Using Digital Video in the Classroom

Exective Summary

     This paper describes an attempt by the "Gagne's Designers 6" (GD6) instructional design team to develop and implement a unit for preservice teachers on the potential instructional uses of digital video technology for their future classrooms. Specifically, Apple's iMovie software, running on Mac G4 computers, and Sony digital videocameras were used to give 39 undergraduate Education majors at the University of Georgia a taste of instructional video production via their own hands-on experience.

     A need was identified in the EDIT 2000 classes, which teach basic computing and instructional technology skills to preservice teachers, for a unit on digital video. While instructional use of a number of other recent technologies (e.g., the Internet, graphics tools, presentation tools) have been emphasized in these courses, specific training in instructional uses of digital video technology had been developed only in a rudimentary fashion, at a time when this type of technology has become more affordable and accessible than ever before.

     A survey of students in two sections of the EDIT 2000 classes showed that most had little to no experience with digital camcorders and little to no preparation for integrating this technology into their teaching practices. The instructional goal identified, therefore, was for learners to be able to plan (generate) a digital video project-based learning activity for their future students using appropriate equipment and procedures for digital video and for project-based learning. Associated with this instructional goal was an attitudinal goal: that these preservice teachers would acquire an enthusiastic attitude toward using this technology in their future work as educators.

     A two-unit mini course was conceived as a means of addressing this need in the context of the larger EDIT 2000 curriculum as taught by Greg Clinton in the spring of 2003. The second of the two units, covering the actual creation of a video artifact, was fully implemented by the instructional design team; the concept for the first unit, covering the instructional uses of the technology, was adapted by the course instructor and taught (as it turned out) in two parts, before and after Unit 2. Since there were two sections involved and a limited number of videocameras available for checkout for Unit 2, the project was staggered between the two classes over a period of several days.

     Instruction for Unit 2 was initially divided into three lessons, with Lesson 1 later split into two parts. Lesson 1a presented an orientation to the operation of the digital camcorder and the video shoot assignment for teams of 2-3 students. Instructional materials and media for lesson 1a included brief stand-up instruction, a camcorder demonstration QuickTime video produced by the GD6 team, handouts, and two camcorders passed among the students. Lessons 1b, 2, and 3 were presented during the following class session after student teams had completed the video shooting assignment. Instructional materials and media for Lessons 1b, 2, and 3 included stand-up instruction, handouts, the camcorders, IMovie software, and facilitation by both the instructor and several members of the GD6 team.

     Student responses to the project, as determined via several data sources, were overwhelmingly positive, though all seemed to agree that the time constraints on the project were an unfortunate (and, at times, frustrating) limitation. Student artifacts, likewise, showed a high overall degree of success in fulfilling the video importing, editing, and exporting aspects of the assignment. The exceptions to this included two of the 19 teams who were prevented from completing their projects due to computer failure, and one additional team whose final exported project mysteriously contained no audio. However, even those students who were frustrated by computer problems gave decidedly positive comments on the project as a whole.