Make Any Video a Lesson

"Teachers who use instructional video report that their students retain more information, understand concepts more rapidly and are more enthusiastic about what they are learning."~NTTI. Using videos take students to places that may not be able to go...field trips, inside the body, outer space, or around the globe. Videos can illustrate complex concepts that in other realms are not visible for students. Videos can bring literature to life. By using videos in the classroom, a teacher can reach visual learners and engage students. Are you using videos in your lessons?

Read about new video tools that allow you to make any video a lesson.

The first find is EDpuzzle. EDpuzzle is a free webtool.

Likes about EDpuzzle:

• Import any video off the web or from your file
• Crop the video
• Add voice over (for the entire video)
• Add audio notes (Add multiple notes in various spots)
• Embed quiz questions (M/C, open-ended)
• Create a class and have students join with a generated code
• Assign videos to a class
• Share video creations via social media or a web link (login required)
• Monitor student progress
• Block skipping ahead in video assignment
• Student iOS App now available 
• Viewing is better from the app than the web. 
• The video displays across the entire screen 
• Quiz questions appear in another screen instead of beside the video.
• Class assignments show grades and progress

Dislikes about EDpuzzle:

• You cannot show different parts of the same video or combine two or more videos into one assignment (you must create a separate assignment for each “chunk” of video).
• You cannot rearrange the order of video assignments within a class (although you can hack this by numbering the video assignments when you name them).
• No partial voiceovers – you must either record an audio track for the entire video or none at all.
• Link to assignments for students require login 

JUST ADDED LAST WEEK: EDpuzzle now has a FREE iOS student app to make the viewing process easier. Click the icon to download this free app.

The view of the app reveals the progress of the student.

Take a quick look at an EDpuzzle video.

The second find is Zaption. Zaption has a free version and a paid version.

Likes about Zaption:

• Records skips
• Add questions and make them required
• Track viewer progress with analytics
• Import videos from YouTube, Vimeo, your computer
• with pro account you can add multiple videos
• Can add these tools to your video (free account):
• Text slide
• Image slide
• Drawing
• Open Response Question
• Multiple Choice Question
• Checkbox Question

Dislikes about Zaption:

• These features are only available with the Pro (paid) version:
• Import multiple videos into same lesson
• Put students into groups
• Integrate with Canvas LMS
• Numerical, discussion, and drawing response questions
• Jump feature

Demo: http://youtu.be/4s1762oZ0d0 

The third find is Metta. Metta is another free video lesson editor.

Likes about Metta:

• Crop videos
• Add questions
• Add images
• Lessons visually appealing
• Allow teachers to combine more than one clip into the same lesson

Dislikes about Metta:

• Does not have the same level of teacher reporting such as...
• seeing if each individual student watched the lesson
• how they performed on the quiz 
• Not as robust as EDpuzzle and still experiences kinks inside the webversion and the app.
• Unable to login to account on the app using Google+ even though the account was great using Google+.

Resources:

"Video Strategies." National Teacher Training Institute. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Sept. 2014.

"EDpuzzle Review: Easy-to-Use Tool Lets Teachers Quickly Turn Online Video into Lessons | Edudemic." Edudemic. Edudemic Staff, 30 Sept. 2014. Web. 06 Oct. 2014.

New School Year Resolutions

New Year Resolutions are made each year in hopes of starting something new. So in the spirit of the new school year, here are a few resolutions to consider.

1.  Use Videos in the Classroom - http://www.edudemic.com/using-video-in-the-classroom/
Using videos in the classroom is a great way to engage students. Here are a few ideas for using videos:

• Learn anything...together
• Example: Insert a YouTube video in a Google Presentation, share the link of the presentation with your class, and have students comment on what they watch. 
• Video Feedback
• Example: Use VoiceThread by uploading a video and then have participants comment using their voice, video or text. 
• Interactive Video = Active Learning
• Example: Use EDpuzzle by uploading a video and then adding voice comments and questions (multiple choice, T/F, or open ended) so students 

2.  Use Google Forms in the Classroom
Google Forms is a tool that is part of Google Drive and used for creating surveys, tests, or web input forms where responses compile in a spreadsheet. The responses also come with a timestamp so you can track results.

• Collect Parent/Student Data
• This is great for all the Back to School forms collected from parents.
• Ongoing Parent Phone Contact Log
• Formative Assessments
• Getting to Know Your Students
• http://oupeltglobalblog.com/2013/12/11/10-ways-i-use-google-forms-in-my-tablet-classroom/
• http://edte.ch/blog/2008/08/23/10-google-forms-for-the-classroom/
• http://www.edudemic.com/5-great-ways-use-google-forms/

3.  Incorporate Social Media in the Classroom

• Twitter
• 50 Ways to Use Twitter in the Classroom - click here. 
• My favorite ways to use in the classroom:
• Track a hash tag.
• Live tweet field trips.
• Ask questions using a class or unit hash tag.
• Facilitate class discussions.
• Live tweet a book.
• Take a poll.
• Instagram
• 10 Ways to Use Twitter in the Classroom - click here
• My favorite ways to use in the classroom:
• Showcase students' work.
• Feature a student of the week.
• Share reading recommendations.
• Record steps in an experiment.
• Capture field trip memories.