1. Effective Ways to Involve and
Engage Students with Videos
Amer Yacoub & Ismail Fayed
ifayed@qu.edu.qa - amer.y@qu.edu.qa
FPDE, Qatar University
http://student-web.cna-qatar.edu.qa/

2. Overview
1. Videos Facts and benefits
2. Classroom video activities
3. Videos and Safety
4. Project-based learning (PBL) with videos
– BPL video projects rationale
– Project technical skills and required hardware
5. Video production with Movie Maker
6. Web 2.0 Videos

3. 1. Videos Facts and benefits
• Create excitement.
• New option
• Learners can understand and follow the theme.
• Underused in education. Teachers have
limitations on how to apply videos in teaching.
(Intajuck, n.d.)
• Improves comprehension and retention.(Canning-Wilson, 2000)
• Styles of learning. VAK Model
• Arab students are strong visual leaners. Reid (1987)

4. Videos Facts and benefits
Can work as an incentive to other skills during in
the classroom.
• Information/ Ideas are up-to-the-minute.
• Enhance language skills: Speaking/ pronunciation
& listening/ writing
• The versatile nature of videos.
– Disciplines: Languages History, Science, Math, etc.
– Genres: Short films, Short documentaries, English
Nasheeds (Arabic songs) , Funny/ interesting

5. 2. Classroom video activities
I. Pre-watching
– Students predict what will happen during the
video using the video’s title or images.
– Students discuss the theme of the video to
activate schemata.
– Elicit difficult words from the video and give
their meaning.
– Give an overview of the video.

6. II. While-watching
• Students take notes.
• Write down the main characters’ names and the
setting of the main events.
• Write down the main ideas.
• Observe the words that were elicited in the Pre-
watch activity.
• Freeze frame (Tracks, n.d.)

7. III. After-watching
– Check prediction.
– Check comprehension, characters, main ideas etc.
– Jigsaw viewing (Tracks, n.d.)
– Check vocabulary. (drills, games etc)
– Reading the comments on a YouTube video for
discussion and reflection.
– Use a fact article, documentary, radio podcast with
the same theme and then draw similarities and facts.

8. 3. Videos and Safety
• Reviewing the video clip before the session.
• Skipping scenes or language.
• Editing any profanity scenes or language.
• Google’s Safety Tools
http://www.google.com/familysafety/tools.html
• YouTube Safety Mode.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkI3e0P3S5E

9. 4. PBL Projects with Videos
A. What is PBL
PBL is all about involving learners in contextual
learning experiences using projects, task based,
or related to challenging questions and
activities over a period of time.
(Thomas 2000l; Moursund, 1999)

10. B. PBL with Videos Rationale
• Encourage students’ collaborative engagement in
learning
• Practice new skills related to real life situations
• Integrate learning to the topics discussed in the L2
courses
• Provide both formative (product) as well as
summative (process) assessment tools to assess
students learning Fayed, 2008

11. B. PBL with Videos Rationale
• collaboration and Involvement
• achieve the learning goals
• capture students’ interest while providing authentic
learning context and assessment opportunities
• learners’ interest in mobiles and technology in
general
• emotional factors: capturing learners’ both interest
and motivation
(Karppinen, 2005; Hakkarainen, 2006; Schwartz et al,
2007)
• A productive process: a way of collaboration &
communication about learned topics Karppinen (2005)

12. C. Types of ICT tools
• to generate language like word processor;
• tools for language production and speaking
presentations among learners like PowerPoint;
and
• tools the encourage creativity, collaboration
and interaction among learners like graphics,
video formats, and Movie Maker Salouti, (2007)

13. Videos in ESL Contexts*
1. Focus on theme or content area.
2. Pair and group work.
3. Enthusiasm.
4. Students out of their seats.
5. Students out of control.
6. Different learning styles overlooked.
7. Learner choices.
8. Students memorizing lists of vocabulary.
9. Integrated skills.
10. Role play.
*L. Opp-Beckman & K. Westerfield,(2006). Shaping the way we teach English.
University of Oregon

14. A. J. Romiszowski (1981)

15. Video projects planning
1. Brainstorming discussions
 Planning
 Drawing of story boards
 Script writing
2. Filming
 role playing
 Acting
 interviewing, etc..
3. Video editing
4. Writing self-reflection sheets
5. Editing peer-editing the self-reflection sheets
6. Final Submission and group presentation
7. Evaluation and assessment

16. 5. Video production with Movie Maker
Objectives
• create your first video project
• edit a video project and add media
content
• add transitions and visual effects
• add credits and finalize a project
• render and save the final video file

17. Required hardware
Fayed, 2008

18. Required software
– Moviemaker/ Adobe Premiere (Win) – iMovie (Mac)
– Audio editors
– Images & sound effects
– Transitions and special effects

19. STEP 1
Save all your images, video clips and audio files in one
main folder in your hard drive, flash stick or desktop.
DON‟T remove or rename that folder for any reason until
you are done with the whole project.

20. STEP 2: Start a new project

21. Step 3
• Importing Images: Click file, import into collection and
choose the images you like to use in your project.

22. Step 4
• Importing Sounds: Click file, import into collection and
choose the audio files you like to use in your project.

