TI-MOOC Enhancing teacher education through OER: TESS-India

Week 3: Using video to support teacher development

Copyright © 2016 The Open University

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, transmitted or utilised in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without written permission from the publisher.

Contents

- Introduction

- 1 Giving and receiving feedback

- 2 Peer assessment

- 3 Receiving feedback

- 4 Reviewing your learning

- 5 Moving forward

- References

- Acknowledgements

Introduction

There are five activities this week, including an assignment (Activity 3.3) for your portfolio of participation that focuses on giving and receiving feedback.

In order to complete the assignment effectively you will need to identify a peer or colleague who is willing to work with you on the task. They may not have heard of TESS-India or OER, and you need to think about how you can introduce your colleague to them prior to working with you on your assignment. For example, you may wish to discuss how the TESS-India OER position teachers and teacher educators as active learners and how they bring together theory and practice to support educators in implementing active participatory approaches to learning.

The focus this week is on using videos to support teachers in developing more active approaches to teaching and learning in their classrooms. Classroom videos have the potential to be a valuable resource for teacher educators. You will be looking at some of the TESS-India videos in detail and sharing your ideas with others.

Videos of teachers working with students in genuine situations provide a ‘window’ into different classrooms. They are able to show how teachers use active learning approaches with their students.

A number of videos have been created for the TESS-India project, which provide helpful exemplars to use with teachers. The videos have been filmed in primary and secondary schools in India. They show teachers trying out more learner-centred, participatory approaches with their students. Their aim is to inspire teachers to experiment with similar approaches and techniques in their own classroom. Although these excerpts from lessons are not perfect – no lesson is – they show that it is possible for teachers working in authentic situations to develop more interactive teaching approaches.

As well as using online videos, you can also make your own videos by recording in classrooms in your locality and use these as a prompt for discussion with teachers. Before making such recordings, it is important to check that everyone is comfortable with the process and that you have obtained the necessary permissions.

Reflection point

What particular classroom practices or actions would you like to show teachers through video clips?

Activity 3.1: Using video to support active pedagogy

Allow approximately 20 minutes

The TESS-India OER video below shows a primary school teacher working with a multigrade class. He is the only teacher in the school and teaches 90 pupils spanning Class I to Class V.

1. Watch this video and, as you do so, list the key things that you notice. What do you think are the main points that the video makes about learner-centred pedagogy?

Watch the video at YouTube.com.

Using groupwork: Lower Primary Science

View transcript - Using groupwork: Lower Primary Science

You probably watched the video from the point of view of the teacher and noted aspects such as how he managed the pupils and how he organised the activities.

1. Now watch the video again, but focus on the experience of the students.
Note your responses to the following questions:

- How did the students react to the groupwork tasks?

- What evidence was there that they were actively engaged and learning?

- How did the teacher interact with the students during the activities?

- What do the interactions suggest about the teacher–student relationship?

- In what ways did the teacher allow students to take responsibility for their own learning?

Helping teachers to notice

What teachers notice in a classroom or from a video will reflect their knowledge, beliefs and experience of teaching and learning, what they value, and their views about effective practice. This forms the ‘framework’ in which they operate as teachers. Trainee teachers have limited experience and are starting to develop their own individual teacher framework. As a teacher educator, you can guide teachers to develop and change their frameworks that incorporate active, participatory approaches through using videos as a starting point for discussion and reflection. Your role includes helping teachers notice the things that they might otherwise miss.

1 Giving and receiving feedback

Videoing a teacher in their classroom provides the basis for discussion with the teacher and feedback on the teaching and learning that is taking place. Research shows that people benefit from getting feedback on their work and that this can have more impact on their development than almost anything else (Hattie, 2012). However, often it is not well implemented, thereby reducing the potentially beneficial effects (Petty, 2009). This applies to feedback we give teachers on their classroom practices and on their written work.

Effective feedback is informative. It is composed in such a way that the effort that the individual has made is appreciated. It makes explicit what has been done well and it provides guidance on how to improve. Good feedback helps the student or teacher to prepare for the next assignment or lesson. Phrases such as these can be helpful:

Figure 1

View description - Figure 1

These statements are more likely to motivate and encourage the individual to take risks in the future. Feedback that is judgemental and compares them unfavourably to others is more likely to lead to individuals becoming apprehensive about their work in the future. It may also discourage them from taking risks.

You can read more about giving feedback in the TESS-India Key Resource ‘Monitoring and giving feedback’ (English) and the same document in Hindi.

Activity 3.2: Giving feedback

Allow approximately 20 minutes

In this activity you will consider some different examples of feedback. These were given to a student teacher who had written about assessment.

Example 1: ‘Very good work.’

