High Tech Tools: Video
Our world is filled with motion pictures. Learners find video an engaging tool for communicating ideas.
Read Video and the Web Part 1: More the Flickers on the Screen (PDF) and Video and the Web Part 2: Sharing and Social Networking (PDF) by Annette Lamb and Larry Johnson
Try your hand at editing a television reality program. Designed for teens, My Pop Studio is a creative play experience that strengthens critical thinking skills about television, music, magazines and online media directed at girls. Users select from four behind-the-scenes opportunities to learn more about mass media. Start with the TV Studio option. You can create a login or Skip it. Then, click Teen TV Producer and have some fun. How does this type of environment help students learn about writing, editing, and storytelling? If you have time, try the other sections.
Use the Internet Archive: Moving Images to explore the wide range of moving images available through their site including thousands of open source videos. What do you have to contribute?
Hardware and Software Tools
Digital video requires both hardware and software. You'll need a digital still camera or digital video camera as well as software to edit the photos.
Digital Still and Video Cameras
You may think that you need a fancy video camera to take digital videos. However you can create great video with a digital still camera using the movie clip option. If you plan on using your still video camera for longer video segment, simply purchase a larger memory card.
Download the Digital Video Basics (PDF) handout by Annette Lamb. Follow the directions. When you've taken your photos, attach your camera to your computer. In most cases, your digital camera came with a cable that plugs into your USB or firewire port on your computer. In some cases you need to install software when you purchase your computer. However most new cameras can be plugged directly into the computer. After hooking up the cable, it may take a few seconds, but a window will open asking if you'd like to import your video. Just following the directions on the screen.
Video Editing Software
Stand-Alone Software
- Adobe: Premiere Pro (Windows)
- Adobe: Premiere Elements (Windows)
- Apple: Final Cut Studio
(Mac) - Apple: Final Cut Express (Mac)
- Apple: iMovie
(Mac) - Apple: QuickTime

- Avid: Xpress
- Microsoft: Windows MovieMaker (Windows)
- download for Windows XP or newer - Tools for Young People
Download the Windows MovieMaker (PDF) handout by Annette Lamb. If you need ideas or help using the software, use the Directions for Windows MovieMaker (PDF) handout by Annette Lamb. You can also use iMovie for Mac.
Sources of Open Use Video
You don't need to create all the video elements yourself. There are online resources that allow users to freely use materials.
- Free Stock Footage Clips - places
- Open Media Directory from Ourmedia
Web Space
One of the problems with video and the web is finding place for storage. A number of websites now allow people to upload video. Keep in mind that these spaces are designed for children.
- Blip.tv (free)
- Esnips (free, 5GB)
- Google Video (free)
- YouTube (free, lots of ads)
- OpenMediaNetwork (free; good choice for long-term public hosting space)
- OurMedia (free)
- Videoegg (free)
- Vimeo (free)
Web Space for Educators
- Teacher Tube - Like YouTube, but for teachers and students.
- School Tube - focuses on student-produced video productions
Features of High Tech Video
There are lots of great things you can do with video.
Read Tips for shooting better online video from Ourmedia.
Embedded Video. Keep in mind that most video sharing sites provide the code for embedding their video in another website such as a blog. For instance, the ASCD's The Whole Child video is available on YouTube. Notice the code (see the red arrow below) is provided to embed the video into your page.
<object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/XTRKHR-6i3k"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/XTRKHR-6i3k" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object>

High Tech Video in Learning
From media fair projects to digital storytelling, video have become increasingly popular.
Explore Mabry Film Festival. Watch video projects by middle school students. Notice how the award winning films focused on quality content in addition to the technology aspects of the project.
Explore other examples of student video projects:
- Apple Student Gallery
- Video - Trip to Zoo (Grade 3)
Read Eager to Learn by Diane Curtis in Edutopia.
Digital Promotion. From booktalks and book reviews to advertisements and book trailers, there are many ways to use videos to promote reading.
Watch Catcher in the Rye. How could you use this project to motive learners to create their own book promotions?
Digital Storytelling. From life stories to historical reflections, digital storytelling is a wonderful way to share stories. Explore Digital Storytelling for examples of video storytelling.
Read Digital Storytelling. A Tutorial in 10 Easy Steps by J.D. Lasica.
