Research School Network: Video Exemplification – what have we learned from creating a library of videos at Durrington In this blog Deputy Director, Jody Chan, reflects on her learnings from a year of video creation.

We all know the value of ​‘seeing’ something in action rather than just being ​‘told’ how to do. In tennis, being shown how to hit the perfect backhand is likely to be far more effective than just being told how to do it. In the classroom it is highly unlikely that we would tell a student how to draw a tangent on a graph or how to draw perspective without also showing them how to do it. Similarly, for teachers we are far more likely to experience success with a new initiative if we see it first.

In this blog I will be discussing the value of video exemplification; how it can be used and also what I have learnt along the way as I have created videos.

The EEF’s Effective Professional Development Guidance Report identifies modelling as a key mechanism for developing teaching techniques. On their website they have a collection of videos called ​‘clips from the classroom,’ exemplifying different aspects of teaching. As they say on their website the ​‘videos offer practitioner insight into the EEF’s evidence-based recommendations, and translate these into tangible, relatable classroom scenarios.’ These videos pose questions to prompt the viewer to reflect on what they are seeing in the video and encourages them to think about how they can use it in their own setting. As I have spoken about previously in a blog last year, I made a video for clips in the classroom on ​‘using worked examples to reduce cognitive load in maths’. I have just started planning our new video for this year and will share it as soon as it is uploaded on the EEF’s website. If you have not done so already I would strongly recommend you peruse their collection and see which ones are applicable to you personally or to your school’s professional development.

I have also filmed a number of videos for professional development in my school. We have a ​‘Teaching: Principles in Practice’ guidance document with a series of cards that each focus on a different teaching principle. As part of each ​‘card’ there are videos embedded that exemplify the pedagogy in a practice in a ​‘live’ classroom with a teacher from our school. The videos have been used a part of professional development on inset day, department meetings and are watched independently by staff.

Numerous staff have said how useful it is to see the teaching principle in action rather than just talking about it or have it modelled to them. Rather, seeing it ​‘live’ in front of a classroom allows staff see the techniques performed and see how they can be used in their own classrooms. The videos are used in professional development to generate meaningful discussions and time is given for teachers to reflect on what they have seen in meetings. It has allowed a consistent approach to be developed across the school coupled with a shared language around the practices.

I am not quite sure how I have taken on the role of videographer (extraordinaire) at Durrington High School. I am not famed for my technological know-how but I have definitely a lot learnt along the way. Here I will share what I have learnt so that you avoid making some of my previous mistakes and your videos will be able to effectively support your school’s professional development.

• Find a willing volunteer, I found that much easier than I thought I would. I started with ECTs as they were keen. Starting with ECTs sent a positive message to the rest of the staff, that if they can do it so can I, this applied to both being filmed and the pedagogy. Since then I have found numerous other volunteers.
• Be really clear with the person being filmed what you want to see in the video. Type it/​write it up and leave it with them so that can keep it fresh in their minds for when you film.
• Work out where the best place to position yourself and the camera is, think about the lighting. Also have a little clear up of the area being filmed remove any clutter as this can be a distractor when watching the film.
• Give the students warning that they will be filmed, get all their questions/​excitement out of the way before you turn the camera on.
• Be prepared that what you have discussed/​seen that teacher do many times may suddenly vanish when they have a camera in front of them. Just have the notes you gave them to hand and start the filming again.
• It is not important to have expensive equipment but the thing I would recommend to have a good tripod. Initially, I used a tripod that was quite ​“stuttery” when I tried to pan across the room. The one I have now is much smoother and I have learnt to pan across less.
• There are good free video editing websites available to teachers, that can be used to finish the videos to achieve the finish you want.
• There are also free teleprompters available if you have a section in the video where someone is explaining the technique, it acts as an autocue and reduces the number of retakes you have to do.

Remember it doesn’t need to be perfect, real is better. You want teachers to be able to relate to it. See themselves doing it.

In the first instance I would recommend looking at the EEF’s clips from the classroom to see their collection of videos. You can see our most recent video on ​“Using worked examples to reduce cogntive load in maths” here. Then think how other means of video exemplification can support your own or your school’s professional development.

By Jody Chan – Deputy Director Durrington Research School