Example 2: ‘You have explained the difference between formative and summative assessment very clearly, although a few more examples of formative assessment would be helpful. Think about how summative assessment might be used formatively. This will help you with the next assignment, which is about using assessment in the classroom.’

Example 3: ‘More detail needed. There are some typographical errors and you need to pay attention to your grammar.’

Example 4: ‘Well done. A clear explanation of the difference between formative and summative assessment.’

1. Which example of feedback do you think is most useful to the student, and why?

2. Which example is the least helpful?

3. What feedback would you give to the teacher in the video you watched in Activity 3.1?

Record your responses in your study notebook. Some examples of effective feedback are outlined in the document ‘Examples of feedback’.

Figure 2

2 Peer assessment

Activity 3.3 is a peer assessment that is part of your portfolio of participation. In the second part of the assessment use the ideas from Activity 3.2 when you give feedback. Think about how your feedback will be received.

Activity 3.3: Assignment 3 – Presenting your ideas and giving feedback

Allow approximately 1.5 hours

In order to complete this assignment effectively you will need to identify a peer or colleague who is willing to work with you on the task. They may not have heard of TESS-India or OER, and you need to think about how you can introduce your colleague to them prior to working with you on your assignment. For example, you may wish to discuss how the TESS-India OER position teachers and teacher educators as active learners and how they bring together theory and practice to support educators in implementing active participatory approaches to learning.

- Select a TESS-India video that you might use in your own work with teachers. The videos are filmed in India and are available with commentary in English, Hindi, Assamese, Odia, Bengali and Kannada. The English commentary videos with transcripts are available on YouTube.

- Write a brief paragraph of no more than 200 words using the following headings:

1. Title and Focus: Give the title of the video and its pedagogical focus (e.g. Talk for Learning or Using Pair Work).

2. Key points: Give three key points that you would want a teacher or student teacher to notice, and explain why they are important. For example you might want them to notice how the teacher responds to students’ answers or how they group students.

3. Using with teachers: How would you use this video with teachers or student teachers to support their learning about active, participatory approaches?

- Share the video you selected and your paragraph with your peer or colleague. You may prefer to play the video for them or share the URL (link) to it so they can watch it in their own time. Ask your colleague to provide you with some feedback (50–100 words) using the following questions to guide their response:

1. Would the three key points identified help the teacher or student teacher understand how to support learning through using active participatory approaches?

2. Are the suggestions for using the video engaging, motivating and helpful for teachers or student teachers?

- Record the feedback you received in your notebook.

Optional activity

If your colleague is willing, repeat the activity with the roles reversed – ask them to select and write a brief paragraph on a TESS-India video, and then provide them with feedback using the questions above to guide your response.

In your notebook, record their response and the feedback you provided.

3 Receiving feedback

You will receive feedback from a peer or colleague on your response to Activity 3.3. It is easy to become defensive about feedback, especially if you feel that it is not very positive. The main purpose of feedback is to help you to improve your work. There will be another chance to give and receive feedback in Week 5.

Activity 3.4: Receiving feedback

Allow approximately 30 minutes

Reflect on the feedback that you received on your task. How did this make you feel? Was it helpful? What was not helpful? How effectively did the feedback make you think about active approaches to teaching?

What feedback would you give to yourself? What would you do differently?

In your study notebook, summarise what you learnt from this experience and how you will approach giving feedback in the future.

Optional activity: Carrying out your activity

Approximately 1 hour

If possible, try the activity that you described in Activity 3.3 with teachers. Make sure that you take note of the feedback that you receive.

Evaluate the experience with the following prompts:

- How did the teachers respond to the video?

- What did they notice?

- Were ideas discussed that they could take into their own teaching?

- What have you learnt from the episode?

4 Reviewing your learning

Activity 3.5: Reviewing your learning

Allow approximately 15 minutes

Think about the following questions and record the answers in your notebook:

- What have you learnt about using videos with teachers?

- How could you use video in your work with teachers?

- Think about your work over the next few weeks. Where are the opportunities to use video to help teachers discuss and learn from their own or others’ classrooms?

Other useful sources of videos of Indian classrooms are:

- Teachers of India: a collection of videos on deconstructing classroom practices

- Teach for India: ‘Anjali English School, Pune 2011–2013’

- Teachers Media International: ‘Action! Teacher video’

5 Moving forward

Videos have the potential to help teachers to learn both from and through classroom practice. As well as using online videos, such as the TESS-India OER, you can also make your own short videos of classrooms using simple mobile recording equipment such as a tablet or a mobile phone.

