Since i began my fieldwork assignment, i have been trying to place myself in my students shoes. I have been reflecting on my high school experience and remembered how excited i was when teachers put on videos for the duration of the classroom. Now most of the time i wasn't excited about the video but the "free class" that came with it. Videos to me were opportunities for slacking and learning nothing. Sadly, Social Studies teachers were worse case offenders of poor video use. As i was writing lesson plans i immediately found myself searching for videos to put on my plans to make my plans look better. I totally overlooked the purpose of videos in the classroom. So the question is: What is the purpose of video usage in the classroom? And how do we as future educators use them properly.
From a social studies perspective, i believe that videos and movies enable students to create a visual representation of what they are learning. Videos are meant to SUPPORT learning and not specifically TEACH students. While most videos do end up teaching to some extent, the primary job of the video is to reinforce knowledge and not create it. The reason i believe this is because most students don't remember much from watching documentaries. Students are able to remember more however, if they draw their background knowledge established by the teacher and utilize it in the classroom. Do Not expect videos to teach students. It is our job as the students to teach our students.
John,
ReplyDeleteI like how you talked about placing yourself in your students’ shoes. It is great that you reflected on your own experiences in your student career. I also felt like videos were a great way to slack off, but I did think that some of the videos we watched were educational. I think visual representations can be beneficial for students who learn better that way. However, like you said, videos should support the information being learned and not replace it.