strengths and areas for improvement, and to set goals for your future teaching.
Another way to use video analysis is to share and discuss videos with your peers. You can form a professional learning community (PLC) or a peer coaching group with other teachers who have similar goals or interests. You can take turns sharing your own videos or watching videos from other sources, such as online platforms or mentor teachers. When you discuss videos with your peers, you can use a collaborative protocol or a feedback form to structure your conversation. You can also use video analysis to learn from each other, to exchange ideas and resources, and to support each other's growth.
You can also use video analysis to explore videos from other sources, such as online platforms, mentor teachers, or experts. You can find videos that match your purpose and focus, or that showcase different approaches or contexts. You can watch these videos to gain new insights, inspiration, or perspectives on teaching and learning. You can also compare and contrast these videos with your own or your peers' videos, and reflect on the similarities and differences. You can use video analysis to broaden your repertoire of strategies and practices, and to challenge your assumptions and beliefs.
To make the most of video analysis, you can use technology tools to enhance your experience. There are various tools that can help you record, edit, annotate, share, and organize videos. For example, you can use a smartphone, a tablet, a webcam, or a video camera to record videos. You can use a video editing software or an online platform to trim, crop, or merge videos. You can use a video annotation tool or an online platform to add comments, questions, or timestamps to videos. You can use a cloud storage service or an online platform to share and access videos. You can use a spreadsheet or a database to organize and track your videos.
Finally, when you use video analysis, you need to follow ethical and professional guidelines to respect the privacy and dignity of yourself, your students, and your peers. You need to obtain consent from the relevant parties before recording, sharing, or watching videos. You need to store and dispose of videos securely and appropriately. You need to use videos for educational purposes only, and not for evaluation or judgment. You need to be honest, respectful, and constructive when you analyze and discuss videos. You need to acknowledge the limitations and challenges of video analysis, and seek support when needed.