With a goal of breaking new frontiers in the usage of video within educational contexts, our group decided to explore the concept of video as an assessment tool. Most of the available literature relates to video as a delivery tool for disseminating knowledge, so our goal in presenting video as an assessment tool is to expand upon why, how and when to integrate video assessment into learning.
Mobile technology and open education have propelled video further, and along with increased access to recording and sharing technologies, video as a pedagogical tool has nearly infinite possibilities.
Team Video Primary includes: Sam Charles, Trista Ding, Emma Houle,Saeid Hassanvand, and Ema Markoff
VISIT OUR VIDEO PRIMARY OER PROJECT
If you are interested in the history of video or how to use it for sharing knowledge, we encourage you to visit the previous iterations of Video Primary:
2021 Video Primary in Education
2020 Video Primary in Education
2019 Video Primary in Education
Our presentation site is designed for discovery through 5 sections that all include:
- Video highlighting the section’s themes
- Written content parsed into digestible themes
- Full downloadable written articles with references
We welcome your feedback and reflections in the comments below, and hope the content motivates you to leave a video submission within the site’s padlet highlighting:
- What you’ve learned from our project
- In addition, if you’ve used video as an assessment tool in your practice, please share what worked and what didn’t
CHECK OUT OUR VIDEO PRIMARY OER PROJECT
Hi team, thank you for sharing your OER on video assessment! As others have also stated, I am much more familiar with utilizing videos as a lesson delivery tool rather than an assessment one, so this was interesting and made me reevaluate some of my conventional assessment practices. I especially appreciate your “Success Stories” section, where you show how video assessment can be used across a number of different subjects. Some issues I can see arising with video assessment, however, include how much the quality of a video can determine one’s grade. When making a video, things like the quality of a camera, microphone, and video software can drastically change how well a video is perceived, so students with better equipment and more knowledge in video making may receive better grades on that alone. I can definitely see using video assessment as a supplementary tool for assessment, but should not fully replace other traditional means of assessing.
Great job on this project! I’ve used video assessment before, but never to specifically target any learning goals. I have an example of a video inquiry in our group’s DIY project (available now!), and during the height of Covid I tried a webcam Shakespeare project with my students, but I never have felt that I fully got into the depths of the pedagogical possibilities. Being someone who instantly feels camera shy and awkward as soon as the video starts recording, I’ve had a bit of a bias against using it too often for fear of having students feel the same way. What I realize now however is that this method of “show what you know” is a FAR more comfortable approach for students who would feel the same shyness but for speaking in front of the class or by verbalizing their knowledge in groups. Thank you so much for helping me shift my thinking about video assessments away from my own biases and experiences.
Hi Team! I was happy to see your choice to direct your project towards assessment, as I think it will become more and more common place in this new digital education era. I echo all of my fellow colleagues in their noting of the ubiquitousness of student tech skills and access to video making tools. Video is not going anywhere anytime soon! In terms of the benefits of its use, I am reminded of my roommate (who is a grade 5 teacher) using Screencastify to have her students record themselves reading French books to assess their language level. When I asked her why she chose that form of assessment, she said that it really just simplified the process of evaluating all of the students in her class. So rather than pulling all students aside during class time, she would dedicate time for students to record themselves and then she could asynchronously assess them. In this case, I am struck by the simple practicality of the medium as a way to efficiently structure class time. It seemed also to have an effect on their confidence levels while reading – as it likely felt less formal without sitting across from a teacher assessing them.
Hello Video Team,
I enjoyed going through your OER yesterday. Sam – I’m guessing you must have done some hosting work over the years, as you come across as a polished, professional host in your video, and boy do you ever have the voice for it.
In teaching in a broadcast program, video is a regular part of my courses with usually 1 or 2 video assignments / term. They can be met with fear, but I figure the classroom environment is a good place to overcome that fear and challenge yourself to something new. Plus the more practice you get at both the process of making and delivering video, and presenting yourself in that way, the better you become at that skill. As I write that, I wonder if perhaps the barriers section could be followed with tips for overcoming those barriers, like overcoming that fear that so many people have?
When you go through your course to fine tune things and make adjustments to it, before David marks it, a few things you might want to adjust: 1) On the homepage, the link to success stories is not working and the coloured info bubbles are overlapping, making them difficult to read properly. 2) On the sample assessment page, the text is overlapping the video, making it difficult to read. The examples on this page were great, and would spark a good discussion if you ask people here if they’d tried any of the video assessments above, and if so, what their experience was with them. And if they have other video assessments that they can share. 3) With your end screen videos, I’d leave them off if they are obscuring something important in the video that they are on. 4) What are other ways that you can engage people in your lesson? Is the engagement you are asking people for about them reflecting on their practices or about validating your lesson?
Hi Erica,
Sam really is an amazing host – I think he carries the team on hosting abilities :). Thank you for your feedback on adjustments, this is extremely helpful and sometimes we are unable to see things when we work on them repeatedly. This is great feedback.
Hi Team! I appreciate how informative your OER is, especially the Success Stories section. I was glad to see the K-5 Forecasting video because in my experience it’s hard to find educational technology that includes the lower primary grades. I have found video assessment useful for teaching children the importance of planning and rehearsing since time limits are placed on video lengths. Recently I used video assessment for my class to create a Rube Goldberg machine. The planning process happened in the classroom, but the building happened at home since the building materials, while available at the school, were not enough for students to complete the project individually.
