What Is It?
Video recording and critique is exactly what it sounds like: inviting students to record and submit video that you, or your students, critique. Your Learning Management System probably provides some basic tools for recording and critiquing video, but many instructors like using tools such as Flip (formerly Flipgrid) or GoReact, which have more features. Harmonize also offers some of these features and might be a useful replacement, especially if other tools are unavailable to you.
Pro Tip: Are you missing Flip? Check out our webinar, "Using Harmonize to replace Flipgrid for Video and Screen Sharing."
Why Use Video Recording and Critique?
- Some subjects lend themselves to recording and critiquing video. Examples include public speaking, world languages, physical education or dance, sign language, and physical assessment in nursing.
- Worried about students using AI to do their discussions? You can Combat ChatGPT with Multimodal Assignments.
- Giving students the option to respond in video or audio is part of Universal Design for Learning.
Watch 3-Minute Video Instructions
How to Record and Annotate Videos
- Adjust the Recording Limits for Video and Audio.
- Ask your students to Record a Video in Harmonize. Alternatively, they can record elsewhere and upload their videos.
- Invite students to Respond within Video (or do so yourself!).
- Additionally, students (or you!) can Record a Video explaining your feedback at the various timestamped comments.
General Tips and Strategies
Give good instructions.
Consider using Screen Recording in Harmonize to show students what you want them to do. Alternatively (or additionally), include links to guides such as Record a Video in Harmonize and Respond within Video in your instructions.
Set recording limits (and communicate them).
The default recording limits for students in Harmonize are 5 minutes for video recording and 15 minutes for screen sharing. Consider adjusting these limits up for longer presentations or down for shorter, conversational snippets. Video can be time-consuming to grade; don't feel bad about asking students to stick to a limit. Just be sure to communicate the limit in your instructions.
Try combining timestamped annotations with video feedback.
Are you hoping to combine video feedback with timestamped feedback? Try making a timestamped annotation and then starting a video recording in which you explain that annotation. You can then pause, continue watching the video, make another timestamped annotation, and resume recording when ready. Watch 3-Minute Video Instructions for details.
Set an example: annotate your own videos.
Want your students to leave better critiques and annotations for each other? Try using timestamped comments and annotations on a sample video of your own. To do this, you can either click Respond within Video on your existing video, or you can select the Add Annotation option to upload your video for critique. See Annotate Your Own Video for details.
Speed up grading.
Feeling overwhelmed by the surprisingly long videos your students recorded? Consider watching students' videos at 1.5 or 2 times speed. You can always slow the videos down or replay segments when you notice places you want to comment.
Further Reading
- I Can See You! Using Videos in Online Courses to Promote Student Engagement by A. Oberne
- How to Not Disappear Completely: Using Video-based Discussions to Enhance Student Social Presence in an Online Course by A. Milović and R. Dingus
- Video-Based Tasks in Strengthening Speaking Skills of EFL College Students by S. Menggo, Agnetis A. Basir, and Y. Halum
- Students’ Perception on The Use of Video Recording in Public Speaking Class by Syaninta Kusuma Aini, Sophia Binnendyk, and H. Rijoly
- Effects of Self-directed Feedback Practice using Smartphone Videos on Basic Nursing Skills, Confidence in Performance and Learning Satisfaction by Y. Shin Seul Lee