ASSESSMENT OF TEACHING AND
LEARNING THROUGH VIDEO
Emily Scida, Dept. of Spanish, Italian & Portuguese
Yitna Firdyiwek, ITC, Advanced Technology Group
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
How can video technologies address the
challenges faced by educators in promoting
teacher reflection?
 How does video-based reflection interact with
other types of pedagogical tools for reflection such
as journaling, peer observations, action research,
and portfolios?

PARTICIPANTS AND CONTEXT
Teaching Foreign Languages graduate seminar,
Department of Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese,
Fall 2009
 13 GTAs teaching beginning and intermediate
Spanish and Italian

COURSE ACTIVITIES: REFLECTION
THROUGH VIDEO
Activity 1: Best Practices
 Activity 2: Self and Peer Observation
 Activity 3: Action Research Paper


Use of Video
Self-videotaping
 Video editing
 Embedding of video clips in written work


Online Teaching Portfolio
TECHNOLOGY

E-Folio
Submission of essays and video
 Collaboration and peer review
 Video editing tools
 Teaching portfolio

FlipCams
 Training Sessions

Session 1: video editing and submission of work
 Session 2: teaching portfolios

STUDENT WORK: BEST PRACTICES
STUDENT WORK: SELF/PEER OBSERVATION
STUDENT WORK: PEER REVIEW
STUDENT WORK: TEACHING PORTFOLIO
STUDENT WORK: PORTFOLIO COVER LETTER
DATA SOURCES

Primary data – 65 reflective entries total
Best practices essays
 Self/peer observation essays
 Action research papers


Secondary data
Online anonymous survey
 Videotaped group feedback session
 Final reflective essay of portfolio
 Course evaluations

DATA ANALYSIS

Hatton & Smith’s (1995) Levels of Reflection
Descriptive
 Dialogic
 Critical
 Contextualized

RESULTS

Amount and type of reflection depends on:
Nature of activity
 Focus on self or other in clip
 Intended audience of essay/clip
 Timing of assignment


Active use of video results in:
More specific and accurate reflections
 Support with concrete visual evidence

FUTURE APPLICATIONS
TA training in other departments/schools
 Professional development opportunities
 As a model for TAs to apply to own classrooms
 Peer mentorship
 Portfolio as a reflective activity

CONTACT INFORMATION
Emily Scida
ees2n@virginia.edu
Yitna Firdyiwek
ybf2u@virginia.edu