@TeacherToolkit
Ross Morrison McGill founded @TeacherToolkit in 2007, and today, he is one of the ‘most followed educators’on social media in the world. In 2015, he was nominated as one of the ‘500 Most Influential People in Britain’ by The Sunday Times as a result of…
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Are 360-degree classroom videos the future of teacher training?
Immersive 360-degree classroom videos increase a sense of presence but do not improve teaching quality assessments or observation skills (Gold & Winscheid, 2020).
The Role of Video in Teacher Development
Over the years, I’ve used traditional video recorders, observation software such as IRIS and ONVU; I also liked using the in-ear microphone hardware to observe outside of the classroom space. A few years ago, I noticed ClassVR – have been offering virtual reality lessons for students – started to explore 360 observations for teachers.
For over a decade, I’ve advocated teachers having access to a video portfolio for training, and for job interview, questioning whether a one-off observation during an interview is a valid measure of teaching ability. I still dream of a day when we have one organisation, funded by the Department for Education, to create a national portfolio for all teachers.
Videoing oneself in the classroom is a highly developmental process, however, I recognise that there is increasing surveillance on some teachers. The key questions are: (a) Do observations improve teaching? (b) How long should observations last? (c) What training do observers receive, and does this improve their ability to assess teaching?
Immersion vs. Observation: What Does the Research Say?
Classroom video observations have been widely used for teacher training, offering opportunities to reflect on pedagogy and classroom management. With advances in technology, 360-degree videos have been introduced as a way to create a more immersive learning experience. The assumption is that deeper immersion leads to better observational skills and enhanced professional learning.
A research study (n = 59) compared traditional 16:9 classroom videos with 360-degree videos to assess their impact on teachers’ sense of presence, emotions, workload, and ability to evaluate teaching quality. While 360-degree videos provided a more immersive experience, they did not improve teachers’ ability to identify key classroom interactions or evaluate lessons more effectively.
However, the study found that while teachers using 360-degree videos reported a greater sense of presence, their ability to notice key teaching moments and assess lesson quality remained unchanged. Immersion alone does not improve teacher training.
Teachers require structured reflection, guided questioning, and clear observation frameworks to develop professional insight. Without these, the video format has little impact on how well teachers can evaluate classroom practice.
The study revealed that even with increased presence, teachers watching 360-degree videos failed to identify more critical classroom interactions than those using traditional formats. This suggests that how teachers engage with video is more important than the format itself.
Making Video Observation More Effective
- Use structured observation frameworks – Teachers should follow specific protocols when watching classroom videos, focusing on questioning techniques, classroom management, or student engagement.
- Encourage reflective discussion – Watching videos alone is not enough; discussions with peers and mentors help teachers deepen their understanding.
- Combine different video formats – Using 360-degree videos alongside traditional recordings, lesson transcripts, and live observations creates a well-rounded professional development model.
- Focus on key teaching moments – Teachers should be trained to identify the most significant classroom interactions to improve their reflective practice.
CPD questions for teachers:
- How are classroom videos currently used in professional development at your school?
- Could structured observation frameworks improve how teachers engage with video-based CPD?
- Do teachers find immersive video experiences helpful, or do they create an illusion of engagement?
- How can coaching and discussion improve the impact of video-based learning?
- Should schools invest in 360-degree video technology, or are traditional videos just as effective?
- What types of classroom interactions are most important to observe and analyse?
- Could AI and video analysis tools enhance teachers’ ability to reflect on classroom footage?
- Should trainee teachers be given more opportunities to record and analyse their own teaching?
- How can schools use video to bridge the gap between theory and classroom practice?
- Would combining 360-degree videos with live lesson observations create a more effective training model?
The research concludes:
… a 360-degree classroom video clip leads to a more intensive feeling of being present in the situation, but not to more intensive emotions, higher workload, different classroom observations or a different rater agreement about the shown teaching quality.
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