Connecting Through Live & Recorded Video

3Ps in a Pod

Sara Mora and I co-hosted 3Ps in a Pod: PD in 30 podcast. It’s a half hour of professional learning where we talk about how to build relationships and personal connections through live and recorded video.

Hang out with tech experts Tony Vincent and Sara Mora in this PD in 30 segment of 3Ps in a Pod. PD in 30 is exactly what it sounds like: a professional development session in 30 minutes or less.

(Search 3Ps in a Pod on your favorite podcast platform and subscribe!)

If you listen to our episode of the podcast, you’ll hear Sara and I discuss the items below.

  • Teachers can build connections with and between students, whether their videos are synchronous or asynchronous.

  • Make your videos personal by appearing on camera (at least at the beginning of the video). Telling stories, making eye contact with the camera lens, and embracing your quirks help personalize your videos.

  • Check out the quirky and fun Mrs. Speed. In this video, she’s dressed in Princess Leia buns and tells Star Wars jokes.

  • Invite students to contribute segments to your videos. This could be in the form of live or recorded weather reports, math mysteries, story corners, etc. 

  • It’s hard to be muted for an entire class, so it’s great to incorporate ways for students to unmute and contribute.

  • Turning cameras on or off during live video is a fun an interesting way for students to respond to questions. “If you have ever seen a butterfly chrysalis in real life, turn your camera on. If you have not, turn your camera off."

  • Teachers can give quick feedback in the form of video. Alice Keeler Webcam Record is a super handy Chrome extension for easily recording a video, automatically saving to Google Drive, and getting the shareable link.

  • Flipgrid has a Discovery Library full of conversation starters. Students can reply to a prompt and they can reply to each other.

  • Open chat time or small group meetings can help virtual students feel more connected by giving them time to talk to their peers.

Interested in more tips for your recorded videos? Please consider joining me for Classy Videos Fall 2020. This online workshop takes place in Google Classroom. Each week for six weeks I post an instructional video and an optional assignment. It begins September 16th.

By the end of Classy Videos, you should be able to plan, record, and edit a concise video that is easily remembered and understood. You should be able to combine a variety of tools and techniques to communicate your message. Read more about Classy Videos.