K to 5 Educational Videos

Classroom Technology: Video Remains

Author: k5blog

Times sure have changed from when I was in Middle School. I remember when Mrs. Robinson took my Walkman away until the end of the year. I was crushed! Today, my bottom drawer is filled with cell phones and iPods. That’s why it is time to integrate technology in your classroom. School videos are a great place to begin. With all the new systems to access the Internet and educational resources, video remains the most important way to present images and using video as a tool in your lessons will help you learn how to integrate all technologies and resources into your classroom and into your lessons.

At times, it can be hard to capture the attention of students. I truly believe this has something to do with all of our technological advances. We have to advance the technology in our classrooms that we use to teach our kids. If lessons are taught using classroom technology effectively, my students will become more engaged and more interested in the lesson.

YouTube and Teachertube are great places to see the vast application of educational ideas. These video forums also reveal what people watch which in turn allows for new ideas on how to present video. There is instruction going on everywhere. Kids can learn how to do the latest dance, beat a level on a video game, or learn how to play the guitar, just to list a few. This is also a great way to integrate technology in your classroom–by using what kids are interested in to develop your lesson. Students can do their work, make and post a video, and other students will learn from viewing it.

It is time to make the classroom more fun. I believe this will be one small step in doing just that!

Tags: classroom technology, school videos
July 30th, 2009  |  Posted in Classroom Technology  |  1 Comment »

Educational Videos Help Your Lesson

Author: k5blog

Videos Aren’t The Enemy

As a teacher, I know first hand that a lot of time goes into creating lesson plans. Typically there are four steps:

1. Picking the topic
2. Researching the topic
3. Developing a presentation to keep students engaged

The truth is, we live in a visual world, but videos aren’t the enemy. They can help get a point across. Using educational video in your lessons is a great way to make the curriculum come to life. There is nothing like teaching a unit on the ocean and having a video full of detailed images and full of ocean sounds for the students to see and hear. Video helps capture and present the many different habitats, species and regions oceans encompass around the world.

Research has proven that visual, auditory and kinesthetic learners benefit from video resources in addition to lectures and white boards text. For the learner that needs to experience the lesson visually, educational videos present another option. With hundreds of videos available across subject areas and designed for specific grade levels and units of study, all teachers can utilized these resources to make their lessons more effective.

As much as we would all like to show full length videos, it’s not always an option. Carefully placed video clips placed at important points in your lesson improve your lesson. Teaching a history lesson on the Louisiana Purchase? Find short clips to make it relevant. Teaching about metamorphosis? Let your students see the changes of a butterfly in real time. They’ll love it and you’ll love watching them.

Using video in your lessons will help you turn on the light bulbs in your students minds. As educators, that’s why we teach – the “Aaah ha” moments. Have one in each lesson.

Tags: educational videos, visual literacy
July 17th, 2009  |  Posted in Using School Videos  |  No Comments »

School Videos: Replacing TV and VCRs with New Delivery Systems

Author: k5blog

As technology becomes an ever more important part of our society, teachers and other education professionals must learn to harness its power to create a positive learning environment by integrating the technologies provided by schools and school district and the vast resources of the Internet.

By using what we know already about television as a delivery system and educational resources via video, we can transfer the delivery of video and interactive visual media through new classroom technology.

It is well known that simply standing in front of the class and lecturing them is not the best way to ensure that they remember the lessons that are being taught. The question is, “How can teachers get students to pay attention and play an active role in the learning process?” I believe that the answer lies in the effective use of educational media.

One important thing to note is that when movies are played in the classroom students have a tendency to stop paying attention. They may assume that the information will not be on the test, and so assume that they do not need to listen. It is crucial that teachers and professors find some way to break this habit. Think of an activity that will help keep them involved, and reward them for paying attention. When used properly these videos should improve student retention and make lesson planning easier for the teacher.

Tags: school video
July 14th, 2009  |  Posted in Using School Videos  |  No Comments »

Teaching Effectively with School Videos

Author: k5blog

It has been said that our world is moving faster than it ever has before, and that our attention spans are shrinking to fit those changes. Unsurprisingly, students today are more difficult to entertain than ever before. Oftentimes it is difficult to get them to pay attention at all, if a teacher has developed a reputation for being boring. It is important to adapt our teaching methods to these changing times. One way to do this is through the use of educational dvds.

When used correctly, these tools can help to keep your students interested in the lesson plans that you have written. When interspersed with your usual cirriculum, educational dvds can provide a chance for students to learn in new and exciting ways. This keeps your lessons from becoming monotonous and gives students something to look forward to. With all the technology that is currently being used in classrooms, it would be a shame to let something as powerful as school videos go to waste.

If you’re ready to start to stop making “The 7 Biggest Mistakes Teachers Make Using Video in the Classroom” and start experiencing the benefits of using video effectively in your classroom, your next step is to download a free copy of “The 7 Biggest Mistakes Teachers Make Using Video in the Classroom” right now.

Tags: school videos
June 29th, 2009  |  Posted in Using School Videos  |  No Comments »

The Advantage of Educational DVDs

Author: k5blog

I believe educational DVDs and videos help add interest and excitement to a classroom lesson. Textbooks and other types of written media, even when filled with interesting information, cannot carry us off to places the same way a school video can.

For example, I can read about an expedition through a Brazilian rainforest and get a sense of what it might be like, but seeing a well-produced video can make me feel as if I am actually there. I can see the trees and the wildlife, I can hear the sounds of the animals and birds, and I can practically feel the cool rain pouring down in an afternoon thunderstorm. These images and impressions are ones that I could not get from reading a textbook or even looking at still pictures.

