Dartfish TeamPro Teacher version

classroom use

Context

Dartfish was initially trialled with Year 8 boys and girls in a series of high jump lessons. The main feature used was the delay function. The pupils completed their jump and proceeded over to the computer. Immediately after the jump, a coaching point was given for them to identify on the video. This not only focussed the pupil, but also the teacher on looking for good practice and areas for improvement. It was quickly realised that using a projector would help the pupils and teacher see their jump more easily. The delay feature proved to be an excellent introduction for the software into the lesson planning, as the teachers could easily see where they could apply it. Following further training on the software, by a Dartfish representative, the staff were able to see the immense potential of the package and the use was broadened to cover other areas of the curriculum.

Labour saving aspects

The library feature enables easy video indexing of the clips as they are recorded. The ‘Pre-roll’ feature, enables chosen events to be recorded rather than having to record everything and then re-edit the entire sequence.

The remote control means that the teacher is not tied to being next to the laptop so introducing a great level of flexibility to be able to record the video clips while still being involved with the lesson.

Learning outcomes

Dartfish ProSuite has the potential to enhance the learning outcomes of any PE lesson, by allowing the students to self-assess their performance and identify their next steps.

Student Response

The response from the pupils was fantastic. The ability to see themselves as they crossed the high jump bar meant they could instantly self-assess their technique, creating their own points for improvement. It also helped them to focus on the teacher’s comments and visibly see what was intended by the advice. One unexpected discussion which arose was the use of video evidence in sport, as some of the pupils were convinced they had crossed the bar without touching, but the teacher had told them that they had. On watching the video they questioned the decision. So, the discussion arose about the use of video and in which sports they thought could and could not use it. After a heated debate, the decision was still split over football, but all in favour of athletics.

Special Needs

The software does not specifically address the issues surrounding children with special learning needs. However, it offers the opportunity to boost the self-confidence of all the pupils by seeing their performances used as exemplar materials to their peers.

IWB Suitability

The software could easily be used on an interactive whiteboard for navigation and editing the videos. In this review, it was more practical to use only the projector on to the wall of the gym; this enabled a larger image to be viewed by the whole class with the teacher on the far side of the room.

Assessment and pupil tracking opportunities

The students’ own self-assessment is the most powerful way of leading improvement, coupled with the expertise of the teacher to offer coaching points.

The video clips can provide a complete record of achievement over the time of the student in the school and exemplify progress.

The Media Book feature enables an eportfolio of chosen videos to be cleverly combined to produce a professional record for the teachers and students, which can then be shared with peers, parents, other schools and exam boards as coursework.

The video tagging and search feature in the library allows the entire database of video clips to be searched for using either a student’s name or particular aspect of performance. Therefore, one could search for a certain pupil and their performance in gymnastics from Year 7 to 11, so tracking their development; without this software, this would be an extremely difficult task, highlighting its functionality.