Creating Videos

Videos in the classroom can be a powerful tool for engaging learners of all ages.  Not only can its use increase student motivation, but it can also aid in the development of 21st century skills.

Being an English teacher, I view my role differently than some.  I see myself as a teacher of literacy, and being a literate individual today means being able to produce and interpret more than written text.  A literate individual in the 21st century needs to be able to read media and interpret its message.  Using video in my classroom provides me with an opportunity to teach these skills.

Though there are a plethora of websites with videos cached for any concept one can imagine, sometimes it's nice to have your own stuff, in your own words, with your own voice.  And if you're thinking that, you need to make your own video!

Yes, there are some online tools that are more user-friendly, knowing the basics of your computer's movie editor is a must!  Below, you will find two extremely helpful tutorials on getting started with Windows Movie Maker and iMovie!



Tutorial for iMovie

Tutorial for Windows Live Movie Maker

Voicethread in the Classroom

Over the past five years of teaching, Voicethread has been a tool that has helped develop my classroom community.  By using Voicethread, a site that allows users to have multimedia conversations, students have increased their understanding of technology, become more fluent public speakers, and developed friendships all based on every English teacher's dream... books!

When using Voicethread, I set my students up with "identities".  I did not opt to assign each student a log-in; instead, they all use one log-in with multiple users (or as VT calls them identities!).  Once logged in, students can upload images, documents, or video files to their own Thread.

Think of a thread as a PowerPoint slide with no animation.  It serves as a talking point.  Just like a PowerPoint slide is not the presentation, it is a guide for the speaker and audience alike, in Voicethread the real conversation takes place around the image, document, or video. Literally!

While logged into their individual identities, students leave comments either narrating the file on the Thread, posing a question, or leaving feedback for another classmate.  The comments circle the thread, leading to a conversation about the issue at hand (see below!)

In my classroom, Voicethread is a place for students to upload book reviews.  Other students watch the reviews and leave comments to their peers.  In other classes, I have seen it used as a place for retelling stories, summarizing major plot events, or even sharing strong student work as a model! 

Below are a few great resources for those of you interested in using Voicethread in the classroom!  

For sample Voicethreads from real students, see here! 

For a great teacher resource on using VT, click here!

For 100 Ways to use VT, check out Free Technology for Teachers!

Interested in getting started?  Great PDF here!