School videos also appeal to a wide range of students. There are students who do not enjoy the reading process or find learning from books to be difficult, but almost all students enjoy educational DVDs and videos. I think they do a great job of holding the interest of nearly all learners, and they often have interactive content, such as interviews and bonus materials that make them a great classroom resource. Click here for some valuable information on how and why to use educational DVDs and videos in your classroom lessons.

Tags: educational videos, school videos
June 24th, 2009  |  Posted in Using School Videos  |  No Comments »

School Videos as Part of Your Lesson Plans

Author: k5blog

A large percentage of the population is visually oriented, so the use of school videos in your lesson plans is important. It will help accomplish the aim of the lesson.

I had to put on a play with my sixth-grade class, so I chose a topic concerning the Native-Americans in our history. My lesson plans for the project included showing school videos of other classes putting on plays.

The class was able to see how an excellent performance could be accomplished. Two plays on related topics were shown. At times we stopped the videos and had a discussion. Input from the class showed they were picking up performance tips.

We could have just practiced. Showing successful performances reinforced the right way of doing things. A positive aspect was that the class learned an appreciation for theater.

School videos as part of a teacher’s lesson plans can be a good tool in education. It is the step before the hands-on of actually performing. The images of others playing parts will leave an impression in their minds.

A teacher should not just rely on the printed word or lecturing. It can become boring. The attention of the students should be kept focused, for class success.

Tags: lesson plan, school videos
June 23rd, 2009  |  Posted in Lesson Plans  |  No Comments »

The Importance of School Media: Why You Should Integrate Technology in the Classroom

Author: k5blog

Teachers today face more opportunities to integrate technology in the classroom and encouragement to use new forms of school media. At the beginning of this school year, I was assigned a Macbook and projector plus all of the associated cords, plugs, and gadgets. As someone who had relied on the overhead and whiteboard, for me, the idea of using this new technology was both exciting and intimidating.

However, as the year passed I found myself feeling more comfortable with the new state of my classroom, and, more importantly, I saw how it engaged my students. It was nice that this new media saved me time and helped me to ensure that my content was up-to-date, but my students were far more interested in and appreciative of the lessons I presented with my new tools.

My ability to integrate technology in the classroom also helped my students appreciate the importance of technology education; I was an example to them of how understanding and using technology is a true asset in today’s job market.

School media and classroom technology are clearly aspects of today’s educational experience sure to grow in influence in the coming years. Schools in my district have assigned laptops to one entire school’s student population, and the wireless is set up at our high school to handle a computer on the desk of every student in every room.

School is training for the real world, and since our real world relies more and more on technology, of course our classrooms must grow in the same direction. Count me in!

Tags: classroom technology, school videos, visual literacy
June 14th, 2009  |  Posted in Classroom Technology  |  No Comments »

Why School Videos are Important

Author: k5blog

There are many reasons why school videos are important in school. They provide a visual to what is being taught in the classroom. They are interesting to watch because you are actually seeing what is being explained rather than just looking at a teacher the whole class period. Other than these two reasons there are many more to consider.

Usually when hearing that there is going to be a video during the class period, students will take this as a time to take a nape, pass notes, skip class, etc. Unfortunately, some students do this and some do not. I have asked some people how their views on videos in school were, and surprisingly, even some of the bad students said that they remembered a lot of the videos and that they wish they had paid more attention back then because it was actually interesting what they were “learning” from the videos. However, being a young teen in high school, they only halfway paid attention to the videos, which is why they do not remember all of them.

If we make sure that videos that are being displayed in the classroom are interesting videos then we have more of a chance that he students will watch them. Obviously choosing boring videos with a boring monotone voice explaining the video will be boring to them. The good thing about videos is that due to the visuals in the videos, students are more likely to soak in, and remember what they are watching, because it is more interesting when you see what is going on, rather than being explained it in class by the teacher, and having to use your own imagination to create an image.

School videos are a positive part of the classroom and should continue expanding young adolescent minds into the world of education.

By using videos consistently in instruction, you can take advantage of the natural interests of your students to watch and listen to teach your lesson objectives more effectively and more efficiently.

Tags: educational videos, school videos
June 14th, 2009  |  Posted in Using School Videos  |  No Comments »

Making School Videos Interactive

Author: k5blog

Choosing the right school videos to supplement regular class work can be challenging. On one hand, you want to find a way to appeal to students on their level—and in the age of MySpace, YouTube and iPods, school videos seem like a good choice.

On the other hand, you don’t want the kids to just zone out or write off the video as boring simply because it’s being shown in a classroom. When it comes to class movies, students have a tendency to approach them the same way they look at healthy food—if it’s good for you, then it can’t possibly be any good.

I’ve found that the best approach when showing a video is to make it as interactive an activity as possible. That means pausing the video at certain points and having an informal class discussion about what has been viewed so far. Since most educational videos come with a lesson plan, it’s not very difficult to find useful discussion guidelines.

I also make it a point to ask kids what they think an answer or result will be (“How many salmon do you think will survive the migration?” or “How do think Einstein felt when his teacher told him he wasn’t intelligent? How would you feel if someone told you that now?” or “How do you think Helen Keller is going to get around the fact she can’t go to school with other kids?”) before I show them the result. This keeps them interested.

The best advice I can give, however, is to never rely on a video as the sole part of a lesson plan. A school video should never stand alone but instead should be merely a small part of an entire lesson plan.

If you’re ready to start to stop making “The 7 Biggest Mistakes Teachers Make Using Video in the Classroom” and start experiencing the benefits of using video effectively in your classroom, your next step is to download a free copy of “The 7 Biggest Mistakes Teachers Make Using Video in the Classroom” right now.

Tags: lesson plan, school videos
June 14th, 2009  |  Posted in Lesson Plans, Using School Videos  |  No Comments »