Using unsophisticated videos in teaching & learning
Last month, when I presented at e-Dayz09 participants in my session had the chance to handle a Flip video camera and I’ve been meaning to write a follow up blog post ever since.
Last year at ACEC08, the edna team ran a mini-competition. Conference participants could borrow a Flip video camera and make a short video of events happening at the conference, interviews of colleagues and speakers. That’s how easy they are to use. Even a photographic klutz like me can learn to use one in just a few minutes and at least take some passable footage.
The Youtube video below gives a good overview too. Here is the link in case you can’t run the embedded vidoe.
Here are some of the suggestions I’ve seen about how they could be used:
Teachers can record performances, projects, field trips, and presentations and upload them to their websites
Students can take cameras out of the classroom to record special experiences such as interviews or trips
Students can create booktalks that are then uploaded and broadcast in various locations inside the school or district; some digital frames can display uploaded video content. A digital frame can be purchased to “broadcast” booktalks in the library, school office, or classroom
Students can use cameras to record data in science projects, experiments, or long-term monitoring of an outdoor location
Flip cameras can be used by students to make commercials or advertisements, to record responses to books, projects, lessons, and units
Use the camera to record a lesson for evaluation purposes
If you’ve used a Flip video in the classroom, leave a comment with a description of what you did.
I was introduced to flip cameras through a maths Project in SA.Kids love them , they r so easy to use, teachers used them for videoing evidence for Data folders, show children their oral presentations for English. they are fabulous and should be in all classrooms.
Gave them to staff and students straight out of the box as it was sports day. Collected them at the end of the day and uploaded to the network (have not yet worked out how to default the flipshare software to save to the network!). Instant writing activity the next day and students chose their favourites to add to their eportfolios. They can be edited at the beginning and end if you like but editing of video is not always a high priority so these work well. Staff and students love the ‘point and shoot’ simplicity.
Hi Kerrie,
It always a merchandiser’s dream to have their product become a generic
name, ala Hoover or iPod.
However the downside is that worthy competition is sometimes lost in the
shadows.
The Kodak HD “Flip” video camera is worth a look; I had one on loan from
the attached source and was highly impressed with it.
Improved functionality includes an external mic input, image
stabilisation and any size SD card memory (which has pros and cons but
can limit the problem of previous user’s privacy)
We have had mixed success with them because you’re right they do appear easy to use but then people start trying to do things which don’t always work simply. We bought a set of 10 which can be borrowed individually or as a set. The first one we bought used rechargeable batteries which someone threw out (Yes I know…idiot!!!) so we put in new batteries. but they need to be changed frequently. The second one we bought used rechargeable batteries which recharge by plugging the camera into a computer. If the camera goes flat though you can’t replace the batteries with ordinary rechargeable batteries, you have to use the rechargeable battery pack which is exclusive to the flip camera.
The next teacher came along and the students used the flip cameras to interview each other about a book that they were reading and the teacher wanted that video put into a powerpoint that they were making as one of their slides. With the first one we bought it worked easily. With the second lot that we bought it didn’t work at all. It was all to do with the ‘improvement” in the technology and if we changed our network to Vista and not XP or vice versa..I can’t really remember then it might work. We rang the company and yes they were aware of the problem…wouldn’t it have been nice to know before we spent $4000 on them. We thought we were buying the same as we already had. The problem is all to do with the file extension and which file extensions actually accept. We ended up with this solution. Every time a class uses the flip cameras they download them into one folder and I go on to the Mac which works with everything…change the file extension and then the students can open them up again and use them in Powerpoint…so do I like flip cameras…yes I do when just used simply but don’t try and do too much with them because then they can be a pain in the neck. Another teacher got his kids to record using the flip cameras and then tried to edit in Windows Movie Maker. We did have a T & D session on them but some people didn’t attend!!!
I love the Flip for it’s ease of use. It is far less intimidating to be recorded through a Flip as it feels like a toy rather than the traditional video camera set up. Whenever we go on an excursion or have a special school event, I give a student the responsibility of recording our experience. It’s always fun to see their unique styles of documentary. I have seen improvements in interviewing techniques and the students love to watch the videos that they have created. One of my favourites was when students interviewed each other on the return trip from camp. They passed the camera around the bus and took turns at interviewer and interviewee!
We love our Flip cameras…so easy to use, so easy to play back. We have used it for all sorts of things from recording diagnostic tasks in maths that were then used in PD sessions with staff, recording special events/incursions at school then using it to write a recount of the event and we have linked together all the video we took of our excursion to the city and made a movie….it was so easy to do!! The students love seeing themselves on the Smartboard and it’s a great way to share with the parents who couldn’t come to the event. With the right permissions movies can be posted on the school website for parents/caregivers to share at home. A valuable tool to enhance our teaching and learning.
I have used the Vado camera by Creative- again, it is the same as the Flip but a different brand. The kids loved the ease of filming and uploading. We used them to film footage for bluescreen clips adding Kahootz characters to our school world or putting ourselves in the animated worlds……was easy and very effective. Got to love the easy to use technologies!
I love the little “Gumby” , as in bendy, tripod you can attach them to. They can just sit there on the desk as your students deliver their presentations. And to think of those old BnW “portable” (does it come with a porter, then?) video cameras with leads into something the size of a VHS player!!!
Oh they were the good old days….. maybe.
Being so small, the flip cams are not obtrusive, well are less intrusive, and allow students’ presentations to remain less “stressful”. In fact they’re a bit like having a mobile phone, and thinking, I wish aI had a camera. Hang on I have a camera. So you can take one to a series of classes, and decide on usage as part of documenting a process.
