As teachers prepare for a new school year, many are brushing up on their video production skills. Teachers know there will be times when they will need to lean on videos to allow students to access information asynchronously. Video has several benefits in a blended or online course. Videos put students in control of the pace they consume and process information. They can pause, rewind, or rewatch video content. Videos also become a resource for both students and parents as they work remotely.
When teachers use video to transfer information online, I encourage them to blend that video content into a complete learning experience.
Pre-video Activity: Before students watch a video, teachers can generate interest in the topic and create some context for the video content with a pre-video activity. This activity can happen in the classroom or online. Teachers can present students with an unfamiliar problem or prompt to pique their interest, ask them to generate questions about a topic, or assess their prior knowledge.
| FlipGrid | Record a response to a question Explain what they know about a topic Describe how they would solve the unfamiliar problem |
| Padlet | Brainstorm questions or wonderings Make predictions about a topic Post a picture of a problem they solved offline |
| Seesaw | Record a video responding to a question or describing what they know about a topic Post a photo of a picture they drew about a topic or a problem they tried to solve |
| Google Classroom Question | Ask students to engage in a text-based discussion where they share what they know about a topic, brainstorm questions, or make predictions |
Flip & Engage: As students watch a video, can you engage them around that video content, so they think more deeply about the information presented. Pairing the video with an engagement activity can also provide teachers with a strategy for checking to ensure that students watched the video.
| EdPuzzle | Add audio notes, multiple choice, and short answer questions to videos |
| PlayPostIt | Pair videos with a range of question types including fill-in-the-blank, check all, poll, and discussion |
| Google Classroom Question | Post a question that asks students to identify key information in the video, make connections between concepts, or ask questions |
| Digital or printable documents | Provide a structured note-taking template to help students identify the key points presented in the video |
Post-video Activity: After students have seen the video, the post-video activity should encourage them to apply what they learned. This activity can act as a formative assessment strategy to gauge what students learned by watching the video and what gaps or misconceptions still exist that need to be addressed.
| Google Forms Kahoot! Socrative |
Create a quick quiz, review activity, or exit ticket to gather formative assessment data |
| Digital document | Present a writing prompt asking students to respond to a question or questions related to the video content |
| Google Drawing or Canva | Ask students to create a concept map or sketchnotes to visually display key concepts from the video and their relationship to one another |
| G Suite | Group students in a shared virtual space (e.g., Google Docs or Slides) and present them with a collaborative challenge that requires them to apply what they learned |
Once students have completed the post-video activity, teachers can use the data collected to determine which students need additional instruction, scaffolds, or practice. If students are learning online, the teacher can organize a small group virtual conferencing session to spend time supporting the students who need additional help or instruction. Hosting small group video conferencing sessions allows the teacher to engage students in a discussion, modeling session, and guided practice.
Video is likely to play a significant role in blended and online courses this year. I hope this strategy helps teachers to weave that video content into a more complete learning experience to ensure that students can be successful learning online. If you have additional strategies that you use with your students or additional tools you think might help other teachers, please take a moment and post a comment!