by Bonnie Thomas

Created on: November 23, 2008

There is absolutely no excuse for a teacher to show a dull video in today's modern classroom. Videos are not meant to be a babysitter for students. The same video should also not be shown more than once. Additionally, videos must be relevant to the content and spark student interest in order for the video to be appropriate.

A video can be a great addition to the curriculum if carefully selected. Foremost, the audience must be considered. What is appropriate for a first grade class is not appropriate for a high school class. The video should be interesting and not too lengthy. There should also be a proper introduction to the video and a follow up activity. This will ensure that the video is relevant to the lesson and help the students to understand what is to be gained by viewing the video.

We have all sat through classes with those teachers that show a video just so they can "catch up" on grades, lesson plans, or grading assignments. Or worse, some of us have even sat through the same irrelevant video in a class more than once because the teacher did not want to teach that day for whatever reason! These are not acceptable reasons to show videos.

In this day and age, there are many appropriate videos that can be beneficially added to the curriculum. A teacher can utilize videos as a resource to reach students that have a variety of learning styles, practice media literacy and critical viewing skills, go on impossible field trips, and conduct experiments that would otherwise be impossible within the classroom.

A variety of classes can benefit from utilizing video. There are many new versions of classic literature that have been added to the silver screen. These videos may be a welcome resource for students who are strugling with grasping the content of the material. Students enrolled in an American Government course could benefit from viewing the debates of political candidates. Elementary students may benefit from a short and fun math video that uses song to reinforce multiplication facts. These are only a few examples of ways that students can successfully benefit from the use of video within the classroom.

In closing, with a little thought an interesting video can become an appreciated addition to the curriculum by adding a unique perspective for the learners. It is important that the video be carefully selected for relevance, viewership, and appeal. Videos are a great way to supplement the curriculum, but should not be used as a substitute for good teaching.

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