5 Ways to Use Slow Motion Video in Science Classrooms

This post was inspired by a conversation that I had with a high school science teacher.  Before becoming an Instructional Technology Specialist, I was an English teacher.  But, I always had a love of science.  In fact, my major in college for 2 years was Microbiology!  Because of my love for science, I am always looking for ways to integrate technology in that classroom.

If you happen to be in a BYOT district, there are many easily accessible ways to provide slow motion video to students.  If your district is not BYOT, you will need to provide cameras capable of slow motion or devices (such as iPads) with cameras.

Below are some suggested apps that you can use for slow motion video (these are not endorsements nor am I compensated by these entities):

Note:  On this blog, I will always focus on free tools since I believe that cost should never be a barrier for student learning.

1.  (iOS) Ubersense 

Ubersense is a free tool that allows students to film video and then slow that video using an intuitive touch wheel.  The app also allows students to export video to Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, email, or a file.  The stated use of the app is for coaching a sport, but it works fabulously as a slow motion video app.

2.  (Android) Coach's Eye 

Coach's Eye is another free tool designed for sports.  It allows students to film a video and then slow playback using a touch wheel.  It has complete export functions to all major services as well as email and file export.

3.  (Mac and PC) VLC 

Desktops/laptops are not ideal for capturing video.  They are however useful for editing video.  If students can record video with another device and import the file to the computer, the open source video player VLC allows videos to be played as slow as .13 the original speed.  

I recommend using an app instead of a desktop or laptop if possible because of ease of use.

5 Ways to Use Slow Motion Video in Science

1.  Film an experiment for lab report.

Science is very hands-on.  Students constantly conduct experiments, and some of these experiments involve processes that happen so rapidly that they cannot be perceived by the naked eye.  Using slow motion video, students can observe exactly what occurs when a hydrogen ballon ignites, for instance, and then write the observation into a lab report.

2.  Film a class experiment to share.

Science classes are often built around lab days.  When a student misses a lab day, she often has to come in and conduct the experiment alone.  Oftentimes, the experiment is impossible to replicate alone.  With slow motion video uploaded to a site with sharing capabilities, the student can watch the experiment and stay caught up with the class.

3.  Film an experiment at home.

Science has such broad applications that, once students learn a concept, they will see it occurring all around them.  Imagine if a student learns about density and polarity of fluids and then watches as her mother mixes an egg and vegetable oil to bake brownies.  She can grab her phone and film the mixing bowl and share it with the teacher.  A simple life task, cooking, becomes a teaching moment when the teacher is able to share the video with the class.

4.  Analyze technique.

The success or failure of many science experiments is due to the very precise measurements and steps of an experiment.  With video, a teacher can slow down steps that were done incorrectly for the class and then discuss the outcome.  Students often learn more from failure than from success.

5.  Share experiments across the world.

With the ability to share video on social networks, imagine if your classroom challenged another classroom somewhere in the world to create videos of experiments.  Your students could write the instructions for an experiment that involves a very quick reaction that is not observable to the naked eye.  The partner classroom could carry out the experiment and film it to share with your students.  The whole process could be reversed for your classroom, with the partner class providing the experiment and your students filming.

How do you use slow motion video in your classroom?