One of the key starting points to improving attainment in your school is to make sure your pupils are engaged with learning. Hook them in from the start and they will want to participate, work hard and see the results.
So how do you stop a classroom from becoming disengaged with learning? It’s simple – make the way you teach them exciting! Below are five steps to increasing pupil engagement using video.
Make it simple
Video is a very fun and different way to not just teach (it plugs into the flipped classroom model very well) but also accept homework. Make sure however you use video, it’s easy for pupils to create a video and upload it to your VLE (although today’s digital natives may be more technically-astute than many of the teachers within your school!).
Alternatively, you could set up a video camera in the classroom, and pupils could take it in turns to answer a question they have been given. This would then require very little technical ability on their part, and you would just need to a basic knowledge of using a simple video camera.
Give them control
Giving pupils the chance to influence how they learn. Give them the opportunity to either respond to a homework question via a written answer or to via a self-made video – chances are most of them will take the option of creating a video, even if they have to learn how to do it!
A video gives them the opportunity to be more creative in their learning – and can also be an opportunity for them to provide the content for classes. For example, a pupil could research a question or find a video clip that the rest of the class has to answer or comment on.
A useful open source video system that allows pupils to create, edit and upload videos is Kaltura.
Give them training
As we’ve already mentioned, getting children to use video needs to be a simple process, so training is essential to ensuring they understand how to use the technology, and fully embrace it in their learning.
Once you have begun using video, particularly for homework, make sure you are on hand to help and answer their questions. For homework, ensure there is somewhere for them to either access a quick guide, message you with questions, or both.
Analyse
If you’re using a VLE in conjunction with your use of video, monitor usage. Look at how often children are using video, who are using it the most and spending time on it, and train or guide pupils accordingly. For those confident, multiple users of video, turn them into mentors for those who need help.
Integrate your video solution
As we’ve already mentioned, having a VLE within your school to host the videos will make implementation much easier. Make the tools they need and the videos you want them to watch easily accessible. Integrating seamlessly with an existing solution, like a learning platform, will mean video is adopted by pupils (and other teachers in your school) more quickly.
You can then work to making video an everyday part of learning within school, from providing videos on a regular basis for homework tasks, to making classroom time a little more fun. Video could be used for everything from being an alternative to textbooks and writing, to giving pupils a chance to really get creative my making mini films, demonstrating, say, what they’ve learned in class about the Romans, or farm animals.
