ICT in Education

Feedback: Video analysis of a basketball lesson

Feedback

Overall the lesson was a success. All pupils had the opportunity to practise and develop their set shots and were able to capture and compare their performances using the laptop and software, a process that was greatly simplified through the use of the remote control.

Pupils’ awareness of the model criteria for the set shot increased and they were able to practise their personal evaluating skills, which led in most cases to the identification of appropriate areas for improvement.

In the teacher’s opinion the ICT served to enhance the learning and teaching of the lesson in the following ways:

  • The pupils were very motivated and excited about using the equipment.
  • It took very little time for them to become familiar with how to use it.
  • Because it was so simple to use the teacher was able spend most of the time working with the pupils practising and developing their set shot.
  • The pupils were able to see an extremely large image projected onto the wall and this made the analysis easier.
  • The image of the model performer was flipped so both the model and the pupil appeared to be performing the set shot in the same direction, making comparison easier.
  • The playback was set as a continuous loop so the clip could be viewed as many times as was required without the need to continually rewind it.
  • The playback speed could be slowed right down and there was no loss of quality or distortion when this was done, which often occurs with analogue video.
  • The model performance used was that of an NBA basketball star and the pupils seemed to find it even more motivating that they could see themselves beside a famous athlete.
  • Through use of the magnifier the pupils were able to focus in on specific areas such as the ball release.
  • The process was much quicker than with the traditional method of videoing (connecting to the TV and repeatedly rewinding it for analysis) which would have taken at least two periods with a class of this size.
  • It was also quicker because the clip is displayed almost instantaneously on the laptop and through the projector and the next clip can be gathered as the previous clip is being watched.
  • The remote control makes the whole process even simpler and the pupil/teacher can move away from the laptop but still be in control. The remote control can access the majority of the functions that can be performed using the laptop.
  • The software has a pre-roll facility, which ensures none of the action is missed. This means that the pupil/teacher does not have to choreograph the start of the capture with the exact start of the action, as you have to do with some other video capture software.
  • Previously recorded clips can be accessed instantaneously. There is no need rewind or fast forward through a tape to get to the desired clip.
  • The video clips can be archived to CD-ROM or DVD or emailed to the pupils very simply through the Dart Trainer programme.
  • There are numerous additional tools and functions that can be used to provide even more in-depth analysis.       

Pupils’ comments

The pupils also comment positively on the use of equipment and software:

  • They found it easy to use.
  • Most liked seeing themselves on a large scale and found this helped them to analyse their performance.
  • They liked being compared to the NBA sports star.
  • They felt they could get quite a detailed analysis of their performance.       


Advantages

The main advantage of the software is its ease of use. Within minutes of being introduced to it the pupils are confident in their ability to record and play back the images. Staff have been able to learn how to set it up and use the basic functions relatively quickly – even the technophobes in the department.

The pupils respond very positively to it. The speed of recording and analysing performance and the accessibility of the clips once they are on the laptop are excellent.

If you want to try the software before you buy it you can download a free 30-day trial from the Dartfish website. Finally, it has really motivated a number of the staff who have started to use it within the department. This has brought a fresh approach to their teaching and they are actively seeking ways to expand its use.

Disadvantages

The main disadvantages are the initial costs of the hardware and software. As staff are using it more and more the software and clips are really eating up the space on the hard drive, so a system of archiving and deleting clips will need to be put in place.

Initially, Mr Stanger had problems setting up the categories and arranging where to store clips. This can be time consuming, although the clips could always be organised afterwards; if they don’t need to be saved then it is not a problem at all. The only other disadvantage is the time spent setting up the equipment and packing it away, but the benefits of using this far outweigh the drawbacks.

What’s next?

The department has started to roll this out across the curriculum. In core PE classes it has started to be used as a teaching tool providing instant feedback on performance and to compare and contrast pupil performance to model performances.

In certificate PE classes it will be used in a similar manner to core PE but in addition provide a much more in-depth analysis of performance. Within Standard Grade it will also aid pupils to develop evaluating skills. In Higher and Intermediate 1 and 2 it will be used to help gather data for the internal assessments.