Explore Digitales: The Art of Telling Digital Stories by Benajean Porter. For learners of all ages, this excellent resource provide step-by-step guidance in telling your own digital stories. Be sure to check out the StoryKeeper's Gallery, examine the DigitTales Tools, and explore the Resources section. Use the Digital Media Scoring Guides to practice evaluating digital stories. After exploring the example, think about a story you might tell. Then, follow the Seven Steps to Create a DigiTales Story.
Historical Re-enactments. Have some fun by re-enacting historical events. Existing videos can provide resources and inspiration for student projects. For example, Colonial Williamsburg provides videos that students can use in their projects related to Colonial life.
Public Service Announcements. From public service announcements to skits and demonstrations, there are many opportunities for video in learning.
Explore the resources at We Interrupt This Broadcast: Using Public Service Announcements in the Classroom by Kathy Schrock. You can also watch the webcast from her session at NECC.
Explore examples of library oriented video created by students and librarians and posted on YouTube.
- Hilton High School Library Funny
- DPS Library Orientation
- Library Technicians
- Interval Library
- PLHS Library Infomercial
- Summer Reading Commercial (scroll to bottom of screen)
Video in Learning
- Facilitator Produced
- Case studies - business, education, health situations
- Demonstrations - art, music, science
- Language instruction and practice
- Lecture recording
- Problems or mysteries to solve
- Sign language instruction and practice
- Learner Produced
- Advertising - promotions, recruitment
- Audio books - recorded textbooks (with permission)
- Blog news - newsletter, news broadcast
- Class or meeting notes
- Collaborative science project
- Interviews
- Observations
- Oral/video histories
- Original musical productions
- Prose and poetry
- Practice - foreign language, technical language, scientific terms
- Reading and writing journal
- Step-by-step instruction - equipment (scientific, health), physical education
- Sporting events
- Video reports
Project Guidelines and Assessments
Here are some examples of project guidelines and assessments for video projects:
Digital Video in Learning
Can video replace a face-to-face experience? How added benefits come from face-to-face encounters? What added benefits come from recorded experiences?
What can be done to enhance a traditional "talking head" lecture?
It can be boring to sit in a lecture. However it's even more tiring to watch a "talking head" on video. Use the following ideas to enrich a traditional lecture:
- Cut the lecture into 3-10 minute segments. View each segment separately providing reflecting questions or activities at the end of each clip.
- Provide graphic organizers, vocabulary sheets, diagrams, PowerPoint speakernotes, and other guiding tools to help viewers take notes and follow the key points.
- Add reflective questions to the video screen every few minutes. Ask students to stop the video and think about these questions.
- Intersperse photographs, graphics, PowerPoint slides, or other video elements into the visual element of the lecture.
- Add a second voice to the lecture that might be used to ask questions, clarify points, or provide examples.
- Shoot the video from varied angles and move between long, medium, and closeup shots.
- Use demonstrations, props, and other engaging materials that involve varied camera angles and visuals elements.
What supplemental materials could be added to a video to enrich the experience? How can supplemental materials be used to address any experiences lots in a face-to-face experience?
Learners, Multiple Intelligences, and Digital Video
Like illustrations and photographs, digital video matches well with Howard Gardner's visual/spatial intelligence. However because of the movement and objects, digital photography and video also goes well with the bodily/kinesthetic intelligence. These "body smart" people learn best through physical activity such as dance, hands-on tasks, constructing models, and any kind of movement. They are able to manipulate and control objects, as well as express their ideas through movement. Give these students a camera and let them record an experience such as a wood working activity, a skit, or a science experiment.
Learners with a strength in the bodily/kinesthetic intelligence prefer to create and move around. Get them involved with gathering and organizing physical materials, keyboarding, acting out roles, or manipulating objects. They would like to run the camera, operate the mouse, or take the pictures.
Learn More
Multimedia Seeds: Video Production
- Planning and Producing Audio and Video Materials
- Audio and Video Production
- Audio, Video, and Productivity Tools
Porter, Bernajean (2005). Digitales: The Art of Telling Digital Stories.
Links to the materials in this section can be found in the navigation bar on the left side of this page. Continue to the
Tools: Animation page.
