Journal 4: If you Give a Kid a Video Camera

            Campbell, L. O. (2012). If you give a kid a video camera.ISTE: Learning and Leading, 39(5), 30-33. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/learn/publications/learning-and-leading/DigitalEditionMarch-April2012.aspx

Summary: Laurie Campbell starts off by explaining the title "If you Give a Kid a Video Camera" by relating it to the children's book, If you Give a Mouse a Cookie. She does this to explain that if you give a child a mobile device, he/she will want to learn more. (2012:30) Throughout the article, examples and ideas on how to use a video camera among different subjects, to enhance the learning experience, are given. For instance, on page thirty of the article, language arts is the first subject given. The author explains that using a one-minute video could enhance children's learning by preteaching vocabulary and then reinforce it by assigning the students to create their own vocabulary video. Clearly, by actively doing this assignment, remembering the vocabulary words world most likely be easier. Another subject given on page thirty-two is science. In my opinion, this would be the most valuable use of making videos because you could record lab steps and analyze them by watching your video afterwards. Math video ideas and Social Studies ideas are also given in the article. On page thirty-three the author also points out that students could video experiences on field trips not only to reinforce their own memory, but students who could not go on the field trip could then watch the video and witness the experiences. The author makes a valid point in that videos could be a big part in helping children learn in a variety of academic areas.

Question 1: How could video be used effectively in math?

Answer 1: According to the article, a former math teacher Dan Meyer incorporated video into his math lessons to make story problems more relevant. I know for me that story problems were always a struggle and if visuals were used, it was usually easier to find the answer. The article also states that video can be used in math to record the students thinking. I think it would also be effective to video the students doing problems on the board so that the video could be posted on a classroom website. Therefore, students could review before a test and absent students could see what they missed.

Question 2: What are some ways video could be used in a classroom that isn't necessarily academic?

Answer 2: Lesson plans could be recorded for substitutes, lessons could be recorded for absent students, digital records of field trips and classroom activities could be made, and videos of instructions could be made for those who need to view/review instructions more than once (2012:32) I think it would also be effective for the students to video each other because then they could hear information more than once. When students hear information more than once in a variety of different ways, they are more likely to remember information.