Digital Camera - Videoing

October 2012

Children videoing each other using a digital camera, on a tripod, on record mode

Using glogsterEDU to publish and share

Through GlogsterEDU there is an easy facility to add a video to your glog and then to your blog. I have found in the past that Blogger doesn’t like adding/uploading homemade videos straight to your blog – they need to be uploaded to YouTube then to your blog etc which is fiddly and takes time.

So now I have found a way to more easily use children’s videos of themselves. Interviewing each other after an event is the easiest way to get started – the children write a script, practise reading it, then have someone record them, download it to a computer, upload to your glog, view and share with an audience.

Our first time was after the Cross Country – probably a bit rushed - the children wrote a simple sentence, had a quick practise, then it was recorded. Our evaluation of all those videos – we needed lots more practise in our “in front of the camera techniques!”

The next opportunity was after the holidays. Our process:

1.    They wrote a Holiday Highlights recount in their draft book

2.    In pairs they transferred this to a script, adding in conversation to make the interview flow

3.    They practised their reading

4.    We listened to each other’s and gave feedback for improvements

5.    I recorded one pair’s interview

6.    We watched that and gave feedback – we couldn’t see people’s faces – the children were reading their script off the table in front on them – how to change that?

7.    Pin the script to a board so they were looking up

8.    Set up camera on a tripod in a quiet room

9.    Show 2 children how to record – 2 thumbs up when the interviewees are to start talking, remind them to look at the camera at the beginning and the end.

10.  Get them to record their peers

11.  Teacher to download videos to student’s computer

12.  Class glog where each pair uploads the interview with a title and speech bubble text

13.  Teacher to share it via the class blog

Next steps: after discussion and evaluating with the chn

Continue to find opportunities to video chn interviewing each other

Show other chn how to control the recording with the camera

Refine techniques in front of the camera

Find YouTube examples of good/bad interviewingto show the chn – evaluate and use ideas