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Tips for Videotaping

In order to capture elements of instruction and student learning, you will need to produce videotapes of high audio and video quality. It is important that the quality of the videotaped activities be sufficient for scorers to understand what happened in your classroom. As a rule of thumb, sound quality is generally more important than video quality, but a well-produced teaching example promotes an overall impression of competence and ability. The following suggestions will help you achieve that goal.

Attend an equipment operation lesson where you will learn basic use of the equipment. Cameras use miniDV videotape. You can buy a package of three 60-minute tapes at Best Buy or most drugstores. TDK or Maxell are fine brands.

Reserve your equipment and either check it out for a practice session or plan for some time before you shoot to practice with it. Videotape can be recorded over.

The Buddy System is encouraged: “I’ll shoot for you, if you’ll shoot for me.” Having a Buddy to monitor the equipment takes a lot of stress off the session. Trying to set up and use all this unfamiliar equipment and deliver a cool, even lesson plan is a real challenge.

Think of your lesson presentation as being onstage; it has certain boundaries and lighting; from what angle can you best address the camera and the students? Generally the framing is one shot, without zooms, that shows all of the interactions.

Light quality is important. The main source of light should be behind the camera operator, illuminating the instructor. Some cameras can adjust for florescent, incandescent or daylight.

Sound is important. For the most part, you will be facing the camera; your students will be facing you. Try to have the camera no more than 20 feet away. Speak clearly and evenly through the lesson. You may want to repeat student questions or statements if they are inaudible. If possible, use an external microphone that can be clipped on to a belt or
lapel.

When you are shooting, be very safety conscious. Students love to go tripping over
extension cords and tripods. Don’t leave equipment unattended.
Label your finished tapes/CDs with the date, so you don’t record over them.

Creating a PACT Video using iMovieHD and a MiniDV Camcorder

Before you begin you should know where on the tape your selected clip is located.

Step 1: Using the playback functions on the miniDV Camcorder locate the beginning of video clip you would like transfer.

Step 2: Connect the camera to the computer using the Firewire cable. Make sure the camera is turned on and set in VCR or playback mode.

Step 3: Launch iMovieHD. You will be prompted for the name and location of your project. If you are working in the Eureka Hall Labs it is recommended that yousave your data to “THAWSPACE”. Keeping your data here will prevent it from being lost when the computer shuts down or restarts.

Step 4: The screen should look similar to the figure below.

• Right now the switch is set to the left side where the camera symbol is. This means that you are in capture mode. It is common to accidentally switch into edit mode (the side with the scissor). If that happens, just click the mouse on the switch to toggle the mode. With the camera connected you can now click the import button and it will start recording the video clip.

• The clip should be in the right position but to double check or make minor adjustments to the starting point, just use the play/stop/rewind/fast forward buttons in iMovie.

• After pressing import the movie will transfer. The transfer is done in real time so if your clip is 10 minutes it will take 10 minutes to transfer. The amount of time is shown in the area to the right. When the clip has reached the end, press the stop button.

Step 5: If you have multiple sections you need to import repeat step 4 to add an additional clip.

Step 6: Add the clip(s) you have imported to the timeline by dragging them as shown. If you have multiple clips, arrange them chronologically.

Step 7: Export the movie to a QuickTime file. At the top of the screen click File and select Export. Make sure you are in the QuickTime tab at the top and then select “Compress movie for Web” as shown. Click the “Share” button and give the file a name and location.

You are done! Upload the clip to Taskstream. You might want to save a copy of your file on a thumb drive or CD.