Effective Video-based Lessons

You can use VITAL video segments in a variety of ways: to introduce a concept or skill, to reinforce a previously taught concept or skill, to assess student mastery, or to analyze and better understand the ways we use media. The VITAL resources and lesson plans provide you with examples of the three essential parts of an effective video-based lesson: Frame, Focus and Follow-up. They also show you how video clips can best fit into a larger lesson.

However, you are the experts on what works best with your students. If you would like to use VITAL video in your own lessons, here are some hints for how to make the most of them.

Uses

There are at least three main reasons for integrating video segments into your lessons:

A) to introduce a new topic,

B) to provide an additional learning experience to reinforce your current lessons,

C) and to assess the extent to which your students have mastered the material.

Guidelines

Follow these guidelines for using video in the classroom, regardless of the purpose for which you use it:

1. Frame: Provide a context that helps students pay attention to the main content of the video. Ask students questions about the topic explored in the video to activate prior knowledge. When necessary, tell your students enough about the part of the story preceding the segment, so they can follow along.
   
2. Focus: Help students notice the important moments in the video by providing them with a specific focus, something to look for while they watch. Without a focus for viewing, students see all sorts of interesting details - but not necessarily the idea or information you want them to focus on.
   
3. Follow-up: Provide an opportunity for students to summarize what they saw - because they will see different things, and not always what you expected them to see! Re-telling what they saw helps students consolidate their understanding and remember it.

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