I’ve done the same thing with the Rube Goldberg. That project works well for video assessment as it takes a lot of the focus off the student. To get used to using video as a tool for assessment, the student doesn’t need to play the lead role; the learning or project can take this place. That solves a lot of the anxieties of filming/being filmed. Rube Goldberg, is itself, a lesson on trial and error and multiple iterations levelling the playing field of what success should look like and therefore students may not feel as pressured to create a cookie cutter video.
You have me gushing, Sheena. I love Rube Goldberg machines. They are not easy to film, but are such a fun challenge, especially when you manage to get everything to work and filmed.
Hi Team, Thanks for the great OER! Undoubtedly, educators generally look at video as a dissemination tool for conveying information, myself included, so I really enjoyed the perspective you took by looking at video as an assessment tool. I love to use videos to share information and watch many videos to learn skills myself. In my own experience, I often find I have a higher level of commitment when I am in the video presenting information myself, as my face is attached to the work I am doing. Perhaps this is also the case for many learners; they can become the face of their work and no longer just a student number or name on a paper. While there are also learners who are uncomfortable and may get nervous, I think the ever-expanding amount of video applications and creation tools can allow all learners to find a way to use video so that they can feel comfortable. For example, perhaps they can use motion graphics or create a stop-motion video. In my own experience, one of the most useful applications for video assessment is screen sharing. Through screen sharing videos, assessors can see how well a learner understands a concept. For example, in a corporate setting, a learner can capture and share their desktop as they’re working through using a newly implemented piece of software. Instructors can follow the video and locate problem areas, providing the instructors with the precise areas to provide more support. I also think software like Camtasia can be helpful for quick assessments as interactive quizzes can be implemented directly into videos, which can be great for concept checking. Have you had any experiences using screen share for video assessments? What thoughts do you have about the future of video assessments as interactive videos become more prevalent?
Hi Graham! Great points! I have not personally used screen sharing for video assessment, but I see the value in it, absolutely. This allows for more of a live assessment (and where troubleshooting/corrections can be made) rather than an assessment of a final product. I think this is a great idea as it allows for a student to fully understand what they are working with and how to improve, instead of receiving feedback for a finished project – this may allow for more in-depth, continual learning.
Hi Team! Thank you for a very informative OER. I have utilized video from an educational and training perspective and believe incorporating numerous forms of multimedia helps engagement. I not utilized video as an assessment tool, but in reviewing the information you shared within the success stories section I can see how it could be incorporated providing the support was given to those who have not created their own videos especially from a corporate training perspective where you may be dealing with a number of generations and levels of technical proficiency. I am taking a strategic copywriting course at UofT and my Prof recently provided his assessment of the webpage I had submitted for an assignment. I thought this was an great use of video as he was able to show me his point of view and areas for improvement. I found receiving feedback in this way on a creative assignment helped me to understand his thoughts and rationale far better than written remarks.
Hi Nicole, I think seeing your professor through video allowed for a more personalized message and review of your assignment. You are able to hear his tone rather than reading words on a page. It also showed his effort when reviewing your assignment.
Hi Nicole! I have also experienced having my professor provide assessment/feedback through video in another MET course I have previously taken – what I like about this is that by providing a video assessment the professor can go further into detail, and you can get to know the professor themselves a bit more as we are not meeting face to face.
Hi Team,
Your presentation raised a lot of interesting points that impact teaching and learning in the domain of assessment. Some points I did not consider when using video as an assessment tool. Using video as an assessment tool is provides excellent feedback to students. However, it can impact their performance if they know they are being recorded; some learners are uncomfortable and may get nervous. Therefore, how do we overcome that challenge because implementing video as an assessment is necessary for some learning environments. Many institutions are introducing technology to students at an earlier age, so perhaps this will help in the long run. As for students recording themselves, I have a problem with this as I am a perfectionist and shy. The technology aspect can be a challenge at times, especially when trying to upload to a platform the size of the video may be too large. However, in my opinion, this is part of the learning experience depending on the degree of technical problems. You raise an interesting point about students who may struggle due to a language barrier, access to technology, or lack of skills. As educators, it is our responsibility to assist these students in having the same experience as their peers but in a different approach. For example, students without technology can borrow from the library. Alternatively, the students with low technical skills may need to seek help from tech support or a center that can provide guidance. The student with the language barrier may need some help from the ESL or any department that assists in that area. The bottom line, we need to try our best to even the playing field for these students giving them a fair chance. Those are just ideas; off the top of my head, many other different strategies exist. Your presentation provides the pros and cons of video assessment, and as you mention, it provides real-time feedback for teachers on their students’ performance and gives students insight into their weaknesses and strengths. However, it is not perfect like all assessment tools, and we need to be aware when implementing.
Enjoyed your presentation, great work!!
Thank you for your feedback, Anna! I agree – I am definitely one to be nervous when being recorded and can be shy in doing so and trip over my own words, however, it is a great tool to pivot to during the pandemic.
