Video isn’t my format. I feel much more comfortable and confident in writing.
Words delicately placed together, woven into sentences to create syntactical magic.
Writing is patient. There’s time to revise and thoughtfully consider the sound; it’s private.
Even now while I’m writing this post, I’m reading everything aloud and then backspacing, deleting and writing again and will continue to do this until the magic feels effortless to you, the reader.
It’s not easy, per se, but it’s natural for me; the method that has chosen me, as a wand chooses the wizard; written words and me are sympatico.
So if writing is my strength, it’s time to move out of my comfort zone. How can I possibly ask students to try new things, if I don’t?
In this way, I’m one for modeling all that I ask students to do. It’s a relationship of trust, for without trust no risks are worth it.
In addition to my blog, I’ve begun doing short YouTube videos using the Capture application. Although I may be natural in a classroom, I’m not so good in front of a camera. Nervous and even awkward wouldn’t be a stretch while discussing this format and me.
But I’m trying.
And with each new video, I’m reflecting and doing better. Trying different ways and places to put my phone while the video is recording, finding a natural place to rest my eyes so I’m not talking into the camera, etc.
Since writing is likely not the most comfortable or natural reflecting place for my students, but they often humor me by doing it, I thought, why not offer them the chance to use Capture instead.
Shooting the video is easy and no editing is necessary (unless you want to), but I’m not there yet. Right now I’m just trying to get comfortable with the format. And maybe the kids can teach me.
Here’s how you use Capture:
- Open up the app and rotate your phone horizontally
- Face the camera forward and at yourself, if you are working alone
- Hit the record button until you have completed the video
- You can add multiple clips from your videos on your phone if you want
- End your video by clicking the record button again
- Then click the recorded segment on the upper right and it will take you to an edit page
- You can add music or other clips here
- Once you’ve completed this step, it will take you to a finish page to save the video
- If you want to publish it to Youtube, it will prompt you
- Once uploaded, you can share it privately or publicly
Here are some uses for Capture in the classroom:
- Short, independent reflective videos taken from the phone with the option for publishing on YouTube
- Rather than presenting, students can create a short video of the group performance
- Have students film small group discussions and share the footage if the teacher can’t get to the entire class (think of how this can preserve often lost moments in the classroom)
- Film mini lessons or small group conferences that focus on a specific topic to help flip the classroom and/or generate a tutorial library or YouTube Channel to support student learning
- Film student portfolio conferences so they can review the video and get better about talking about their learning (like game day sports footage, only in the classroom setting.)
- Take short clips of any given class and make a collage of a day in your life
- Have students shoot footage from all of their classes to weave together connections of their learning
- Video tutorials with students
- Synthesis projects that require creative writing and practice
As the world is becoming increasingly more technologically savvy, mixing media inside and outside of learning, we need to bring this hybrid into our classrooms to ready students for the future.
What other apps are you using to document learning? Do you use video for different things in your classes every day? Please share your ideas.