6 Vines About Student Video Projects

Last night I was fortunate to host the weekly #michED Twitter Chat. It’s a weekly chat that pulls together educators from around the state (and beyond) to share, discuss, and collaborate on a host of issues facing educators. I happen to think it’s the best darn state-level Twitter chat out there, but I’m a bit biased 🙂

The topic last night was “Student Video Projects,” and I used the Vine above to get things started. There are many issues surrounding video projects; the obstacles we face getting started with video, how to assess videos from both a technical and pedagogical standpoint, and providing rationale for including video as a part of what we do in our instructional settings. There were plenty of questions swirling around those central topics, and given the nature of the topic I thought I’d have some fun with them. So I created Vines for each question to give them a bit of depth beyond the digital text; that and I can’t pass up an opportunity to give my kids time in front of the camera; they’re hams….a bit like me.

Below are six essential questions that I feel every educator should ask before starting a video project with students; the answers will help you provide a better experience for you and your students, rooted in both standards and content, while still providing an engaging hook for students, and identifying potential roadblocks early. Are there more than just these 6 questions that need to be answered? YES! This is just a jumping off point, to get ideas percolating. Digging through the archive of last night’s #michED Twitter Chat might be a good starting point as well, since a lot of educators shared some interesting tips last night!

 Question #1: Video can be fun! But that’s not always enough. What rationale do you use for video projects?

Question #2: What’s the single biggest obstacle you’ve experienced in doing video projects with students?

Question #3: What limitations and/or guidelines should students have while working on a video project?

Question #4: Where do you get inspiration for video projects with students? 

Question #5: What strategies or resources can be used for assessing student created video?

Question #6: Visual literacy is becoming as important as traditional literacy. How do elements of reading and writing transfer to video?