I also agree with your point regarding having a priority placed on ensuring all students have fair access to creating videos for assessment. While as you mentioned, libraries and ESL assistants are available, I hope that going forward, particularly after what we have learned from the pandemic, academic institutions will consider the priority of having technology accessible to all students through the institution; not necessarily relying on the students themselves to provide their own technologies.
Thanks, Team for creating this thought-provoking presentation! I enjoyed navigating through it and reflecting on the many ways teachers can weave video creation and assessment into their learning curriculums. I also thought a lot about how corporate learning can leverage video assessment.
As pointed out in your Demonstrate Competency section, video is helpful for not only “those doing the evaluation, but for those who are being evaluated.” So yes, it’s excellent for evaluators to review a video and make sure the medical student is correctly completing all the steps of a medical procedure. Still, from a learning perspective, it’s even more powerful for the student to review the video and see what she is doing wrong and get coaching on how to do better.
A few people in our cohort have highlighted how they’ve used informal video assessments (e.g., assessing volleyball skills). I’ve used it in sports for examining a swim stroke or a baseball swing. I also think it would be effective in soft skill training where a learner can see how he performed in a coaching conversation, public speaking, etc. I can see opportunities for application; however, it’s not as apparent in the classroom environment. What subject or area would it be more effective to video record a student performing a task or skill than just explaining it to them in words, using pencil and paper? I’m sure there are areas; however, nothing comes to mind. I am also not a teacher.
I enjoyed the diversity of videos you selected on your Success Stories page. These videos were well done by students who knew how to put together an engaging video or had help in doing so. I can see how classroom teachers would use videos as an alternative to essay writing. I’m curious, at what age would you be able to introduce an activity like this to students? The earlier, the better would be my opinion;) Any opportunity to weave creativity into a learning process is a win and can deepen understanding of a topic.
Some of the perceived barriers raised came immediately to my mind, particularly around the amount of time it would take to create a video and the level of video skills that the students would require. Therefore, I think it’s worth spending time in this section and figuring out whether these are actual barriers or just problems to solve and questions to find answers. In addition, it would be interesting to have a snapshot of the best practices to apply when first introducing video creation in a classroom curriculum.
Finally, I loved your video and pictures. I hadn’t heard of Voilà AI Artist. What a fun app.!
Great job Team!
Hi Elizabeth! Your question about which subjects would benefit from using video assessment got me thinking about my days back in school. I think it would help in any class that requires students to do presentations. I remember some of my classmates having stage fright. If they were given an option to record their presentation before the due date, then the quality of their presentation would not be negatively impacted by stage fright. Perhaps geography would also benefit from video assessments because the entire course is about the outdoors. It doesn’t seem cohesive when students are inside learning and presenting where the things they are learning about all outside. Students can bring their camera to the outdoors and show what they learned that way.
Hi Sarah, presentations would make a lot of make sense – particularly around body language. Geography is less clear but I can see the students using a camera to identify nature and describing what they learned. Thanks!
Hi Elizabeth, I want to add to the conversation and question: What subject or area would it be more effective to video record a student performing a task or skill than just explaining it to them in words, using pencil and paper?
I work with faculty in using learning technologies and we have a few video assignment tools that are supported by the institution (higher ed) and the courses that have immensely benefited from using videos as assessment were language courses (which I think someone else here mentioned) which is a helpful way to assess students oral language. There is research to support the use of video assignments in language courses:
Aksel, A., & Gürman-Kahraman, F. (2014). Video project assignments and their effectiveness on foreign language learning. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 141, 319-324. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2014.05.055
Other faculty that use video assignments science. They’ve used video assignments students work in pairs to create an educational video that demos a topic related to the course. I’ve also worked with instructors in nursing and medicine that have used video assignments to demo patient care or demonstrate certain skills during a case study. Finally, many other faculties have used video assignments as a way to create community during the remote learning context which was meant to create community and have students get to know and interact with each other through different means. In all of these cases, students were encouraged to use what they had in terms of hardware and software. Students were not expected to produce high-quality productions but really just demonstrate skills through a different mode than the traditional ways.
Hi team Wideo,
You presented a lot of resources, I also like how you made connections to lesson plans as well. Using videos provides personalized feedback to each student and you can speak to them on a one-to-one basis which can be easier for the teacher because it saves time compared to written feedback. You can also add time-stamped feedback to students’ videos so you can bring their attention to specific points of a presentation, where they need improvement. It also goes beyond presentation skills, because you can actually see if the students grasp the concepts. There is an app called Sock Puppets. https://www.goingapeforapps.net/sock-puppets.html it is available for the iPad and iPhone. I have never tried it but will explore it because one of my instructors gave me video feedback using a sock puppet, I thought it was cool and I know my students would enjoy it too????
Do you have any other suggestions?
Thanks for sharing the app Analesa. I hadn’t heard of it and have not done much research on the teacher feedback side of things, but think this could be an interesting avenue to explore for future projects or if someone wanted to add to our OER. In my experience I’ve seen teachers and instructors record videos with their feedback but that was the extent of it.
Hi Video Primary Team!