I have been using a flip video to record student participation in leadership activities over the past 12months. The students enjoy the filming and have engaged in the editing. I have the same class in 2010 and we aim to produce a video diary of the class for 2 years.
Fingers crossed.
I have been selling Flips for over 2 years now mostly to schools and educational institutions and they are great! The ease of use, size and quality are outstanding. Point taken they have limitations and some other alternatives such as the Kodak Zi8 (also stocked) have additional features. I am happy to assist anyone who needs technical support and advice before and after purchase. Neil Tregenza, Leading Digital Solutions 0438722187 (”If we don’t like it, we won’t sell it”)
11 Comments
I was introduced to flip cameras through a maths Project in SA.Kids love them , they r so easy to use, teachers used them for videoing evidence for Data folders, show children their oral presentations for English. they are fabulous and should be in all classrooms.
Gave them to staff and students straight out of the box as it was sports day. Collected them at the end of the day and uploaded to the network (have not yet worked out how to default the flipshare software to save to the network!). Instant writing activity the next day and students chose their favourites to add to their eportfolios. They can be edited at the beginning and end if you like but editing of video is not always a high priority so these work well. Staff and students love the ‘point and shoot’ simplicity.
Hi Kerrie,
It always a merchandiser’s dream to have their product become a generic
name, ala Hoover or iPod.
However the downside is that worthy competition is sometimes lost in the
shadows.
The Kodak HD “Flip” video camera is worth a look; I had one on loan from
the attached source and was highly impressed with it.
Improved functionality includes an external mic input, image
stabilisation and any size SD card memory (which has pros and cons but
can limit the problem of previous user’s privacy)
Regards,
Russ
http://itmadesimple.com/product_info.php?cPath=37&products_id=130
To get my movie onto my drive so I can do what I want with it I by-pass the Flip software completely and download straight to my computer.
We have had mixed success with them because you’re right they do appear easy to use but then people start trying to do things which don’t always work simply. We bought a set of 10 which can be borrowed individually or as a set. The first one we bought used rechargeable batteries which someone threw out (Yes I know…idiot!!!) so we put in new batteries. but they need to be changed frequently. The second one we bought used rechargeable batteries which recharge by plugging the camera into a computer. If the camera goes flat though you can’t replace the batteries with ordinary rechargeable batteries, you have to use the rechargeable battery pack which is exclusive to the flip camera.
The next teacher came along and the students used the flip cameras to interview each other about a book that they were reading and the teacher wanted that video put into a powerpoint that they were making as one of their slides. With the first one we bought it worked easily. With the second lot that we bought it didn’t work at all. It was all to do with the ‘improvement” in the technology and if we changed our network to Vista and not XP or vice versa..I can’t really remember then it might work. We rang the company and yes they were aware of the problem…wouldn’t it have been nice to know before we spent $4000 on them. We thought we were buying the same as we already had. The problem is all to do with the file extension and which file extensions actually accept. We ended up with this solution. Every time a class uses the flip cameras they download them into one folder and I go on to the Mac which works with everything…change the file extension and then the students can open them up again and use them in Powerpoint…so do I like flip cameras…yes I do when just used simply but don’t try and do too much with them because then they can be a pain in the neck. Another teacher got his kids to record using the flip cameras and then tried to edit in Windows Movie Maker. We did have a T & D session on them but some people didn’t attend!!!
I love the Flip for it’s ease of use. It is far less intimidating to be recorded through a Flip as it feels like a toy rather than the traditional video camera set up. Whenever we go on an excursion or have a special school event, I give a student the responsibility of recording our experience. It’s always fun to see their unique styles of documentary. I have seen improvements in interviewing techniques and the students love to watch the videos that they have created. One of my favourites was when students interviewed each other on the return trip from camp. They passed the camera around the bus and took turns at interviewer and interviewee!
We love our Flip cameras…so easy to use, so easy to play back. We have used it for all sorts of things from recording diagnostic tasks in maths that were then used in PD sessions with staff, recording special events/incursions at school then using it to write a recount of the event and we have linked together all the video we took of our excursion to the city and made a movie….it was so easy to do!! The students love seeing themselves on the Smartboard and it’s a great way to share with the parents who couldn’t come to the event. With the right permissions movies can be posted on the school website for parents/caregivers to share at home. A valuable tool to enhance our teaching and learning.
I have used the Vado camera by Creative- again, it is the same as the Flip but a different brand. The kids loved the ease of filming and uploading. We used them to film footage for bluescreen clips adding Kahootz characters to our school world or putting ourselves in the animated worlds……was easy and very effective. Got to love the easy to use technologies!
I love the little “Gumby” , as in bendy, tripod you can attach them to. They can just sit there on the desk as your students deliver their presentations. And to think of those old BnW “portable” (does it come with a porter, then?) video cameras with leads into something the size of a VHS player!!!
Oh they were the good old days….. maybe.
Being so small, the flip cams are not obtrusive, well are less intrusive, and allow students’ presentations to remain less “stressful”. In fact they’re a bit like having a mobile phone, and thinking, I wish aI had a camera. Hang on I have a camera. So you can take one to a series of classes, and decide on usage as part of documenting a process.
Maybe these are the good old day.
I have been using a flip video to record student participation in leadership activities over the past 12months. The students enjoy the filming and have engaged in the editing. I have the same class in 2010 and we aim to produce a video diary of the class for 2 years.
Fingers crossed.
I have been selling Flips for over 2 years now mostly to schools and educational institutions and they are great! The ease of use, size and quality are outstanding. Point taken they have limitations and some other alternatives such as the Kodak Zi8 (also stocked) have additional features. I am happy to assist anyone who needs technical support and advice before and after purchase. Neil Tregenza, Leading Digital Solutions 0438722187 (”If we don’t like it, we won’t sell it”)
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