Using Digital Video Assignments as a Tool for Active Learning

Recent advances in computing, digital video cameras, and video editing software have shattered the “video mystique” and turned digital video into a routine teaching tool on a par with PowerPoint. However, widespread adoption of digital video in the classroom is yet to be seen, with the lack of pedagogical approaches as one of the major reasons. Active learning, an instructional strategy characterized by a high degree of student involvement in the learning process and active engagement with the material, provides a useful approach for integrating digital video in college courses. This study evaluates the use of student-produced digital video as an active learning tool, and suggests pedagogical approaches for integrating digital video assignments in the college classroom.