As teachers continue using different technologies to improve learning both in and out of the classroom, video is quickly becoming their medium of choice. According to a 2011 article in College Teaching, versatility, accessibility, and the breadth of content offered by online video creates opportunities to enrich course content and improve student engagement through activities and discussion.
Naturally, here at Panopto, we think video is one of the best ways to communicate ideas and stimulate discussion in the classroom. Here are some of our favorite ways to enrich the blended learning experience through video.
The Flipped Classroom
The fastest-growing application for video in education is the flipped classroom, also known as “inverted teaching.” In flipped classroom scenarios, students watch a recorded lecture at home before class, then spend their time during class applying the lecture material through discussion or exercises guided by the instructor.
Many professors find that flipping their classes creates a more interactive, participatory learning environment, and students come to class better prepared to discuss the topic or ask questions. At Butler University in Indianapolis, where professors have been using Panopto since 2010, flipping the classroom has improved the quality of in-class discussion and has led to improved exam scores.
Student Recording
Teachers don’t have to always be the ones in front of the camera. Some universities are turning the tables by using their video learning platform for student skills practice and assessment.
At the University of British Columbia’s Sauder School of Business, students in their Business Communications course use Panopto to record their presentations, then play the videos back to critique their performances.
In addition to flipping classes, professors at Butler University assess students in their Physician Assistant program through video. Students record themselves interacting with standardized patients using an iPad or laptop, and those recordings are used in turn by their professors, who offer feedback on their performance.
Augment In-Class Lectures with Video Tutorials
Video tutorials for viewing outside of class can help shed light on difficult topics that require a little bit more practice or offer additional information for students that want to deepen their understanding. They can also be used to prepare students for an in-class lecture that have less experience with the subject at hand. Video learning platforms can make it easy for teachers who want to quickly and easily create mini-lectures or tutorials. With Panopto, all that’s needed is to hit the big red RECORD button, and Panopto automatically records the contents of the screen and indexes slides, other on-screen content, and the teacher’s spoken words for search. This functionality is particularly well-suited for demonstrating software, such as in this video from the University of Birmingham, demonstrating how a particular program should be used for an upcoming assignment.
This article was originally published on Panopto’s blog.