LaunchPad's Video Assignment Tool

kathryn_johnson
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LaunchPad’s unique video assignment tool enhances my online teaching by facilitating student interaction with primary source archival video footage material. The video assignment tool is simple to use.  First, I embed a video and then create a social media-like discussion about the video.  Students respond to my prompts.  They may submit general comments at the beginning of the video.  They also have the option to stop the film and post a comment directly related to that point in the footage.  This feature is my favorite because students make poignant observations about particular arguments at that moment in the film.

 

Students earn full credit on the assignment if they submit the minimum number of replies stipulated in the assignment.  I appreciate that the auto-grading function saves me time.  I quickly review the student comments, ensure the posts are on-topic, and meet my length expectations. 

 

I use it twice in an online section of American History Since 1865.  One assignment asks students to compare and contrast an official U.S. government film about Japanese American internment with a website, which contains numerous primary sources about Camp Harmony.  The second assignment asks students to analyze Dr. King’s arguments in his speech “Why I Am Opposed To The Vietnam War”. 

 

Students tell me that they enjoy these assignments because of how the video assignment tools allows them to interact with the footage while also being able to read everyone else’s comments.  I enjoy this function because I am continuously amazed with their insightful observations.

 

How are you using the video assignment tool?  Are you willing to share any assignment directions?

 

Here are the directions for two assignments I mentioned above:  

 

  1. Japanese American Internment

Before you watch the video, first explore the Camp Harmony website exhibit about the experience of Japanese American internment.  Here is the link: https://www.lib.washington.edu/specialcollections/collections/exhibits/harmony/exhibit

 

The Camp Harmony exhibit contains several primary source images and explanations of what life was like at Camp Harmony.

 

Then watch the 9-minute video based on government archival footage about Japanese American internment.

Japanese Relocation. Office of War Information – Bureau of Motion Pictures.

https://youtu.be/BK6ZtcLocaA

 

Post at least three separate comments comparing and contrasting what you see in the video with the information from the website.

 

 Length expectation: Each post should contain at least a full paragraph.

 

Please note your comments will look like social media postings so you can respond to each other as well as responding to the video.

 

You can also set the “time code” for where your comments apply.  For example, if you want to comment about a specific image shown 5 minutes in, you can adjust that.

 

 

  1. Dr. King’s “Why I Am Opposed To The War In Vietnam”

Watch this video of a famous speech by Dr. Martin Luther King.  This video is almost 23 minutes long.  Post at least three comments to this video.  Each comment must be at least a full paragraph.  Consider critiquing his argument and supporting evidence.  Consider connecting his comments to evidence from the textbook.  Or just explain your own thoughts about the relevance and lasting importance of his message in this particular speech.

Martin Luther King, Jr.  “Why I Am Opposed To The War In Vietnam

https://youtu.be/b80Bsw0UG-U

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About the Author
Kathryn Johnson teaches U.S. History and World History at Northern Michigan University. Due to a laptop initiative at her school, Kathryn has been using a partially flipped classroom that brings a degree of livelihood to her teaching.