Teachers find it very helpful to see a recording of part of their lesson; this can help them to talk about what happened in a lesson. You can ask them to talk about what they observe about their behaviour and the participation of all the students. Teachers can show each other video from their classroom and talk about parts of the lesson that went well, such as productive student learning, and areas where they could change their practice to improve student learning. This model of professional development encourages collaboration between teachers working in schools, and is very different from formal courses based on an expert providing information.

In formal teacher training courses the use of video provides teacher educators with the opportunity to introduce student teachers to classrooms early in their training and make the theoretical ideas more concrete. They also allow students and experienced teachers to observe and discuss the same teaching experience, thereby promoting reflection.

Next week you consider how you might use other OER materials to support the teachers you work with.

Now go to Week 4: Developing your own practice with OER.

References

Azim Premji Foundation (2013) ‘Deconstructing classroom processes’ (online), Teachers of India, 26 November. Available from: http://www.teachersofindia.org/en/video/deconstructing-classroom-processes (accessed 10 April 2015).

Hattie, J. (2012) Visible Learning for Teachers: Maximising Impact on Learning. Abingdon, Routledge.

Maitreye Shivakumar [YouTube user] (2013) ‘Teach for India – Anjali English School, Pune 2011–2013’ (online), YouTube, 8 March. Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25P5XEGhu9M (accessed 10 April 2015).

Petty, G. (2009) Evidence-based Teaching: A Practical Approach. Cheltenham, Nelson-Thornes.

Teachers Media International (undated) ‘Action! Teacher video – UK/India’ (online). Available from: http://www.teachers-media.com/series/action-teacher-video-uk-india (accessed 10 April 2015).

TESS-India (OpenLearn works), http://www.open.edu/openlearnworks/course/index.php?categoryid=45 (accessed 22 October 2015).

TESS India [YouTube user] (undated) ‘Playlists’ (online). Available from: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCL9j8y4mGFyIQLvH-PvkghA/playlists (accessed 10 April 2015).

Acknowledgements

Except for third party materials and otherwise stated, this content is made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike licence.

Specific content from the TESS-India OER, including images from the TESS-India video resources, are made available under this licence unless otherwise stated.

The TESS-India project is led by The Open University, UK and is funded by UK AID from the UK government.

Figure 1

Description

Four phrases in speech bubbles that could be used to preface effective feedback. The phrases are: ‘I can see that you understand how …’, ‘You made some very interesting points, such as …’, ‘It would be even better if …’ and ‘Did you consider …?’

Back

Using groupwork: Lower Primary Science

Transcript

Commentary:

In a multigrade primary school around 90 students from different linguistic backgrounds study with a single teacher. The one-room school has an incomplete partition wall that separates Class I and Class II children from the rest of the students. Two columns of Class III students, two columns of Class IV students and three columns of Class V students share the same space.

Here, the teacher manages groupwork activities in a science lesson.

Teacher:

यह पाठ दिया हुआ है इस पाठ को आपको पढ़ना है और इसमें चित्र दिए हुए हैं, ये चित्र समझना है। आप िारों बच्िे पास-पास में...

Commentary:

The teacher moves between Classes III, IV and V to set his students initial group tasks on different topics.

Teacher:

और कॉपी में लिखना है कक मकडी है - तो मकडी इस में कहााँ पर रह रही है, दिख रही है उसमें?

अब िौथी वािे बच् िे, हमारी बात ध्यान से सुननए। कैसे पता ििता है आपको कक हवा है यहााँ पर? क् या यहााँ कमरे में आपको हवा दिख रही है?

Students:

नहीीं

Teacher:

नहीीं दिख रही है। कैसे पता ििता है आपको कक हवा है यहााँ पर?

Students:

Page दहि रहे हैं।

Teacher:

तो आप, जो जो आपको पता ििता है, जजन बातों से पता ििता है - जजन बातों से पता ििता है कक हवा है - उसको आप िोग ऐसे गोि घेरे में बैठ जायेंगे - और बातिीत कर करके लिखेंगे - कक आपको काहे काहे से पता ििता है। और पीछे वािे भी ऐसे गोि घेरा बनाकर लिखेंगे।

पााँिवी वािे, आप िोग बस में सफ़र करते हैं, मोटरसाईकि से करते हैं, टेंम्पो में सफ़र करते हैं। आपको, ििता हुआ दिखाई िेता है। क् या ििते दिखाई िेते हैं?

Students:

पेड

Teacher:

तो पेड ऐसे उल्टे ििते हुए क् यों दिखते हैं? यह आपको वविार करना है - और बातिीत करके लिखना है।

एक, िो, तीन, िार, पााँि। आप सभी पााँि - गोिे में बैठ जायेंगे?

Student 1:

बस ििती है, तो किर दिखाई िेते हैं।

Teacher interview:

The first issue is how to make a group. They can be defined by ability level, or they can be made more simply. A simple group means those who are sitting close by will make one group among themselves and then start working.

