Use of Videos in Teaching and Learning: Creating Language Video Resources for British Sign Language (BSL)

Introduction

This chapter discusses the use of new video technologies in the teaching and learning of British Sign Language (BSL) harnessed within our higher education setting, with predominately hearing students. Before the mass availability of affordable, easy to use technology which made it possible to create, edit and share videos online, BSL teachers, and indeed teachers of any sign language, were reliant on static 2D images or written descriptions of signs to produce teaching resources for students to use outside the classroom. However, the growing availability of high definition video cameras, cheap storage media and file-sharing websites such as YouTube¹ has ushered in a revolution in the way in which resources for teachers and students of BSL can be created and shared. This chapter describes how one BSL teaching team at a university in the UK has exploited this new technology to create a virtual library of online resources for students of BSL, ranging from beginners to advanced level students, outlining some of the content of such videos for different learners. We describe the technology used in creating these videos, the practical issues which must be considered when filming. We also discuss some ethical issues with using such videos, including how to ensure privacy for students who submit videos for assessment, and how to ensure that the use of file-sharing websites complies with the institution’s policies on intellectual property rights and copyright. We conclude with some suggestions for future research in order to measure the impact that the use of video technology has on the experience of our learners, both as learning resources to support their classroom learning, and as a means of submitting their work for assessment. It is hoped that this chapter will encourage other teachers of sign languages to explore the possibilities offered by these new technologies and share their experiences and tips for exploiting them to their full potential.