This week in class we discussed ways to use audio and video in educational settings. In class we emphasized how these technologies can be useful for teachers, however I was left thinking how valuable they are as pedagogical tools for students to use and engage with material.
I reflected on my time teaching ESL in Spain and the various instances I implemented videos to teach and assess course content. I was often astounded by the videos produced by student and the level of creative talent; this was reaffirmed when I struggled through the video examples we made in class. I realized just how impressive their technical skills were. As an example, I had students use videos to recreate chapters of a novel we were reading. By acting out the scenes I was able to glean their comprehension; the video medium allowed them to be creative and have more flexibility and comfort with their language (recording, practicing, scripts, etc). For this, I think video is a great tool especially for second language classes.
To be honest, although the workshop was useful for me, as an instructor I feel like I’m more likely to encourage students to use video than to use it myself. I remember my students being so into Youtubers and bloggers and how excited they were to create similar content; I think that is so valuable for student engagement. While I don’t predict myself making videos, it was valuable to be able to test out the software and build empathy for students who may struggle with the medium for future assignments.
