Video is an effective visual learning tool most likely appropriate to be used in key learning areas such as Science, SOSE, The Arts, Health and Physical Education and Technology. Videos could be useful as a digital pedagogical tool for students to visualise a science experiment; to view historical events such as the embedded clip from YouTube for students to be able to enhance their comprehension through visualisation of trench warfare in World War I; to view a finished piece of artwork and to watch an artistic technique modelled; to view dance movements for productions in The Arts; to watch a game or a sporting technique modelled for Health and Physical Education; and to have an example modelled for Technology. Given that a huge stumbling block for learners of all ages is requiring modelling of the techniques (micro teaching) to the finished assignment or assessment task (macro teaching), videos can play an integral role to student engagement and students' feelings of having the resources necessary to complete the task as noted by Marzano and Pickering (1997). It can be used as a chunking strategy to model tasks for learners but most effectively as a visual pedagogical tool.
The following is an example of a World War I video showing the conditions and reality of trench warfare. It is a more effective tool due its multi-modality than just viewing a picture.
Reference: Marzano, Robert J., Pickering, Debra J., et al. (1997). Dimensions of Learning Teacher's Manual, 2nd ed. Aurora, Colorado: McREL
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