I really enjoyed exploring your OER and appreciate your own video contributions to the website. It was a great example of how much more “digestible” and accessible information can be when disseminated through this medium. I also appreciate that your OER discusses extending our use of video beyond knowledge dissemination and into the world of assessment – it has me reflecting on the few ways I have used it for assessment, as well as ways I hope this will evolve. In the past, I have used video for Summative assessment in my Science courses for such activities as a Mitosis animation project and a Rube Goldberg machine design project. I have also had students film their procedure/observations during labs, and submit them as part of their formal lab report. I have toyed with the idea of using Flipgrid (https://info.flipgrid.com/) in my French Immersion classes to promote an alternative form of collaboration through video discussion, but have always opted to stick with in person discussion and communication. Through your research for this project, did you come across some clear advantages to video discussion/collaboration when compared to the face-to-face alternative?
Great question Alexis! From the resources I consulted during this project, there are advantages for some learning styles and there were also advantages when it comes to student engagement. However, I believe the most important factor is the learning outcomes that are being targeted. Is the goal for students to clearly communicate in person? Or is it to develop collaboration skills they will need in the future (Ex. For work or post secondary studies). I also think the nature of video projects can lend well to higher levels of learning. (I.e. Bloom’s digital taxonomy). Thoughts?
Hi team video! I really enjoyed the accessibility of your site, and each of your videos were concise but informative (especially on the different kinds of assessments that one could conduct with video)! I particularly enjoyed your section on success stories as you had a good breadth of subject matter represented (Language Arts, Social Studies, Science, etc.), though this ironically brings me to my biggest reservation when it comes to using video for assessments: I teach Math. Though I have seen and used video as an assessment of learning where students must create a video to explain how they solved a Math problem step-by-step, as you noted in your barriers section, I find that the biggest problem becomes the amount of time required to adequately assess each student; with usually over 100 students to assess, even a 5 minute video can quickly become a massive time investment that cannot be easily assessed during working hours. Even with set time limits, inevitably some students run long in their explanations, and I must either choose to cut them off at the prescribed limit (which I can do but then I feel I don’t have an accurate representation of their understanding) or to carry on to award part marks for at least fully explaining their ideas, albeit over time. Generally I opt for the latter, and I do enjoy seeing the creativity and novelty of some student videos, but I still haven’t figured out how to assess video in a timely manner. If you have any suggestions or recommendations, I would love to hear your insights! Congrats again on a job well done!
Hi Brendan, math can be a challenge when trying to do something other them Khan academy style videos. I’ ve been thinking about that and think you could possibly do an intro assessment for learning to engage students. My thought is they would have to introduce how the concept is used in everyday life – movie trailer style and 30 seconds or less. For example, percentages are used when shopping to calculate sales tax. When it comes to the time required to grade and markup videos, I find it helpful to have a clear rubric and if I need to re-view videos, I watch them in 2x ou 3x speed. Anyone else have suggestions?
Hi Megan,
I love the “trailer-style” idea, and increasing the speed time sounds helpful too!
Hi Video group. I enjoyed the OER you rendered herewith; it is highly informative and timely. I was thinking that approaching Video Primary would be difficult because it is a tricky subject with all the limitations and barriers you have mentioned in your presentation. In my opinion, honing in on using video as an assessment tool is a great focal point, which is pertinent to education. Therefore, approaching this topic from a pedagogical standpoint gives it more meaning and context. As an educator, I would like to acknowledge your claim that student-generated video creating for assessment improves the performance of the students as “creation” is at the top of the thinking pyramid of Bloom’s taxonomy. In other words, one of the best ways to assess our progression, knowledge, or skill is through production. When students produce a video, they engage in multimodal learning, which improves their knowledge retention and addresses their various learning styles. As for your concern about disruption and focus on production over substance, I feel that this applies to the introduction of any new technology in class, and it is the teacher’s responsibility to provide clear guidelines that balance the equation. Also, I think the link to success stories does not work (or it could be my laptop). It is important to draw a line here between using video as assessment FOR learning vs as assessment OF learning. In that sense, students can learn more about their skills and knowledge level by observing the quality of their video, and that’s at the core of constructivism (as you mentioned). The fact that students engage in participatory culture through organic production is pedagogically powerful as it promotes agency, autonomy, and metacognition. Moreover, I stood at your statement “there should be careful consideration of the video format to match the skills.” I wish you provided an example of that, would you?
As an ESL instructor, I can attest to the power of videotaping and videomaking as an assessment for learning. I always ask my students to film themselves practicing speaking so they can assess their soft skills and the “how” as you mentioned. However, you mentioned that teachers should allocate for training students on video making. Is that necessary? Don’t you agree that students are generally more digitally competent? I particularly enjoyed the projects and assignments you shared with us, and I wonder if videos could one day totally replace written content. To that end, I was recently exploring some of the emerging video technologies, and I noticed that ‘vertical videos” are gaining more popularity (I noticed that there is not much reference to mobility and smartphones in your OER.) Interestingly, it seems that interactive videos have great educational potential, and they are on the rise. Check these examples of interactive videos: https://video.eko.com/v/major-lazer?autoplay=true
and https://www.coldplay.com/ink/
So it allows more interactivity with the content which, in turn, facilitates engagement and better learning. Curious to hear your thoughts.
