Enhancing Teacher Reflection Through Video Analysis: Insights from Tara Kaczorowski

In a recent presentation, Tara Kaczorowski, the Executive Director of Education Programs at Daemen University, shared her extensive experience with video-enhanced reflection in teacher education. With a background in STEM and special education, Tara has been utilizing video analysis tools since 2018 to improve student reflection during field experiences and coursework.

This blog post summarizes her key insights on the use of video analysis, particularly through using Vosaic. Throughout the post you'll see timestamp references of the covered topics.

The Importance of Video Analysis in Teacher Education

Tara emphasized that video analysis is a well-established practice in special education, and its application is growing in teacher preparation programs. She noted that relying solely on memory during debriefs can lead to misunderstandings between supervisors and teacher candidates. Video evidence allows for more accurate discussions about teaching practices, enabling deeper reflection and improved instructional skills (05:02).

Implementation of Video Analysis at Daemen University and Illinois State University

Tara shared her experiences from two different institutions: Daemen University and Illinois State University (ISU). At ISU, they implemented remote supervision using video during the pandemic, allowing supervisors to evaluate teacher candidates without being physically present in classrooms. This approach involved 471 students across 248 unique placements, and the feedback indicated that video analysis improved the quality of evaluations and reflections (03:15).

At Daemen University, Tara has continued to build on this foundation, focusing on how students tag their videos and what they notice about their teaching practices. The process has shifted from being teacher-directed to student-directed, where candidates record their lessons, tag significant moments, and reflect on their teaching before supervisors review the footage (09:42).

Benefits of Video-Enhanced Reflection

Tara highlighted several benefits of using video for reflection:

• Time and Flexibility: Video analysis saves time for both supervisors and teacher candidates, allowing for asynchronous feedback and the ability to record multiple lessons (19:07).
• Objective Evaluations: Video evidence provides a more objective view of teaching practices, reducing reliance on memory and subjective judgments (20:27).
• Deeper Reflection: Candidates often focus on their shortcomings during reflections, but video allows them to recognize successful moments in their teaching, fostering a more balanced view of their performance (21:07).
• Improved Debriefing Quality: The quality of debriefs has improved significantly, as candidates have time to reflect on their videos and prepare for discussions with their supervisors (22:12).

If you don't have a Vosaic account for video-based feedback and student self-reflection, you can start with a free trial today.

Challenges and Future Directions

Despite the numerous benefits, Tara acknowledged some challenges, such as supervisors missing the in-person relationship-building aspect of traditional supervision. However, many expressed a desire to continue using video analysis even post-pandemic (25:41).

Looking ahead, Tara plans to further explore the use of AI features in Vosaic to enhance the reflection process. This includes analyzing teacher talk time versus student talk time, which can provide valuable insights into classroom dynamics (37:10).

Conclusion

Tara Kaczorowski's presentation on video-enhanced reflection underscores the transformative potential of video analysis in teacher education. By providing concrete evidence of teaching practices, video analysis not only enhances reflection but also fosters a culture of continuous improvement among future educators. As institutions continue to adapt to new technologies, the integration of video analysis tools like Vosaic will likely play a crucial role in shaping effective teaching practices in the classroom.

For those interested in exploring video analysis further, Tara encourages reaching out for guidance and sharing experiences, as collaboration can lead to more effective implementation in educational settings.