In today’s classrooms, using technology isn’t just a nice extra—it’s a must-have. With schools facing the challenges of remote learning, different learning styles, and changing dynamics, video activities have become an important tool for teachers. While watching videos can be passive, activities that effectively use video teaching strategies engage students in active learning.
Bert Bower, CEO and founder of Teachers’ Curriculum Institute (TCI), champions the transformative potential of video when used thoughtfully. “I don’t want kids sitting in a dark room, passively watching videos—that’s not learning,” says Bower. Instead, video activities should demand interaction, critical thinking, and creativity. When students play an active role in video learning, it can provide a whole new way to engage them.
Why Video Teaching Strategies Are Essential in K-12 Education
The traditional lecture-based model, where teachers present information to passive students, does not meet all of the needs of today’s diverse classrooms. When designed with interaction at their core, video activities allow for deeper engagement, visual literacy, and differentiated instruction, meeting students where they are. By leveraging video teaching strategies, educators can actively engage students, using videos as a powerful learning tool. This approach involves stopping a video every few minutes and asking students to reflect on and build off of what they’ve seen.
Here are four reasons why video activities are increasingly essential in the modern classroom:
1. Increases Student Engagement
Today’s students are digital natives, accustomed to absorbing information through multimedia formats like videos, interactive apps, and social media. A static textbook or lecture is often insufficient to capture their attention. Video activities cater to this shift by combining visual storytelling with interactive elements. Instead of just watching, students can interact with videos by solving problems and making connections. This engages students emotionally and cognitively, making the learning process more memorable.
2. Enhances Critical Thinking
Effective video teaching goes beyond just showing content; it integrates active learning elements that push students to think critically. Video activities should prompt immediate reflection, discussion, and problem-solving. For example, in one TCI video activity about the Great Depression, students simulate the stock market crash by placing bets and experiencing the devastation of losing everything. They are not merely passive recipients of information but are required to engage with the material on a deeper level.
“When students experience an event like the Great Depression through a simulation, they develop an emotional connection to the material that drives their curiosity,” says Bower. “It’s not just about understanding the facts—it’s about understanding the human impact, and that’s where real learning happens.”
3. Supports Differentiation and Accessibility
One of the greatest strengths of video activities is the ability to accommodate diverse learners. Whether a student excels in visual, auditory, or kinesthetic learning, video can bridge the gap. Additionally, TCI’s video activities are paired with interactive components—like fill-in-the-blank questions, drag-and-drop exercises, and group discussions—that ensure every student participates meaningfully, regardless of their learning style.
Bower highlights the accessibility of TCI’s approach: “Some students struggle with reading the textbook, but when the same concepts are presented through video, they suddenly ‘get it.’ We make sure the main ideas from the text are covered in the videos, and we give students multiple ways to access and engage with the content.”
4. Prepares Students for the Future
As the world becomes more digitally connected, students need to develop digital literacy and the ability to learn through various formats. Video activities help students practice critical skills such as interpreting visual media, analyzing content, and applying it in real-world scenarios. Incorporating video into the curriculum prepares students for a future where digital fluency is essential.
By incorporating video, educators are aiming to enhance traditional teaching rather than replace it. Video activities offer students dynamic, multimodal learning experiences.
The Future of Video in the Classroom
The pandemic further emphasized the importance of flexible tools like video. When instruction moved online, students had even more experiences with video. However, not all of those experiences actively engaged students.
“We believe in visual literacy, but we don’t believe in the kind of visuals where students just sit back,” said Bower. “We believe students have become visually numb… You’ve got to challenge them.”
While teachers have been using video in the classroom for decades, the capabilities of interactive videos have increased. By leveraging tools like XR and AI, teachers can use video activities to provide students with a wide range of interactive experiences.
“I think video is the future of education, but not in the way most people think,” says Bower. “It’s not about replacing teachers—it’s about giving them new tools to connect with their students in ways we’ve never been able to before. It’s about bringing the world into the classroom and making it real.”
Making Video Teaching Interactive and Engaging
The emphasis on interaction separates effective video teaching strategies from the traditional use of videos in the classroom. Simply watching a video passively isn’t effective for fostering deep learning, so video activities are thoughtfully designed to engage students at every step. Videos can be divided into short, manageable segments, each followed by interactive challenges, group discussions, or problem-solving tasks to keep students actively involved.
For example, in one of TCI’s middle school social studies video activities, students “fly” over the Silk Road in a simulation inspired by Disney’s Soarin’ Around the World ride. Before taking the virtual journey, students answer questions to earn tickets, and once on the “ride,” they encounter various challenges that reflect the real historical dangers of traveling the ancient trade routes. They learn not just through watching but through experiencing.
“We stop the video every few minutes and ask students to reflect, create, or solve a problem based on what they’ve just seen. That’s where the magic happens,” Bower explains. “It’s not just about watching; it’s about thinking and doing.”
Video activities are no longer just a supplement to classroom instruction—they are becoming an essential component of effective teaching, helping students connect with the material in meaningful and lasting ways. When you combine traditional teaching with powerful video interactions, you get something magical. You get students who are not just learning—they’re excited about learning.
