Over the years, many colleagues from other disciplines within the university and college have asked me for advice, regarding the effective use of video and films in course lessons. They likely thought that my doctoral degree in films studies and 17+ years of experience as a film studies lecturer would make me an expert in this aspect of educational practice.
Ironically, when I was later completing my postgraduate certificate in HE, I was privileged to observe professors outside my narrow film and media specialty, who were very effective with their use of films and video, and I learned even more from watching them teach.
In general, my best advice can be summed up here:
- Familiarize yourself with the technical devices before your class begins, and anticipate technical failures and delays, with back-up devices, medium and alternative lesson plans. I used to carry a load of around 30-40 DVDs that I swapped out of a roller wheel suitcase every night, and then dragged to class each day, arriving extra early to cue up clips and films, whilst commuting between 2-3 campuses by rail and car. When I bit the bullet and invested on purchasing the most frequency used video on online streaming services (Amazon Prime, Netflix, Youtube, Hulu, Tivo, iTunes, etc.) it simplified my life and I never looked back.
- Watch every video, film and clip, and prepare study questions in advance. Have these questions ready to email students immediately after class, to be sure they were paying attention. Let them know they’re going to have questions to complete BEFORE you show the clip, to motivate them to pay attention. Focus on key concepts, new vocabulary, and the ways you intended to integrate the video into your teaching goals, so that every clip you present get maximum effect.
- Prepare a brief introduction for each film, video or clip – this is called, “setting up the scene” and for ideas about how to compose effective descriptions, go online to the site of any major film festival, and read their yearly programs – there you’ll find example of films listed and you’re acquire a sense of how to frame and describe your clips, in ways that entice and guide your students to learn and enjoy the movies.
- Think about how films are curated in online archives, film festival programs, and on site like Rotten Tomatoes, IMdb, etc. Curating a film is a craft so, allow yourself the time and space to learn some of the rudiments of film curating. Curating film creates context and helps audiences (including students) understand why they should care about the films you’ve chosen for them.
- Less is more, most of the time – clips can be selected and compiled so that you can play them back in a cued sequence while also maintaining good classroom order – you can also upload them to your own personal blog or Youtube channel, and then give your students password access. Fair Use Doctrine in the USA and Fair Dealing laws and acts in the U.K. support this educational exception to copyright laws.
- There are times when you need to show the entire movie, so perhaps it’s best to show it in three 30 minute (most European films are 90 minutes) or 4 – 30 minute segments (most USA films are 120 minutes). When teaching online, allow more frequent breaks, and check frequently to be sure your students are all able to see and hear the film on their computers in their homes. If they can’t, then perhaps suggest that they watch it separately on Youtube or Amazon, etc., and then rejoin the class.
- I personally embed videos into PowerPoint presentations, but I always have a back-up DVD in my bag or link to an uploaded clip, should the embedded link fail to play.
- Don’t hesitate to stop and start the video, or to talk over the film if you need to point out key elements and aspects, particular to each lesson (theme, style, mise en scène, composition, etc.). You’re in charge, and you should have the confidence and knowledge needed to guide your students’ learning, even when using new media and film.
- Finally, I keep a couple packs of AA and AAA batteries in my bag, to replace in remote control devices that don’t work – this can be maddening, so I consider it worth the cost!
Dottore Mark 
These are all very good advice! I agree that all of the points you mentioned are important for instructors when they plan to use videos in their teaching materials. As a student, I agree the actions teachers take can influence my learning and motivation of watching the film in class. It is designed for active learning, rather than slacking off.
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This is great advice on how to use video in class. I show a lot of short clips in my classes and sometimes show longer one. I need to get better at providing worksheets to go with them.
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