Recording Students in AR

It is impossible to catch everything that is going on in a classroom while you are teaching a lesson. A logical remedy would be to video record the class period. Years ago this was a big deal with regard to getting a camera and editing VHS tapes.  Now, shooting video is a daily happening as cell phones and tablets are equipped with apps or features to record and upload images at the speed-of-light.

We have all seen the not-so-flattering videos of teachers on You Tube, but it is a whole new ball game when it comes to recording students in the academic setting. Furthermore, if you are using the data for research, you need to be careful that you follow Human Subjects Protocols for social science research.  I will discuss this more in a future blog post.

Each educational setting is different; you need to follow the rules of your school corporation when you record anything (digital or audio). You will need to secure permission from all the stakeholders - administrators, parents/guardians and children. Typically, in educational action research, the only people who will view the recording would be other colleagues that are part of the study and maybe a university professor. The recordings should be kept in a secure password protected location (i.e. hard drive).

Please consider this information as friendly advise and not the final word on the use of recordings - the penalties for violating research ethics are severe.  Also, note that in some schools, video taping is strictly forbidden.

Okay, let's say that you want to publish your study in a journal. Keep in mind that there are protocols and permissions that need to be followed and in most cases the children's names have been changed.