Explore It! Professional Development Videos
The Explore It! Professional
Development Videos series was
developed by Education
Development Center, Inc., for use by trainers of out-of-school activity leaders.
Guiding youth in their open explorations with materials is a very challenging part of inquiry. Knowing when to step back and observe and when to provide guidance requires closely observing the behavior and talk of youth as they manipulate materials. Understanding what is genuine exploration and what are random manipulations requires careful judgment based on reflective practice. Studying video clips of youth in the act of exploring can be an engaging way of interpreting behavior and providing a common set of experiences for educators to discuss productive ways of guiding this behavior.
Explore It! Professional Development Videos comprises two sets of three videos that show youth ages 8–14 years in informal explorations. Videos range from 20–45 minutes. In one series of videos, an after-school activity leader leads youth through three balancing activities. In the other series, one of the designers of the Explore It! out-of-school curriculum leads youth through activities with balls on tracks.
The two sets of videos have been minimally edited, allowing viewers to get a sense of the whole context and a more complete picture of what the youth are doing. There is no voiceover so viewers can develop their own interpretations of what is happening. During viewing of these videos, one can observe how youth generate questions, explore collaboratively, and carry out systematic observations. These videos can be used in study groups, workshops, and professional development institutes. Accompanying each video segment is a transcript of the behavior and talk with suggested discussion questions. The Web site http://cse.edc.org/products/npassprofdevguide/ provides a framework for viewing videos and when and how they can be used in workshops and institutes.
Exploring Balancing Toys
An activity leader in an after-school program leads youth through three activities from the Explore It! curriculum guide “Balancing Toys.”
Part 1: Balancing a Model Body (26 min)—The youth try balancing a model of a human body in different ways. download transcript
Part 2: Balancing an Acrobat (36 min)—The youth are challenged to find a way to balance a model of an acrobat. download transcript
Part 3: Designing and Creating a Mobile (13 min)—The youth assemble a simple mobile. download transcript
These clips are useful for reflecting on the way an activity leader introduces a new topic, begins each activity, and carries out the activities with youth.
Colliding Balls
One of the developers of the Explore It! curriculum leads youth through three activities from the Explore It! curriculum guide “Colliding Balls.”
Part 1: Balls on a U-Shaped Track (46 min)—The youth explore what happens when marbles and other kinds of small balls collide with each other. download transcript [pdf]
Part 2: Comparing Balls of Different Weights (45 min)—The youth discuss and then explore how the weight of a ball affects collisions. download transcript [pdf]
Part 3: Measuring Bounciness (36 min)—The youth discuss and carry out tests to see how high different balls bounce. These videos are useful for discussing how to carry out introductions and follow-up discussions for hands-on activities. download transcript [pdf]
These clips are useful for reflecting on the way an activity leader introduces a new topic, begins each activity, and carries out the activities with youth and for viewing how discussions are conducted.
To order a copy of one or both of the DVDs above, please fill out the attached PDF order form and send it, with a check for the appropriate amount (payable to Education Development Center, Inc.), to: Kerry Ouellet |
If you have questions about this product, contact Bernie Zubrowki at bzubrowski@edc.org
If you have questions about ordering, contact Kerry Ouellet at kouellet@edc.org.
