How to use video to encourage deeper learning

How to use video and Google Forms to encourage deeper learning

Turn Students into Mentors and Instructors

This article appeared in eSchoolNews and I thought is was an excellent example of how the capabilities of technology, especially the free-to-all, easy-to-access kinds of Google and internet based sources, can transform learning (and teaching).

The author discusses how she used a method - video-based questioning - by combining targeted videos in a Google form questionnaire for students to explore several broad social questions. As the author, Kelly Grotrian, explains:

We started this year in September by completing a VBQ [video-based questionnaire] on two current events from June on same-sex marriage and the shooting in Charleston. Each student was given a Chromebook and a link to a Google Form. The Google Form had three embedded videos and six questions prompting students to interpret them. Following a video of President Obama’s speech on same-sex marriage, students responded to the question, “What does this court ruling mean for the people of America?” which asked students to think not only about what they heard, but the implications of the decision.

Students were also asked to complete a feedback form about the activity itself. What did they think of this new practice? One student wrote, “It’s easier to answer questions because I can pause the video or go back to something I missed.” Another stated, “I really enjoyed this activity because this is one of the first experiences where we have control over our learning and it suits well because everyone has a different pace.”

And this type of activity is actually pretty easy to do. Integration of videos into a form is just a couple of mouse clicks. Student responses are automatically recorded into a spreadsheet database for you to review.

She also had a project in which the students took on the role of creating video-based questionnaires in teams on designated topics.