4c: Evaluate results of professional learning programs to determine the effectiveness on deepening teacher content knowledge, improving teacher pedagogical skills and/or increasing student learning.
Video provides a clear picture of reality in the classroom. Teachers are afforded the opportunity to repeatedly view exact components of their lesson delivery and study how each one affects student learning. When combined with coaching, video has the power to help teachers bridge the gap from where they are to where they need to be. Coaches can use the evidence displayed on video to help teachers set goals that make a significant impact on student learning. In turn, that learning can be captured on video and progress toward the goal can be monitored by both teachers and coaches.
6b: Engage in continuous learning to deepen professional knowledge, skills, and dispositions in organizational change and leadership, project management and adult learning to improve professional practice.
Coaches can “turn the camera on themselves” and benefit from recording their own interactions with the teachers they support. Filming coaching conversations and professional learning sessions are two opportunities for coaches to use video technology to capture that which they may otherwise not be able to see. As coaches discover how they come across when working with others, they can make adjustments as needed to hone their craft. Additionally, coaches can work together to form video learning teams where they can share their videos and learn from other coaches. Given the relatively small number of coaches present in any building, video learning teams can allow coaches to elevate their learning in ways that would not be available without the use of recordings.
1a: Set professional learning goals to explore and apply pedagogical approaches made possible by technology and reflect on their effectiveness.
Teachers who capture lessons on video are able to see their classroom through the eyes of their students and appreciate how their actions affect student learning. Video allows teachers to gather data that they otherwise would not be able to capture, such as the quality and quantity of questions posed to students, the percent of teacher talk vs. student talk, and the number and type of comments related to praise. The initial data gathered can serve as baseline data and act as a metric by which to measure future lessons. When teachers work with coaches, the captured video becomes even more powerful when teachers and coaches collaborate to set student-focused goals that require the teacher to reflect on her teaching practices and make thoughtful changes to her lesson structure and delivery that can be modeled by the coach.
3a: Empower educators to exercise professional agency, build teacher leadership skills and pursue personalized professional learning.
Professional learning and development often take a one-size-fits-all approach. In order to truly meet the needs of all learners, a shift needs to occur, where educators feel that their voice is heard. Through the use of Video Professional Learning, teachers are positioned as the decision maker, with an opportunity to focus on what they believe will be most impactful to the needs of their students.
5c: Use technology to regularly engage in reflective practices that support personal and professional growth.
Video Professional Learning utilizes video recording devices to capture the current reality in a classroom. Teachers and coaches use this video to clearly define a targeted area of professional growth. Continued video of lessons are paired with reflective meetings where progress towards the goal is discussed and measured.
Lifelong Learner: Teachers engage in ongoing professional learning relates to content, pedagogy, technology, and leadership.
Teachers can use video recording technology to capture the reality of the classroom for purposes of obtaining feedback that allows for reflection and improvement in the learning process.