Video: An Accessible
Technology for All
Language Classrooms
Michael Bush
Brigham Young University
Michael_Bush@byu.edu
Who am I?
The Challenge of Language
Learning
Learning language is perhaps the most
complex of all human undertakings,
characterized by a seemingly bizarre
paradox. While the attainment of
perfection is natural for a child, it is
virtually impossible for an adult.
Technology Promise
“I believe that the motion picture is
destined to revolutionize our educational
system and that in a few years it will
supplant largely, if not entirely, the use of
textbooks.” (Thomas Edison, 1922)
A “Story-Telling” Medium
People think in terms of stories. They
understand the world in terms of stories
that they have already understood. New
events or problems are understood by
reference to old previously understood
stories and explained to others by the use
of stories. (Roger Schank, Tell me a
Story)
The Role of Technology
Use technology’s bandwidth to provide
access for students to people, sights, and
sounds of the target culture
Use stories to deal not only with the
affective component in learning, but the
cognitive as well
The Battle of the Technologies
The processing of sounds and images
determined the survival of humankind for
thousands of years before the invention of
writing.
What primary technology do our teachers
use today?

Textbook!
Addressing the Challenge?
Using technology?

Not the solution,
But could be part of a solution.
Making technology a tool…


Technology-enhanced language learning
Video
Delivering the Video
On VCR?
Online?
On DVD?
Yes!
Online versus DVD?
Actually, we need both!
Each has its strengths:

High fidelity versus accessibility…
Sources of Video
Commercial video
Roll your own…
Commercial Video
Textbook publishers

Business model!
Standalone products

Integration!
Commercial movies…

Copyright issues!
Copyright Issues
Purchase the rights…

Not cheap!
Electronic Film Review (EFR)


Video Asset Description (VAD)
Customized Video Playback (CVP)
Rolling your own…
Video production is affordable


Producing bad stuff is easy
Producing good stuff is harder but doable
Students can be involved.
Whatever you do will require a plan!
Producing Video
Study abroad students
Bonnie video
Summer Institute for high school teachers
Student mentoring projects



Tanzania
Romania
Paris
Federal grants
Doing Passably Good Stuff
Tell stories

Find real stories
or at least

Suspend disbelief
Aspire to decent production values
Plan! Plan! Plan!
Determine treatment.
Develop scope and sequence (What? And
in what order?).
Produce scripts and/or semi-scripts.
Write lesson plans.
Lay out production (in-country) plan.
Production Values
Organize


Constitute a “team” for the shoot
Plan the shoot
Attend to video quality



Use a tripod whenever possible
Avoid fast pans and zooms
Get plenty of B-roll
Attend to audio quality


Use microphones
Monitor recording
At the Low End
At the Higher End
Using Video in the Classroom
Get students ready to view the video


“Activate the schema”
Elicit background knowledge
View the video recursively with specified
tasks

Move from global to specific comprehension
Check comprehension
Help students relate & apply to their own
lives
Project Demonstrations