Camera- Any camera or device that records quality video will work perfectly. Do not be obsessed with the "HD-quality" comparisons as a full HD video will be too large and will have to be compressed anyway. A connection for an external microphone is crucial. If you use a camera with removable storage (memory cards) be sure to purchase a quality card with adequate capacity for your needs.
Tripod (with phone/tablet adapter if necessary) or Cameraperson- Using a tripod will make a huge difference in the quality of the video. If you do elect to use a "cameraperson", be sure to practice with them if they will need to move around the room. They should be able to anticipate your next move so they are not scrambling to catch up with you. Limit the use of zooming in and out to when it is actually needed and even then, do it gradually>
External Microphone (with adapters if necessary)- Poor audio can make or break any video production. For edTPA, this is particularly important as you will be required to transcribe any inaudible content. It is highly recommended that you utilize a wireless microphone system that has a microphone transmitter pack that is worn by you and a receiver pack that is connected to the cameras external microphone jack. Again, this is something you will want to test in advance. On the day of the important recordings, be sure to start with fresh batteries!
Apps/Software- Regardless of which camera or device you use, there will certainly be a few apps or desktop software that you will need. Visit the Apps/Software page to learn what you might need for your specific situation.
Consent- You must have valid consent forms for all students and adults that appear in your video submission (as you should for any classroom video activity). Additionally, you should remove or mask any references to your name, state, school, district, or your educator preparation program. This would include covering or removing classroom signs that identify you, student names of work samples, name tags or school ID cards that might be visible. See Guidelines for Video Confidentiality for Candidates for additional information.
Location- While you will certainly want to record in the same classroom or setting that you and the students are comfortable with, there are still some aspects of location that are important. Do you have a wall of windows that might affect lighting? Will you be utilizing a digital project system during the clip and will that be visible? (Many teachers turn off the lights when using the projector. Doing so during recording may make it difficult to see anything else.
Audio- Pay attention to background noises. Heating and air conditioning, school bells, class transition noice, or the train that passes nearby at the same time every day could all cause distractions.
Practice- Practice, Practice, Practice! Do not have the class period that you plan to use for your final clips be the first time you and your students see video equipment set up. Record several lessons in advance so that everyone is comfortable with the cameras. Review these test videos to check for quality recordings (you may decide to change the camera location because of lighting, glare, noise from AC units, etc.). You may also spot habits or ticks that we all have. While these are not directly what edTPA is about, correcting these distractors will allow the reviewers to focus on what is important.
File Formats- The final format of your clips must be in one of the following formats- .flv, .asf, .qt, .mov, .mpg, .mpeg, .avi, .wmv, .mp4, .m4v. The .mp4 format is universal and would be the best option. If your camera or device doesn't provide files in one of these formats, you will have to convert the file. We will discuss this in the Convert section.
Clip Length and Number of Clips- The allowed length and the number of clips you will submit varies by subject area. Be sure to refer to your subject area handbook for these important details!
For example, in Task 2 for Elementary Literacy, you must submit 1 or 2 unedited clips totaling no more than 15 minutes. However, in Task 2 of SPED, those 1 or 2 clips can total no more than 20 minutes.
File Size- The Pearson ePortfolio System file size limit is 500 MB so the final final size of each clip must be below this. You should target a file size of 200-300 MB or less. If you are over this limit, there are some techniques to reduce file size that will be discussed in the Compress section.
No Editing- Your submitted clips must be continuous and may not be edited, meaning you may not cut out the 30 seconds in the middle of your clip during which a student was off task. You may, and will most certainly have to, trim your clips to meet the required time lengths. Trimming, which will be discussed in the Trim section, involves cutting off portions from the beginning or ending of a clip. Additionally, there should be no subtitles or transitions included inside the clip.
Content- The content of your clips is specified in the edTPA handbook for your subject. Generally speaking, the clips should include the normal interactions between teacher and student, including student comments, questions and needs. It may the the whole group or a targeted sub group of students.
Quality- The edTPA video submissions are not intended to be Hollywood productions and therefore, HD quality video and glamorous production is not necessary (and actually discouraged). So long as both you and your students are visible and can be heard clearly, the video will be acceptable.