This is the best way because students tend to understand their neighbours more easily and they can then grasp things more quickly. However, the problem with this is that weaker students are not always able to work together effectively, and they are not able to develop one another as well.

Teacher:

यह इसमें चित्र दिए हुए हैं। दिख रहें हैं, सबको चित्र?

अब इसमें क्या करना है, जैसे यह मछिी है - तो यह मच्छी पानी में रहती है, इसे िाईन से पकड कर खीींि कर उसको पानी में िाना है।

मैं यह िाटट ि ाँगा। आप िोग िो-िो, तीन-तीन भाई-बहन बैठ जायेंगे, ऐसे गोिे में। तो सब िेख िेख कर काम करेंगे एक-ि सरे का।

तुम - िोनों बनाना, यह तुम िोनों बनाना, ऐसे खसक जाओ। शाब्बास!

Student 3:

यह पानी में रहता है।

Student 4:

केकडा भी पानी में रहता है।

Student 5:

ये भी।

Student 6:

कछुआ रे?

Student 5:

कछुआ नहीीं।

Commentary:

The teacher then sets Class IV a further groupwork activity on the topic of air. This time the students are given the opportunity to work outside.

Student 7:

ड ब ग...

Student 8:

और आवाज़ आती है।

Student 9:

ओय, टेढ़ी मत करना, टेढ़ी का नहीीं बोला सर ने।

Commentary:

With Class IV outside, there is more space in the classroom for Class V, whose lesson is about the seasons and the climate.

Teacher:

स यट बनकर रहेगी। और आपको काम करना है, और आपको समझाना है इनको सब को। है ना?

और रात क् या हो जायेगी?

Students:

बडी।

Teacher:

बडी हो जायेगी। आ गई बात समझ में सबको? तो अब आप िोग करके बता सकतें हैं गनतववचि? एक बार कोलशश करो आप िोग!

Student 1:

रात छोटी हो गई और दिन बडे हो गये हैं। दिन छोटे हो गए, रात बडी हो गई है।

Commentary:

Notice how the teacher manages his time well, to interact with all the groups.

Students:

नहीीं भरा रहा है...

कुछ भी नहीीं भरा रहा है, वह तो...

Teacher:

ििो अच्छा, आप िोग...

Students:

हमारा तो कुछ भी नहीीं ननकि रहा

Teacher:

बोति में पानी भरा है आपके?

Students:

नहीीं!

Teacher:

अरे! क् यों नहीीं भराया?

Students:

भराया था पर ननकि... वापस ननकि गया।

Teacher:

ऐसा उन्िा करोगे तो? अब ड बा कर िेखो एक बार, भराता है कक नहीीं भराता किर से?

Students:

बोति उपर-उपर आ रही है।

Teacher:

उपर आ रही है बोति?

Commentary:

The teacher uses questioning to support his students’ learning as they explore their observations.

Student 10:

और यह भरा नहीीं रही थी।

Teacher:

भरा नहीीं रही थी! शाब् बास!

पहिे बोति खािी थी कक भरी थी?

Students:

खािी थी।

Teacher:

तो खािी थी तो अब इसको ननकाि कर एक बार किर से करके िेखो तो - क् या क् या हो रहा है उसमें?

Student 11:

यह... इसके अींिर हवा जा रही है उपर!

Teacher:

वापस जा रही है उपर? अच् छा ! और वापस से ड बा कर िेखो तो अब पता ििेगा?

Student 11:

बाहर हवा ननकि रहीीं हैं।

Teacher:

अच् छा! हवा ननकि रही है? अच् छा ! अब बताइए मुझे - कक इसमें क् या क् या है?

Student:

इिर पानी से भरा हुआ है और...

Teacher:

हााँ, इसमें उपर-उपर क् या है?

Students:

हवा!

Teacher:

हवा भरी हुई है!

Student:

मैंने कर लिया।

Student:

मैंने भी कर लिया।

Commentary:

The teacher checks the groupwork of Classes I and II. He then asks Class V to demonstrate their practical experiment to Classes III and IV.

Teacher:

आप बडे बच् िे हैं, आप छोटे बच् िों को आसानी से समझा सकते हैं, िौथी वािों को। तो आपको उनको करके और यह समझाकर बताना है आपको। ठीक है?

Student 2:

अभी सुबह हो रही है। इिर से प्रकाश आ रहा है। अभी िोपहर हो रही है। अभी शाम हो रही है।

Teacher interview:

It is much better if students explain their ideas to each other. That way they understand and learn more easily.

Commentary:

Groupwork with large classes requires careful planning and classroom management.

What have you observed here to help you organise effective groupwork with your students?

Back