Reflections on the partnership’s video technology research project

By Trudi Rees-Davies, Practice Tutor (Pen Rhos Primary School, Llanelli) June 2024

In recent years my roles with the Open University Partnership have ranged from Mentor and School Coordinator to my current position as a Practice Tutor, a role I have cherished for the past two years. This role has been particularly fulfilling as it allows me to witness the growth and development of both young pupils and student teachers. I was invited to participate in a research project aimed at exploring the use and effectiveness of video technology in monitoring and evaluating student teachers. Given my previous challenges with using technology in my mentoring roles I was enthusiastic about contributing to this project.

We organised several online meetings to agree the research plan and allocate tasks. My role was to conduct interviews with student teachers, Newly Qualified Teachers (NQTs), and senior leaders. These discussions provided several valuable insights:

• Anxiety and self-consciousness: Student teachers often felt anxious about recording their lessons, fearing that they might not perform well or that the recordings could be scrutinised too harshly.
• Technical challenges: Common technical issues included the video failing to record, power cuts, and difficulties with the recording equipment. These challenges sometimes overshadowed the potential benefits of video technology.
• Feedback and reflection: Despite the challenges, many participants acknowledged that video recordings could be a powerful tool for self-reflection and receiving constructive feedback.

I also held a focus group with pupils who had been videoed during lessons with the then current student teachers. The responses from pupils were both humorous and honest, providing a refreshing perspective on the use of video technology in the classroom. The children were fully engaged in the discussion, offering candid and unfiltered feedback about their experiences:

• Engagement and enjoyment: Many pupils enjoyed the process of being videoed, finding it exciting and novel.
• Honesty and humour: The pupils’ responses were often humorous, reflecting their unfiltered view of the classroom dynamics and the novelty of being recorded.
• Awareness and performance: Some pupils mentioned that they were more aware of their behaviour knowing they were being recorded, which sometimes led to better participation and attention during lessons.
• Some were under the impression that they were being recorded so that the Head teacher could observe their learning ‘from a distance’!

Being a part of this research project has been a deeply rewarding experience. The honest feedback from pupils, combined with the insights from student teachers and senior leaders, underscores the importance and potential of using video technology in teacher education and evaluation.

As an educator dedicated to nurturing the growth of both young students and aspiring teachers, I am committed to continuing this research and implementing its findings. By doing so, I hope to contribute to the development of more effective training methods that leverage technology to support and empower the educators of tomorrow.

To read more from Trudi about her reflections on the project please click here.

And for the full research project report click here.