Using Self-video-based Discourse in Training Physics Teachers

Videotaping is widely accepted as a useful tool for teachers’ education and learning. Analyzing their own teaching videos was found to be especially valuable for those teachers who became aware of more relevant components of teaching and learning and induced changes in a wide range of their pedagogical habits. From another perspective, educational reformers pointed out that increasing teachers’ engagement in peer discourse is linked to greater student achievements, an innovative climate and improved educational reform implementation and sustainability. Here we describe a study of an approach designed to develop physics and mathematics educators’ proficiency in conducting a peer video based didactic discourse. Our preliminary results indicate that participation in training workshops according to this approach enhanced the participants’ level of awareness [1] and abilities to focus their attention on subject matter (physics and mathematics and their teaching) oriented issues.