Today, there are tons of amazing videos available online, making it easier than ever to use them in the classroom. However, teachers know that just playing a video isn’t enough. It’s important to keep students engaged and actively participating. Here are some tips to make the most out of videos in class:
Before hitting play, think about these strategies to keep students involved:
Remember, not every method works perfectly for every video, so feel free to mix and match these tips!
While active viewing is great, students should also become reactive viewers. This means they should not only understand the video but also have opinions about it. Start by giving them an essential question to think about before watching. This helps them focus and form their own ideas.
Instead of just taking notes, have students work together using tools like TodaysMeet or Twitter. This way, they can share their thoughts and react to each other’s ideas in real-time.
When pausing the video to ask questions, make sure these questions connect back to the essential question. While fact-based questions help with understanding, encourage students to provide arguments and opinions. This is often more effective during the second or third viewing.
Watching a video multiple times is important for understanding, but students might find it boring. To keep them interested, assign a creative project that requires them to watch the video several times and think critically. For example, they could annotate a TED Talk using tools like EdPuzzle or Zaption. They could also remix a video with Media Breaker, changing the tone, adding commentary, or creating mash-ups.
Combine these strategies for the best results. During the first viewing, use a backchannel to highlight key moments and ask questions without pausing too much. Afterward, use the notes to help students identify their own essential questions and key moments to analyze in later viewings. Encourage them to engage in creative projects that challenge them to synthesize what they’ve learned and critique the video itself.
This approach helps students move from active to reactive strategies—first listening, then responding. If you need a recap, why not just rewind and watch again?
While watching a video, take detailed notes on key points. After the video, pair up with a classmate and compare your notes. Discuss any differences and fill in any gaps. This will help you understand the video better and learn from each other.
During the video, we’ll pause at important moments. Be ready to share your thoughts on what was just shown. Think about how it connects to the essential question we discussed earlier. This will help you engage more deeply with the content.
Use a tool like TodaysMeet or Twitter to share your thoughts in real-time as you watch the video. React to your classmates’ comments and build on each other’s ideas. This will make the viewing experience more interactive and collaborative.
After watching the video a few times, create a project that showcases your understanding. You could annotate the video using EdPuzzle or remix it with Media Breaker. Be creative and think critically about how you can present the video’s concepts in a new way.
Identify an essential question related to the video and explore it further. Conduct research, gather evidence, and prepare a short presentation to share your findings with the class. This will help you develop a deeper understanding of the topic and improve your research skills.
Here’s a sanitized version of the YouTube transcript:
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There’s a wealth of great video content available, and it’s more accessible than ever. However, teachers understand that when showing a video in class, it’s important to ensure that students are engaged and actively participating. Before you press play, consider these active viewing tips: Have students take notes, pause the video to discuss key points, and offer multiple viewings to reinforce important concepts. Keep in mind that no single method works perfectly for every video.
Excuse me for a moment. I had a burst of inspiration while watching. Would you mind indulging me?
Active viewing is important, but students should also be reactive viewers. This means they need to not only understand the videos they watch but also have something to say about them. They should comprehend and critique the content. It all begins with developing an essential question for students to consider before watching. This gives them something to focus on and form opinions about.
Now, let’s revisit the active viewing tips and see how we can make them more reactive. For note-taking, have students collaborate in real-time using a backchannel tool like TodaysMeet or Twitter. This allows them to react to the video and to each other’s thoughts.
Teachers can also introduce deeper questions during the viewing. Regarding the second tip about pausing to ask questions, it’s important that these questions relate back to the essential question. For active viewing, fact-based questions are useful for comprehension, but to make it more reactive, encourage students to provide arguments rather than just answers. This approach is likely more effective during the second or third viewing.
As for the third tip, multiple viewings are crucial for comprehension, but students often resist repetition. To keep them engaged, assign a creative project that requires them to watch the video multiple times and think critically. For example, students could annotate a TED Talk using tools like EdPuzzle or Zaption. They could also remix a video with a tool like Media Breaker, allowing them to change the tone, add commentary, or create mash-ups.
There’s a lot of potential in re-making a video they’ve already seen. You could integrate all these strategies together. On the first viewing, use a backchannel to highlight key moments and ask questions without pausing too much. Afterward, use the backchannel notes to help students identify their own essential questions and key moments they want to analyze in later viewings. From there, encourage them to engage in creative projects that challenge them to synthesize what they’ve learned and critique the video itself.
This approach effectively transitions students from active to reactive strategies—first listening, then responding. Should we recap?
Why not just rewind and watch again?
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This version maintains the core ideas while removing informal language and unnecessary interruptions.
Videos – Recordings that can be watched to learn or understand a topic better – The teacher used educational videos to explain complex science concepts to the class.
Classroom – A room where teaching and learning take place – The classroom was filled with colorful posters and eager students ready to learn.
Students – Individuals who attend school to gain knowledge and skills – The students worked together on a group project about renewable energy.
Notes – Written records of important information from lessons or lectures – Taking detailed notes during the history lecture helped Maria prepare for the test.
Questions – Sentences or phrases used to inquire or seek information – The teacher encouraged students to ask questions if they didn’t understand the material.
Ideas – Thoughts or concepts that can be developed or explored – During the brainstorming session, students shared their ideas for the upcoming science fair.
Projects – Assignments or tasks that require research and creativity to complete – For their final projects, the students created models of ancient civilizations.
Critical – Involving careful judgment or evaluation – Critical thinking skills are essential for analyzing and solving complex problems.
Thinking – The process of considering or reasoning about something – Thinking critically helps students make informed decisions and understand different perspectives.
Engage – To participate or become involved in – The teacher used interactive activities to engage students in the lesson.