Hi Feras, that is a tricky question. Although many students are digitally competent, we need to keep in mind that even in the age of digital natives the skills will vary – note the SECTIONS model by Bates is a good way to assess your context when selecting technology, especially mobile technology. For example, some students may not have had access to personal devices. Taking a bit of time at the beginning to make sure everyone has the skills required can help ensure that the skills gap doesn’t grow and that everyone has the ability to succeed the assessment. Thanks for sharing the links! I’ve been seeing a lot of interactive videos in corporate online learning for the past 5-10 years and am happy to see tools to create them are becoming more accessible and mobile!
Hello Video Assessment Team,
Thank you for the informative OER and for providing some examples of how video assessment is currently being used. Up until the reality of online learning forced a deeper exploration of video assessment in my teaching practice I had not explored video assessment to any great depth. One of the benefits of online learning is that I have started to use video assessment and now that there has been a gradual return to in-person learning I am starting to integrate video assessment into my in-person lessons more.
Specifically, I have found some success with Flipgrid as I like the level of control that educators have when using this platform. Educators can set up classrooms, create class assignments and up until recently even provide rubrics for their tasks (I am unsure why this option was removed – I found it helpful).
Students can either record their video directly or upload a video they have recorded elsewhere (under the parameters set by the teacher) and students can respond to their peer’s uploads in video or written form. I really like the interactivity Flipgrid provides but I also learned that for middle school students there needs to be a great deal of scaffolding and direction in terms of expected response (as an example for my younger students I might use sentence starters). I have found that students generally are quite engaged on this platform because it is in an environment that mimics (to a degree) how they communicate on other social media platforms. As such I couldn’t help but make a connection here to your reference to Greenberg & Zanetis, 2012 in regards to authentic audiences as I believe Flipgrid provides this as it allows for an authentic audience (beyond the teacher and their peers) if used strategically. Beyond that, another possible benefit of video assessment could be that students might consider more deeply how their video posts on other platforms outside of school are received and interpreted in social media contexts thanks to the use of video assessment.
Hi Video Assessment Team, I appreciate that you focussed on the assessment aspect of video. In an online math class I taught, I used video assessment in two ways. I had students film themselves completing a math problem, explaining each step as if they were “online teachers”. I also had students create a short video and then graph the relationship of the variables in the video (ex. height vs time of ball bouncing). For students, the video aspect allowed for personalization and ownership over learning and, as an online teacher, this allowed me to get to know the students better. Now completing an online course, watching the videos in your assignment, I have the same feeling that I got to know all of you a bit. This aspect of video has got to be my favorite aspect. I am no longer teaching online, and I had not thought of using video assessment in the classroom, but your project has inspired me to do so. Great work.
Hi Katherine, thank you so much for sharing your own experience with video assessment. Your story is a perfect example of using student-generated video as a confirmative assessment tool. Glad to hear that you’re going to incorporate more video assessments in your class.
Hi Katherine,
I like that you mentioned that the personalized videos allowed you to get to know the students better – this is a great aspect I didn’t consider as particularly through COVID-19, teachers were not able to get to know students personally in-person – this is a great alternative!
Thank you for sharing your experience with video assessment. I am glad this project helped give some thought to using video going forward as assessment.
Thank you Video Assessment group! I found your work well organized and informative.
I am a teacher consultant for digital literacy for my school district and I support K-12 in documenting learning with digital tools and ePortfolios. Most of my time is spent focusing on deepening assessment practices and helping colleagues understand that assessment can be multimodal and engaging. One resource that has helped me significantly is A Guide to Document Student Learning: Making Thinking Visible, Meaningful, Shareable and Amplified, by Silvia Rosethal and Janet A Hale. The authors highlight how documentation can, in fact, be the most powerful aspect of the learning. They describe it as documenting OF, FOR and AS learning, with the shift taking place between capturing a product, to interpretation, and then finally being able to document the entire process. The metacognition involved when one is able to synthesize, name, and articulate the process of learning is extremely powerful. It requires skill in self assessment and reflection. I argue that in addition to teaching the tech required to make a video, learners need to know how to think about their learning. I am also an advocate of heutalogical documentation (a student centred and driven form of documentation). When video assessment is paired with choice and autonomy, learners become empowered in their learning. I also believe that although production value is important for accurately conveying meaning, educators must be mindful of what exactly is being assessed (content or mode or representation) when met with video documentation.
I appreciate all of the data you compiled in your presentation and it reminds of why assessment and digital tools are a dynamic duo. I am a strong believer that data moves mountains and when we know better we can do better. Thank you for your insightul and informative, presentation. Well done!
Tolisano, S. R., & Hale, J. A. (2018). A guide to documenting learning: Making thinking visible, meaningful, shareable, and amplified. Corwin Press.
Hi Grace, thank you so much for sharing your insights and the great resources. When we were exploring how to use video as assessment tools we looked deeper into different types of assessment and how videos can fit into each category. This aligns with documenting of, for, and as learning that you mentioned. I also strongly agree with you that teachers should clearly understand what is being assessed in the video production, and share the criteria with students as early as possible. Your comment on how students need to understand their own learning stands out to me because oftentimes students view a project as something they need to complete for the sake of getting the marks rather than a reflective process for themselves. Teachers should try and provide guidance to alter that perception.
