5 Ways Video Can Increase Student Ownership of Learning

This blog post was originally published on the Swivl blog as part of the Summer Learning Series.

In a student-centered classroom, it is important for students to take ownership of their learning and make it meaningful in a way that fits their needs and learning styles. This is much easier said than done. As a teacher, it can be difficult to get out of the way and let students take the reins. Ideally, we must take on the role of partner, guiding and facilitating learning. One crucial piece of the learning process is reflection, which can take many forms, but most agree that time to reflect is critical for learners of all ages.

The Swivl Robot, Swivl Capture App and Swivl Cloud offer the tools to support and make student ownership of learning possible in the classroom. When students are able to create peer-to-peer instruction videos, review performances and presentations, and see progress over time, video becomes a powerful tool to support the learning process. Below are five ways that teachers and students can use video to increase student ownership of learning.

Students learn better from each other. So why not tap into this experience with video in your classroom? Allow students to demonstrate mastery of skills by teaching others using a video-enabled device like a smartphone or tablet and the Swivl Capture app. The app is free and will give students the freedom to share in a way that is comfortable to them. Recordings are then stored in Swivl Cloud and easily shared with others.  These videos might be used to review concepts, study for exams, or merely as learning for assessment! Empowering students to become teachers is a great way to increase student ownership of learning in your classroom.

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Giving students voice and choice in the classroom is another powerful way to increase student ownership of learning. The learning path can be very different for each student depending on interests and learning styles. One way I like to offer choice is through learning menus or choice boards. (See my post here: Interactive Learning Menus with Google Docs.) Why not allow students to create a video to demonstrate student learning? Students may flourish with the use of video using the Swivl solution! Make it a choice and provide students with the opportunity to tap into their creative talents! The Swivl Capture app can be downloaded on any mobile device and connected with Swivl Cloud for easy video management and sharing. Teachers are able to provide students with feedback using time-stamped commenting in Swivl Cloud. These presentations are able to be utilized for assessment and included in digital portfolios.

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As Jordan Garrett shared in her blog post Using Video for Reflection and Growth, reflection is a crucial part to the learning process. Self-reflection is something that even adult learners need should remember. If we do not take time to reflect on what we have learned, make connections, and define those lingering questions, we run the risk of  stalling growth and learning. Video is a powerful self-reflection tool: What did you learn? What questions do you still have? How have you improved? What skills do you need to work to improve?

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With the ability to record and store video of just about anything, teachers and students are able to record their own work, performance and presentations in the classroom. As scary as it may be to watch one’s self on video, it can be eye-opening and constructive. I encourage you to take a chance and record yourself as a review of your own work and performance. The Swivl Capture app and Swivl Cloud make it easy to capture video for reflect and growth. The ability to make time-stamped notes and comments to share with others document self-reflection. This builds a longitudinal review of your work over time, and by allowing your students to do the same, you will all see growth and mastery. Then, make this part of a digital portfolio process and give your students even more ownership of their learning!

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Goal setting is closely connected to self-review and reflection. During the reflective process, we often ask students to set goals. These might be goals for the learning experience, goals for the semester, goals for the school year, or even personal goals outside of the classroom. Providing students with an opportunity to record their goals on video can be very empowering for the learner. Use strategies, like SMART goals, and ask students to review their goal videos every few weeks and record updates as they reach milestones. Help your students reach their goals inside and outside of the classroom.

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How do you use video in the classroom? Please share in the comments below.