Using Educational Video in the Classroom Theory, Research and Practice

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Using Educational Video in the Classroom: 
Theory, Research and Practice 
 
By Emily Cruse 
M.Ed., Curriculum Director, Library Video Company 
Without question, this generation truly is the media generation, devoting more 
than a quarter of each day to media. As media devices become increasingly 
portable, and as they spread even further through young people’s environments—
from their schools to their cars—media messages will become an even more 
ubiquitous presence in an already media-saturated world. Anything that takes up 
this much space in young people’s lives deserves our full attention.
—Kaiser Family Foundation 
For 8- to 18-year-olds—dubbed Generation M for their media use by the Kaiser Family 
Foundation—television and video remain the dominant medium of choice. Turning our 
full attention as educators to this fact requires harnessing the power of educational video 
for teaching and learning.
 
Overview of Educational Video 
Using audio-visual materials in the classroom is nothing new. Since filmstrips 
were first studied during World War II as a training tool for soldiers (Hovland, 
Lumsdaine & Sheffield, 1949), educators have recognized the power of audio-visual 
materials to capture the attention of learners, increase their motivation and enhance their 
learning experience. Both the content and the technology have developed considerably 
since that time, increasing the availability and the value of A/V materials in classrooms. 
Content has developed from instructional television (ITV) of the 1950s and 1960s, which 
allowed replay of taped lectures, through educational television (ETV), intended to 
complement classroom instruction rather than compete with it (Corporation for Public 

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Broadcasting, 2004) to educational standards-based videos designed specifically as 
supplemental classroom tools. Delivery technologies have also advanced, from filmstrips 
to cable television, to the versatility of VCRs, DVDs and laserdiscs. Finally, with the 
advent of digital technology, the field is evolving to newer and ever-greater potentials of 
adaptability in delivery.
The use of educational video and television in classrooms has risen steadily over 
the past 20 to 30 years, according to a series of studies conducted by the Corporation for 
Public Broadcasting. These surveys measured both patterns of use and teacher attitudes 
and expectations for outcomes. Not only is this technology widely used, according to the 
most recent study, but it is also highly valued as a means of teaching more effectively and 
creatively (CPB, 1997).
Perhaps the most significant survey finding that supports the value of these 
multimedia tools is the direct relationship between frequency of use and perceived 
student achievement and motivation. Among frequent users (teachers who report using 
TV or video for two or more hours per week), two-thirds find that students learn more 
when TV or video is used, and close to 70% find that student motivation increases. More 
than half of frequent users also find that students use new vocabulary as a result of video 
use.
According to a summary of current research and educator surveys, educational 
television and video: 
• Reinforces reading and lecture material 
• Aids in the development of a common base of knowledge among students 
• Enhances student comprehension and discussion 
• Provides greater accommodation of diverse learning styles 
• Increases student motivation and enthusiasm 
• Promotes teacher effectiveness (CPB, 2004) 

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This paper will be exploring the theory and research supporting the educational 
use of video and its implications for classroom practice. Unless otherwise noted, “video” 
is used as a unifying term to refer to this range of multimedia, A/V content used in 
schools, whether delivered by VCR, DVD or digitally.