Dear Team Video Primary,
This was such an informative, entertaining, and easy-to-navigate site devoted to a topic that is full of potential for all educators. Although I use video in my practice a LOT, I focus it more to show the process of learning, rather than the product of learning. This has motivated me to try to do this more as an assessment of learning.
I really like the idea of using video as a diagnostic or formative assessment tool. I remember my volleyball coach at UofC used video quite a bit during our practices to help us with making technical changes. I really found that it was so effective to combine the suggestions with seeing myself executing the skills. I can see how this idea could be transferred to many skills in the classroom.
You included so many exemplars, which really helped me to wrap my head around all the different ways video can be used as an assessment tool. A few really stood out to me:
The Who Am I assignment “My Life As Told By Michael Scott” was BRILLIANT! What a GREAT way to connect the viewers with one another!
The Heritage Minute was so powerful; I’m sure that students were able to internalize this event in history in a much deeper and more meaningful way by creating and viewing this video than more traditional learning activities. The lesson plans have inspired me to try something similar with my own primary students.
I’ve seen newscasts done before, but I’m so glad that I was able to revisit this idea again! It can be used in so many different contexts.
How To Deal With Stress. This is a GIFT! (I’ve already sent it to my daughter!)
These are all such fabulous ways to not only “show what you know” but also to more effectively share one’s voice and personality as well.
My biggest barrier to using video as an assessment tool was mentioned in your video, which is the (lack of) editing skills my students have when creating their own videos. I’ve tried not to let this stop my students from creating their own videos (we use Screencastify on our Chromebooks). Thankfully it’s an easy extension to use, but the editing is left up to me if something needs to get done OR students need to redo them.
Hi Kendall, thank you for sharing your story. Glad to hear that you were able to connect with the examples we find of video assessment. The struggle of teaching students video editing skills is for sure challenging since the process is time-consuming. I really appreciate your determination in providing editing support for your students so they can focus on creating content and demonstrating their learning. I’m wondering if paring students with mixed editing skills would help improve their skills as they can learn from their peers.
Hi Video as Assessment Team, Great job on your project! I really enjoyed the success stories page. I love to see theory in practice! One thing that came to mind while going through your website is the possibility of using film for self-assessment. For example, ELL students could record a conversation or role-play and review it together afterward as a self-assessment, or a new coach/facilitator/teacher could record themselves and reflect on what worked well or didn’t work well in the session, or an athlete could record themselves in action and review the film closely to see if they can see areas for improvement in their form. I know that my Zoom yoga teacher will record a class once in a while to see if she can make any improvements with her teaching-yoga-over-Zoom skills. It is uncomfortable to watch yourself on video but I think this kind of self-assessment could really take someone’s learning to the next level. Was there much information out there about using video for self-assessment? Thanks!
Hi Olivia, thank you so much for sharing your thoughts. I agree with you that videos can be used as a powerful self-assessment tool. A research conducted in 2012 (Hirschel et al.) showed how video-based self-assessment increases language learners’ confidence in speaking the second language: https://sisaljournal.org/archives/sep12/hirschel_yamamoto_lee/?like=1&_wpnonce=68d26d17fa. The potential of using video for self-assessment is huge and there is a lot for us to explore.
Thank you for sharing that very interesting article with me. I was surprised at the findings of this study which stated ” Initial results appear to indicate that student videos are correlated with a positive effect upon students’ interest in, enjoyment of, and confidence in speaking English, but not with perceptions of increased general English ability or ability to interact in English.” (Hirschel et al. 2012 p.2). I thought students would be able to see how their English skills have improved by watching their videos. However, the authors did talk about the limitations of this study and the fact that students need to be trained to self-assess themselves in order for this kind of assessment to be successful. Good learning here! Thanks Trista!
Hi Olivia and Trista,
This thread reminded me that recording yourself teaching is a great method to improve and self-assess teaching skills/methodologies. The first time I had to do it was during a face-to-face Instructional Skills Workshop (https://www.iswnetwork.ca/what-is-isw/. It was awkward and stressful, but incredibly valuable.
Hi Olivia,
Thank you for your feedback on this! Video is an extremely powerful self-assessment tool, and through your example, we are able to see how it can be stretched for use beyond education. I know there have been times where I have been preparing for an interview, and have video-taped myself to see how smooth I am able to speak, my facial expressions, and more. Trista shared a great resource, and I found a couple of others that were relevant: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1469787416654807?casa_token=mpe4qebEaI8AAAAA%3AKOEKAyEbOJx0TPUIjUy-ejNQJtlTm6W2DMw41-oaHJu9GSK6hXbxogmMmx_8tvFFIq-f9f-PN59Ixg, https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/british-journal-of-music-education/article/abs/use-of-video-selfassessment-peerassessment-and-instructor-feedback-in-evaluating-conducting-skills-in-music-student-teachers/1807340183CCF9D2906ACA1F7A6FE399, https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.3109/0142159X.2012.658897, and https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360131512000929 as examples.