23. Step 5
• Importing Video Clips: Click file, import into collection
and choose the video files you like to use in your
project.

24. Step 6
• Insert your video content into the storyboard.

25. Step 7
• Add transitions and visual effects

26. Step 8
• Add transitions to your images and/ or clips.

27. Step 9
• Click on “Make Title or Credits” from the Tools menu.

28. Step 10
• Add sound/ music background(s). Change the position of the audio/ sound files as required for
each image or clip. You may like to record your own narration instead using the Mic icon. Click
„done‟ when finished.

29. Step 11
• To save your project as a “video”
• In the movie task pane, click FINISH movie, save to my
computer
• Click browse and choose folder or destination
• Type the new file name and click OK.
• Choose the movie quality setting as you plan to use it (i.e.
best quality is for local playback in your computer, less
quality can be used for online broadcasting or uploading
purposes).

30. Step 12
• Upload your video online:
• www.youtube.com
• www.teachertube.com
• http://blip.tv/

31. 5. Web 2.0 Videos
• http://www.zimmertwins.com/node/1260055
• http://www.dvolver.com
• http://goanimate.com/videos/06QhFSi_RNWQ/1

32. Project Evaluation Sheet

34. Video Resources
- Idioms: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2nT_HqWCUk
• Learning English: http://australianetwork.com/livingenglish/episodes.htm
• English Bites: http://australianetwork.com/englishbites/archive.htm
• Party Land: http://www.eslpartyland.com/
• Short movies: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kruidNvEhE&feature=related
• Free Images to download: http://www.bigfoto.com/
• Free video clips: http://www.mp4point.com
• Free sound effects to download: http://www.a1freesoundeffects.com
• Video storyboard template:
http://schools.shorelineschools.org/home_education/Forms/Video%20Storyboard.pdf
• Movie Maker 2 Free tips and tricks:
http://www.mightycoach.com/articles/mm2/index.html
• Microsoft Windows Movie Maker:
http://juliazanglcolby.wikispaces.com/file/view/JZC+MovieMaker+Handout.pdf
• Atomic Learning Free Tutorial on Movie Maker:
http://movies.atomiclearning.com/k12/moviemaker2

35. References
• A. J. Romiszowski (1981). Designing instructional systems: decision making in course
planning and curriculum design. Routledge, pp. (345).
• Canning-Wilson, C. “Practical Aspects of Using Video in the Foreign Language Classroom”.
The Internet TESL Journal, Vol.6, No.2, November 2000.
• Fayed, I. (2008). Digital video production as an ict approach in project based learning
(PBL), Exploring TESOL Practices in The Arabian Gulf, TESOL-Arabia IT Handbook.
• Hakkarainen, P. (2006). “Designing and Producing Digital Videos as a Problem based
Learning Cycle to Support Meaningful Learning”, University of Lapland, Available from:
<http://www.editlib.org/index.cfm/files/paper_6021.pdf>, [Accessed May 15, 2007].
• Reid, J. M. (1987). “The Learning Style Preferences of ESL Students”. LEARNER WEB PSU,
29th Feb 2012,
http://lwtoefl.ielp.pdx.edu/internal_resources/tutor/level_1_regular/Learning_Style_ESL
%20_%20Reid.pdf
• Karppinen, P. (2005). “Meaningful learning with digital and online videos: Theoretical
perspectives”. AACE Journal, 13(3), 233-250. Available from:
<www.editlib.org/index.cfm/files/paper_6021.pdf?fuseaction=Reader.DownloadFullText&
paper_id=6021>, [Accessed June 1, 2007].

36. References 2
• Moursund, D.G. (1999). “Project-Based Learning Using Information Technology”, Eugene,
Oregon University Available from:
http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~moursund/Books/PBL1999/chapter_1_of_pbl_book.htm
• Slaouti, (2007). Integrating technology, Unit 6 of the Language Learning and Technology, MA
Educational Technology and TESOL, University of Manchester. Available from:
<http://webct.manchester.ac.uk/SCRIPT/educ70060x008453/scripts/serve_home>,
[Accessed May 1, 2007].
• Schwartz, D. L., & Hartman, K. (2007). It is not television anymore: Designing digital video for
learning and assessment. In R. Goldman, S. Derry, R. Pea & B. Barron (Eds.), Video Research
in the Learning Sciences. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum: pp. 2-21. Available from:
<http://aaalab.stanford.edu/papers/Designed_Video_for_Learning.pdf >, [Accessed June 4,
2007].
• Thomas, J. W. (2000) “A Review Of Research On Project-Based Learning”, The Autodesk
Foundation, Buck Institute of Education, Available from:
<http://www.bie.org/files/researchreviewPBL.pdf >, [Accessed May 15, 2007].
• “Video/DVD in the Classroom” Tracks, 5th March, 2012,
http://tracks1f.cappelendamm.no/c108998/artikkel/vis.html?tid=122313
• Yongyuth, I(n.d.). “Maximizing the Utilization of Video in the EFL/ESL Classroom” URU
Library, 29th Feb, 2012, http://library.uru.ac.th/article/htmlfile/human06-01.pdf