Video recording the classroom - iPhones and bulldog clips

I have been trialling different methods for recording lectures. My institution lacks equipment and systems to easily capture lectures. As a teacher, we pretty much have to do it ourselves.

Many teachers complain that good video or audio capture is impossible without the right equipment, but the reality is that it’s already in your pocket. 

Come to think of it, technically my DSLR isn't a dedicated video camera either. 

In the camera app, the iPhone volume buttons will trigger the shutter. Plugging in a pair of headphones means you can use the headphone buttons as a remote trigger. 

The downside is the sound will now record through the headphone, but this can be useful also as you can leave the microphone on the desk forward of the camera to capture better audio. If you use this trick, be aware you might need to edit the audio to get the best output. The best is to actually record the video and audio separately and recombine them in iMovie.  This is actually not that hard, but you will need to do the whole "action clap" to correctly time the audio and video. 

I use an iPhone as the camera and my old iPod as the audio recorder. I use another small bulldog clip to pin the headphone microphone to my chest. Apple probably never intended their headphone be it as a lapel mic, but they are by far the highest quality I have found without spending thousands of dollars. 

Bulldog clips have two problems. They starch and the iPhone screen will registers a “touch” by the pressure from the clip. Using a tissue buffer will overcome both problems. 

Sometimes you can have a problem with the focus and exposure resulting in weird colours and blurry images. Simply tap and hold the screen and the iPhone will lock-on to the key object meaning that you moving in front of the object will not disturb camera. 

The iPhone 5 is a capable machine, but the great processor and slimmed battery means horrible battery life. Conveniently you can purchase external batteries on eBay, meaning you can take power wherever you go. 

My battery cost about $30 and can "refill" the iPhone twice. God bless eBay. 

Bulldog clips neatly hold your camera in place, and there is always a keen student in front row who would be happy to point the camera in the right direction as you move around the classroom. 

Comments? Other handy tips?  Let me know!

-Tetracarbon out. 

What I got up to in March 2013

WHAT I GOT UP TO IN March 2013

• Research
• Attended a VDC (VET Development Centre) Workshop in supporting the research grant
• Continued working on the research proposal and rethink elements to meet ethical standards. 
• I ran a student excursion to the Berry Nice Strawberry farm
• 55 attendees
• Both degree and diploma students attended
• Photos and video below
• New Video: What makes a good accountant? 
• As an ongoing thing, I also manage the Facebook Page for Berry Nice to make the assignment feel "as real as possible". 
• New Video and blog commentary: Teaching critical thinking with play dough.
• Still teaching Semester 1 (Adv Accounting Theory, Accounting Information System, Tax Law and Critical Thinking )
• And I looked after my new born, which means:
• I didn't sleep much, and
• I changed a LOT of nappies. 

STRAWBERRY EXCURSION

Video from the trip: What makes a good accountant? 

Teaching critical thinking using playdough. 
You can read my post "7 tips for teaching with playdough" where I offer tips and then reflect on my own work and provide criticism as to how I could have done it better. 



Consolidations and Corporate Accounting
This isn't  isn't my teaching (clearly), but I provided the equipment and editing skills to assist my a colleague to get her lecture video recorded. Welcome to the wonderful world of consolidations. 

What I got up to in February 2013

What I got up to in February 2013

• Won my first external research grant. Value $5000, sponsor VET Development Centre. 
• Attended Achievement Matters Adelaide 
• Started teaching semester 1, 2013
• Attend the University of Melbourne to give guidance to this year's round of Grad Cert Tertiary Teaching students. 
• Picked up a new subject for UC Teaching Critical Thinking 
• Applied for a national teaching award
• Created a video - "Why not Wikipedia" (See below)
• Created a Tax Law video - "Introduction to PSI and Income Splitting" (See below)

And my first child was born!

The parable of theory: Teaching theory with play dough.

Can you teach critical thinking with play dough?

Can you teach critical thinking with play dough? YES!  If you can teach using analogies, you can use play dough to make the idea clear.

Here are some tips:

1. Lesson plan. Make sure you have a "story" and you stick to it as you "construct" the idea. While you are talking you need to construct the play dough to illustrate.

2. Labels on skewers. Make these the learning objectives or key things you want them to remember.

3. Hand outs with blanks. If they don't write it down, the students will think "geeez that's neat" and forget what you told them. Give them a 1 page hand out with blanks for each of the skewer/labels you wanted them to remembers.

4. Don't tell them what you are going to do. Do tell the students the learning objectives are the start of the lesson, but don't tell them WHY you have play dough in the lecture theatre. This builds excitement and engagement.

5. Involve students. You can't see it in the video but the students were all rolling out the play dough and while I was setting up. They ask lots of questions at this stage, make silly jokes, but again (tip 4) don't tell them what is about to happen.

6. Cookie cutters help speed the process of making the basic shapes for the ideas you want. You can be quite declarative about it - eg: when explaining consolidation and corporate grouping I say, "OK guys, every square shape is a company, and every triangle is a family trust". People get it.  

7. Invite the students to criticise your model. Scary stuff! Ask them to tell you why this is "stupid" or what is the limitations of the analogy. Ask them how it could be explained differently.

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Example: 

In this video I try to explain the aspects of logical argument using an analogy of a model house built out of play dough. Each part is analogous to each part of the model house.

Comments and criticisms are welcome.

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Self Criticism:

The Hattie (2009) found that self-reporting of grades (ie: critical reflection) was one of the most effective learning tools. So in the interests of good learning and transparency in teaching, here is everything that I don't like about my own work.


Terminology: "parable", really?
I realise that it's probably more of an analogy than a "parable", but the idea is sufficiently clear.

Terminology: Can a parable be "logical"? 

Well, it can be logical in that it makes sense, but it is far from deductive proof. 

Hippocratic: Analogies are weak evidence, yet you teach with a weak tool. 

Yes. And I made that clear up front. And I am trading "strong" tools for "engaging" teaching tools. This opens me to criticism that I engage in edutainment. I have bloged on why edutainment mightn't be such a bad idea, although when I watch have to suffer Channel 10 News or Today Tonight there's certainly a problem with "infotainment". The problem is that it's the same problem.  

Technical production: White balance is wrong.

I know. 

Technical production:  Lighting is awful.

I know. It's a shoddy lecture theatre, not a sound stage. 

Technical production: focus is all wrong

I'm using a DSLR camera on a tripod. DSLRs are bad for video without a professional focus puller operator. If you leave the camera on autofocus you get these awful zzzzzit, zzzzit noises from the lens constantly adjusting, and these interfere with the audio. I have split the audio from the film in the past, but it's a hassle. I want a dedicated video camera, but that's money I personally don't have. 

-Tetracarbon out

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Even little kids get subjected to my
accounting-theory-and-play-dough-class

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References: 

Hattie, J. A. C. (2009). Visible learning: A synthesis of 800+ meta-analyses on achievement.

Introduction to PSI and income splitting

Introduction to PSI and income splitting

I have just uploaded a new video on Personal Services Income and income splitting. Actually this video doesn't tell you how PSI works, but rather, WHY we have PSI rules in the first place.

Have a look and le me know what you think.

-Tetracarbon out.

Why not Wikipedia?

Undergrads: Why can't I cite Wikipedia in my report?

I have created a new video aimed at convincing undergrads why they should not cite Wikipedia or other poor quality sources in their work. It is supposed to be quick, funny and engaging. 

Comments welcome.