Hi Team, great OER and very interesting and easy to navigate! I liked the success stories section a lot as I haven’t used video as an assessment tool and was going through the OER thinking about different ways it could be used effectively and thought that section was especially helpful to provide a broad view of the different ways it can be utilized for those of us that are newer to this assessment method. I recently had to do a video interview but without anyone on the other side, just a series of panel questions to answer that would be evaluated once the video was viewed by a group of professionals and I really enjoyed it, I liked having the criteria, I could redo the video as many times as I wanted prior to submission and I liked that instead of just seeing my information on paper I would be able to present myself and my thoughts through the video, I think it is a much more personalized way to interact with others even when you are having conversations. For the video I had to submit, they used a third party company and you simply downloaded the app and away you went on any device so I think that could alleviate some of the trouble shooting with technology or different equipment that is required. For my other course, I just read a study about assessment online vs paper/pencil and the results were that students generally did better with an online format because they are now more comfortable with this approach and feel there are a variety of ways they can demonstrate their understanding. Do you think there are specific age groups that this will work better for?
Thanks for your input Asha. I remember that study from ETEC 500 that compared computer assessment to pen and paper.
I think that video is now so ubiquitous that any learner from 2 years – 40 years old (maybe a bit older) can handle the rigour of video assessment. What were your thoughts?
Hi Sam,
I agree with you and I think that most age groups can manage video assessment depending on how it is set up for assessment and their prior knowledge or experience with using it, I think it is a great tool for all ages to learn how to use effectively.
Informative OER and creative way to present the material. I often use videos to supplement my teaching (but not so much for students assessment). Throughout the MET program, and exploring your OER, I have been reminded that creating videos does not mean having to be in videos. In ETEC 510, design of tech-supported learning environments, I experimented with Video Scribe, as I find this type of media highly engaging (and it does not involve being on camera). It took some time to learn all the features of the application but it was overall incredibly intuitive. And in less than two minutes I was able to summarize why using it is an effective education tool. What I like most about Video Scribe is that there is a free version and it allows those who don’t wish to be in the footage just as much affordance to produce a worthwhile video. I have shared the video I made on using (and promoting) Video Scribe on your OER discussion padlet – I hope it is one more video assessment option that peers can add to their tool kit!
Thanks Tegan. Great example. As you point out, video is just another tool like a pen and paper for learners to articulate the knowledge they have acquired. A video definitively doesn’t need to include the presenters on-camera. Motion graphics like those from Videoscribe or Adobe Character Animator or stop-motion Lego can all be effective tools to produce content.
BTW your Videoscribe video was fantastic.
Thanks Sam, I remember being very excited about it when I put it together (before then, I didn’t realize there were tools out there that made it so easy!). And again, thank you and the team for the informative OER and great refresher of the advantages of using video as assessment tools!
Hello Team, thank you for sharing this engaging video presentation on “video as an assessment tool”. I love learning through videos and teaching throwing videos. Most people are visual and auditory learner, and convenient enjoy, videos are both in one. I would rather watch educational videos, and as a teacher, assess and grade these videos then read; simply because it’s more engaging and vivid. When I assign projects, most of my students would rather use video as the assessment tool than a writing. A lot of them may not like the idea of showing their faces in the big screen or hearing themselves, but they vote to do that over an essay. I often wonder why? Is it because it’s easier, which ironically is not cause it requires more work and editing and trouble shooting. I think they are so used to their phone that they’d rather film something with it then do any type of poster, PowerPoint or writing. The number one best thing I find about videos for assessment, is that I can pause, forward and preview a section for further exploration or discussion, and commenting and evaluation. Although the most difficult part is often the size of the file and filling up my hard drives, is that it can be shared with people of all ages, especially since everyone would rather learn through a video that a lecture or an extensive wordy analysis. So there are many pros and cons but most certainly there are more pros for this type of assessment. My only question is that I didn’t seem to notice was regarding security. Was there any research regarding the worry of parents or students with being filmed, especially now with the safety concerns of the web and identity theft? I’m sure this could avoided, but just in general, any safety concerns with this type of assessment method?
Hi Miguel,
Thank you for taking the time to review our video presentation; glad you liked it.
I think you hit the nail on the head, doing videos is not necessarily easier as it could involve a number of logistical, equipment, and format-related challenges. However, through the research that we did for this assignment, we learned that a significant percentage of students prefer video because its new, original, innovative, and something that they’re familiar with through their mobile devices and App stores. On the other hand, educators also prefer it, since video assessment opens up a new way of evaluating students with different strengths. One of the research articles (also referenced on our website) showed that students who recorded a lab technique video, actually had a higher percentage of reporting the correct volume, compared to those who did not utilize video. This could be due to a number of factors, including investing more time in creating a video, knowing that their face is attached to the work being produced, among many other reasons.
Great question around security/privacy concerns. I think this area definitely requires further research; however, I can share my findings based on reviewing the existing literature. Most of the papers that I read, briefly discussed privacy risks and student confidentiality concerns when it came to transmitting videos. Nevertheless, using features like Youtube’s unlisted option, to some extent could ensure that only those with a direct link could access/view the content. If I recall correctly, none of the research papers discussed that students reported any concerns due to privacy issues. However, it would be an interesting area to further look into, and report on. Thank you.
Thank you for your very well written response, answering my questions and further adding to my thoughts. Very good research and findings, and can see you put thought and effort into the research. Very good project team!
