Teaching practice: should we use DVDs in class?

Having written about research last week, I thought I’d use today’s blog entry to discuss something in teaching that has been causing me concern for a while: the use of DVDs or videos . It’s something we do fairly often in the humanities, especially for subjects that really lend themselves to visual representation. But is it the best way to teach our students?

I am showing my students a DVD in class tomorrow. The DVD is a documentary about the Partition of India. It’s a good subject to teach in this way because there is plenty of contemporary film available and it’s also a good way of showing maps etc that simplify an incredibly complex topic. Gandhi is also an incredibly iconic figure so it makes sense to show his image when trying to teach about him.

However, is it just a ‘cop out’ on my part? I must admit that in the back of my mind showing a DVD to students is easier than running a traditional seminar because you do not have the usual challenges of getting reticent students to talk to one another. Also, as a teacher I can just put on the DVD and sit back and enjoy as well. Minimal preparation, minimal stress in class time.

But that wouldn’t matter if using a DVD was a valuable learning tool for the students. Part of the problem with them is that it’s difficult to test what information students have learned. Even if you leave time for discussion afterwards, watching a film is such a passive experience that the students find it really hard to actively discuss when it’s over.

One way round this is to ask students to make notes or fill in a questionnaire as their watching, so they have to think during viewing. Another is to give each student a piece of information that they have to find in the programme. Yet another is to have a discussion beforehand on problems in the use of film when studying that subject. There is quite a lot you can do with a DVD, it doesn’t have to be an opportunity for teacher and students to effectively have time off! If you have any experiences (good or bad) of using DVDs in class, do share them on this blog!