Simple gadgets for your class: The Video Camera
While most would immediately assume video cameras as complicated, it is actually a simple gadget.
Here are some helpful hints in setting up the video camera for classroom or educational purposes:
Prepare the equipment. Research on how the video camera works. You can practice by recording a bulletin board or row of chairs, and playing it back to check if the images were indeed recorded. Once you have mastered the technical skills, you can then teach it to a student who can serve as the camera operator.
Before a project or presentation, check the camera to see if it is in working order, and the batteries are fully charged. Tapes should either be blank or are ok to be recorded over. It is always useful to carry spare batteries and tapes.
Lay out the video shoot. Is the classroom appropriate for video taping? Things to be taken in consideration are camera location, light, blocking of characters or students, focal point (e.g. stage) and background noise.
Rewind and play the tape as soon as possible to check for any problems. Always create a copy of the original as a back-up in case something will happen to it.
If the plan is to replay the video immediately after recording a role-play situation for example, be sure you know how to connect the camera to the television set.
Grade students with an evaluation form. If the particular project is a recorded oral presentation, then it is advantageous since you can play it back again and again. What you should prepare in advance though is an evaluation form so you can also give it to the students and see how you graded them and why.
Here are also some ideas on what you can do in the classroom with the video camera.
Role Plays
The video camera is a great tool for language classes. Daily conversation practices can be recorded and played back for immediate feedback. In the beginning, students can recite dialogues from a book, and the practice session can progress to an impromptu exchange with specific words or phrases to be used. Refrain from videotaping the first role play. It helps if you give time for students to adjust to the video camera.
Oral presentations
It is actually easier to record students when they are giving speeches because they are standing in one place. Videotaping is a good way for them to self-evaluate their stance, body language, pronunciations, fluency, mannerisms, hand gestures and visual aids.
Editing skills
Having a video camera in the classroom can actually better equip students with technical editing skills that are in demand in today’s workforce. While teaching students how to operate a video camera, you can also add some pointers on how to edit the video clips. The most common program is the very easy to use Windows Movie Maker.
Sources:
Katchen, Johanna. “Using the Video Camera to Improve Speaking and Performance Skills.” Retrieved January 06, 2010 from
http://mx.nthu.edu.tw/~katchen/professional/Using%20the%20video%20camera.htm
“Six recommendations for teaching with the flip video camera.” Retrieved January 06, 2010 from
http://williamwolff.org/composingspaces/some-recommendations-for-teaching-with-the-flip-video-camera/?wscr=1280x1024
(Published 18 January 2010, Smart Communications Inc.)