Thanks for your feedback and experience Miguel. Your two flagged issues of space and security continue to be challenges for educators wishing to incorporate video assessment.
As Saeid mentioned, Youtube (and Vimeo) provide platforms for sharing confidentially through private or unlisted uploads. Other similar video repositories also exist for sharing. Students can also share videos via wetransfer, dropbox, or box to circumvent the usage of a portal like Youtube or Vimeo. As educators, we often want to showcase the work of our students but that’s where privacy becomes an issue.
Part of the exercise of video production should be understanding types of video files, codecs, compression and resolution. Those four components play an important role in the overall size of the file along with its actual length.
Once again, thanks for your comments.
Thank you for your very strong articulated response! If I have any further thoughts, I will ad them to the discussion.
Excellent production group. I left a review in Padlet but wanted to say the the barrier to entry on video assessment has dropped severely over the last decade.
Things kike OBS being free and accessible or Adobe Premiere Rush and iMovie being accessible make it so that casually tossing out a video submission and assessment option is not world-ending for most students. Additionally, their videography style is changing as they are more and more exposed to the ring-lit world of Youtube celebrities who guide how they view video as a medium more than past generations that may have been emulating the newsdesk instead.
Additionally, I’ve seen this used effectively for students who had trouble with presentations. I’ve had students ask if their presentation to the class could be my instead hitting play on a video because it allowed them more confidence in getting their speaking right (many of us aren’t good at getting it right on the first take).
Again, great job!
Hi Mitchell,
Excellent points, thank you.
Just to add to that, I quite clearly remember being an ESL student some twenty-odd years ago, and always wondering if I could record my presentations on a video. It was fairly difficult and nerve wrecking for me to get my speaking right the first time, particularly after seeing other native English speakers in the class deliver their presentations flawlessly. Video would have made the learning experience much more enjoyable.
Hi Mitchell. Thanks for your Padlet review. The experiences you shared in your post are inspiring.
Not only do videos provide an opportunities for learners to work on their presentation skills and develop succinct content, but they also facilitate development of multimedia/video skills (increasingly important in our mobile and media-filled world).
Hi Team! This is a great presentation about why video assessment should be implemented. When the pandemic started many of the schools teaching trades switch to online learning. Because trades school is such a hands-on type of learning, many of the assessments are practical assessments. Training programs required apprentices to record themselves performing the task. I haven’t seen the videos that apprentices have provided, but some apprentices are not very tech savvy, they don’t have the most up-to-date technology, and some living in some areas where internet is not steady. For those working in trades, it is important for instructors to assess the procedure, equipment used, and quality of the product. One of the issues when apprentices are recording, is the camera should be recording from above because some steps cannot be viewed when looking straight at the apprentice. What should the instructor or teacher do when the quality of the video is not great, or they are not able to clearly see what the apprentice is doing on screen?
I believe this is a great step forward that instructors and teachers are allowing for video submissions of assignments because it is another way for apprentices and students to show what they know. However, I am VERY camera shy. I feel out of my element when put in front of a camera. If I were required to submit a video assessment or assignment, I would find other ways of recording where I am not showing my face. But this would be a great way for those who are more tech savvy or not camera shy to have another way of showing what they know.
Hi Sarah,
Thank you for the feedback; glad that you enjoyed our presentation.
Great question around what the instructor can do if they are not able to clearly see all the details of what the apprentice is doing in a video. The purpose of video assessment, just like any other assessment, is more than testing, and intellectual performance/competency is more than the right answers. In other words, any form of student assessment should improve performance, not just audit it. If an instructor is not able to clearly see all the steps, that could be a great addition to his/her feedback to the apprentice on how to improve for the next time. Also, as an educator/mentor, when you look at an apprentice’s video, you can tell fairly easily, if the steps are being followed or not, and whether the finished product is within the acceptable range or not (with a fair standard deviation). Thank you.
Thanks for sharing your experience Jessica. We’re glad you found the presentation informative.
As a team, we all felt that video provided an outlet for students (regardless of their level) to express themselves. As video (equipment) continues to become ubiquitous with smartphones and intuitive editing software, there appears to be no ceiling to the opportunities to incorporate it into pedagogy.
DId the enhanced discussion prove to be your greatest takeaway from your experience? Did you have to be explicitly clear about the technical specifications (so there was consistency between videos)? Once you returned to F2F teaching, have retained this component of your teaching assessment?
Hi Team, Thanks for this informative and engaging project contribution. My experience using video as an assessment tool: during emergency teaching, I transitioned students’ post-research paper 3M Thesis presentation component to a video submission. Aside from the technical issues that this brought about (I had first asked students to post their videos to our discussion forum within the LMS, which proved tricky for those students who didn’t already have a presence on youtube), I found that posting videos to our online learning space enhanced discussion of the research papers, and allowed for greater debate. The videos also allowed more time for me as an instructor to grade using the created rubric. I would say this allowed for a fairer assessment of their presentation of the research, as well as their engagement with peers (since we were not bound by the time-space of F2F teaching).
Thanks for your feedback and comment, Jessica! I think this happened with so many teachers/students – using video to replace the F2F teaching we lost was great as it truly did provide the engagement we all lost. While not replaceable, it is an excellent option.