Video images

Video images

Digital video is video that can be stored, manipulated and edited on computer. Digital video cameras can record museum experiences more effectively than still cameras and have advantages over analogue video

cameras (Becta 2003) for the following reasons:

• digital cameras are smaller and lighter than VHS cameras, facilitating their use in a mobile museum context; • picture quality is enhanced; • digital video is easy to edit, enabling students to produce high-quality

films in a short time; • digital video can be integrated with other forms of technology, such as presentation software and the Internet.

Because digital video editing software is now so accessible and ubiqui- tous (for example, iMovie and Windows Movie Maker are both free with Mac and Windows operating systems respectively), primary school pupils

USING ICT TO SUPPORT SCIENCE LEARNING

now have access to functionality that until recently was restricted to pro- fessional television and film makers. This means that a child can video aspects of a museum visit, or indeed any ‘out-of-school’ work, and on returning to school can download the recorded ‘footage’ into a computer and then edit the movie into a manageable form for viewing. This could include adding a soundtrack such as narration, music and sound effects, as well as titles and transitions between clips. By dragging, cutting, copying and pasting into a storyboard at the bottom of the screen, children can edit and create a complete film in the same way that they can edit a piece of word-processed text. This flexibility means that the video can sub- sequently be used in similar ways to those images captured with a ‘still’ camera, as described above.

Making digital videos centred on museum visits appears particularly suited to enabling pupils’ learning because many of the learning opportunities provided mirror – to some extent – those of the museum itself (Becta 2003). Digital video lends itself to cross-curricular activities (Becta 2004), facilitating the interdisciplinary approach highlighted as important earlier and exemplified in the case study (Stephenson and Sword 2004). Making digital videos can enhance motivation, enjoyment and self-esteem (Burn and Reed 1999; Ryan 2002), is more likely to draw on pupils’ out-of-school interests (Parker 2002) and can enable self- expression and creativity (Becta 2002). Its motivational effects are exemplified by the length of extra time spent on digital video projects by students. Digital video also enables differentiation according to students’ learning styles and attainment levels (Burn and Reed 1999) and removes literacy difficulties as an obstacle to learning. For example, rather than capturing and analysing data on paper, or recording their museum visit through words, pupils can now make simple records using moving images (Becta 2002, 2003). The process of working collaboratively in groups to produce and edit digital video encourages learning through discussion and problem-solving (Becta 2002) and encourages children to think about their learning (Swain et al. 2003). The flexibility afforded by digital video software and its timeline also allows students to draft and redraft sequences quickly and easily, encouraging creative experimentation (Buckingham et al. 1999; Burn and Reed 1999), and developing under- standing of narrative and structuring of scientific argument (Becta 2002).

Despite the value that making a video may have for pupils’ learning, the audience to the final product will usually take on the role of a passive viewer with little opportunity for interaction. Although still useful, en- abling interactive engagement with the video can also help to maximise the learning of the viewer. For example, when inserted into a presentation, the user must point and click to select a video clip. The nature of this type of activity will mean that the clips will be shorter, and the investi- gative skills developed will engage the viewer with the material through- out, maintaining concentration more effectively.

NICK EASINGWOOD AND JOHN WILLIAMS

To use digital video successfully within a museum visit will require planning and preparation by the teacher (Becta 2002). Hardware issues include the requirement to have modern computers with high-capacity hard drives and fast processing speeds (Yao and Ouyang 2001), enough digital video cameras for each group in the class and the facility to save products to external media, such as CD or DVD writers or USB memory sticks. Frequency of use by pupils is important, particularly if a specific subject focus is to be emphasised (Becta 2002), and the skills required to use the cameras effectively and edit the product clearly need to be taught. This might involve the addition of titles, soundtracks, fades in and out and special effects. Elements of production are also important. As the children become more familiar with the art of movie making, they will learn how to create movies that engage and keep the viewer interested, e.g. by using several different camera angles or ‘cut-aways’. There is evidence that mak- ing a film for an audience, such as parents or peers, maximises the benefits to motivation and self-esteem (Buckingham et al. 1999). It is also import- ant to ensure that the children record short clips of just a few seconds. This is because it is easier to edit short clips than longer ones and it will reduce download times. Key teaching questions include: ‘Why are you recording that?’ and ‘How do you hope that it will fit with your final presentation?’

Exploiting the benefits of digital video in the context of museum learn- ing of primary science requires a structured approach by the teacher. The stages of implementation include:

1. preparation, which is likely to occur before the visit;

2. identifying an audience;

3. producing storyboards and flowcharts;

4. making the film at the museum;

5. editing the film in school;

6. showing the film or using it as part of a presentation. Evaluation of the outcomes by peers is an important part of the learning