Guidelines on the Use of Videos in Instruction
Please see Ms. Council for the Copyright for Educators Responsibilities reprinted from
Copyright for Schools: A Practical Guide, 5th edition, by Carol Simpson, Linworth Publishing, c.2010
Teachers are expected to carefully plan and to exercise professional judgment and discretion in selecting videos to use in classroom instruction. Videos[1] should be used only on a limited basis in the classroom.
In making this selection, teachers should use the following guidelines:
A. Instructional Objectives
1. The video content must support the North Carolina Standard Course of Study (NCSCOS).
2. The video content must have a connection to the particular curriculum of the specific class in which the video will be shown.
3. As a rule, teachers should use appropriate excerpts rather than showing an entire video.
4. Teachers should plan preliminary and follow-up activities to enhance the curricular connection.
B. Administrative Approval, Parental Permission, and Age Requirements
1. The teacher must use the Motion Picture Association of America’s (“MPAA”) ratings[2] in selecting age-appropriate videos.
2. No video with a rating of “X” or “NC-17” may be shown in any school.
3. “R” rated videos may not be shown in elementary or middle schools.
4. “PG-13” rated videos may not be shown in elementary schools.
5. Before showing a PG-13 rated video in middle schools or an R-rated video in high schools, the teacher must:
a. Have approval from the principal or principals designee, and
b. Have a signed permission slip from the student’s parent or guardian.
6. Alternative activities must be available for any student whose parent denies permission or does not sign the permission form.
7. For a non-rated video that addresses sensitive or controversial topics or that contains profanity, or depicts violence, sexually explicit behavior or drug use, the teacher must secure permission from the principal and permission from the student’s parent or guardian prior to allowing the student to view the video.
8. The principal will provide the teacher with the approved Video Usage Parent Permission form.
Using Videos to Enhance Lesson Design
The term “video” refers to any audiovisual format, such as film, videocassette recording, or DVD.
Because students do not come equipped to learn in the same way, a variety of instructional tools and teaching techniques must be planned and implemented by the effective teacher.
Videos- an effective, invaluable, and forceful medium- can provide context and clarity. They can make the difference between effective learning and mundane lesson presentations. The popular format is not intended to supplant the teacher, but to supplement instruction.
In order for videos to be beneficial to instruction, video programs must be selected that:
Help students understand content more clearly than words alone permit.
Promote interest in subjects by adding color, energy, and clarity.
Improve the effectiveness of teaching and learning within and outside the classroom.
Broaden the educational experiences within a classroom.
Illustrate visual literacy and critical viewing skills through the use of sound, animation, dramatic reenactments, live footage, camera angles, music, shot composition, actors, and other special effects.
Depict complex or abstract concepts through sight and sound.
Deliver lasting images and ideas.
Take students on “arm-chair” field trips to faraway places in space and time.
Provide an economical way to communicate information and ideas, NOT just entertain.
Increase the speed of communication.
Motion Picture Association of America
(MPAA) Ratings
Check the equipment- monitor, DVD player, remote control.
Review the Standard Course of Study for content information.
Use videos for instructional purposes – not as part of a reward system, fundraiser, or as a babysitter.
Check out the rating system.
Notify the parents if the rating may cause concern.
Send a letter to parents, if needed.
Provide alternative instructional activities for students who do not have permission to view.
Who is the audience?
What is the instructional objective and how does the video support the objective?
What is the connection to the Standard Course of Study?
What is the learning context in which the video is shown?
What parts of the video are relevant to the curriculum?
What do students need to know and be able to do?
Is the video selected at a level appropriate for the students?
Is the use of the video well thought-out?
Should the full-feature video be shown?
How much of the video should be shown at any given time?
Has the video been viewed from beginning to ending?
What do you want to communicate by using the video?
At what point in the lesson plan will the video be used?
What new concepts and vocabulary will students need to learn?
What are the extended activities that will enhance students’ comprehension and reinforce new concepts?
How is student learning evaluated?
What are learning activities that can be interspersed throughout the video?
Provide a focus for viewing.
Define clearly what students are looking for in the video.
Determine student expectations to be gained from viewing.
Go over any advanced concepts or vocabulary.
Leave students with a charge, causing them to be active learners.
Watch the video with the students to suggest the importance of viewing (negates the belief that video is a passive, entertaining feature).
Show only key, main segments.
Check for comprehension.
Highlight or underscore a point.
Solicit inferences from students.
Predict an outcome.
Define words based on contextual clues.
Make connections to other topics or “real world applications.”
Control the viewing pace and amount of information to be analyzed.
Apply what they see on the screen to real life paths.
Illuminate dramatic devices, such as foreshadowing, characterization, etc.
Enhance students’ observation and memory skills.
[1] The term “video” refers to any audiovisual format, such as a film, videocassette recording, or DVD.
[2] The Motion Picture Association of America’s (MPAA) ratings are:
§ G – General audiences: all ages admitted. The content of this video contains nothing in theme or language which would be offensive to parents whose younger children view the film. There is no nudity, no depictions of sex or drug use, and no profanity; violence is minimal.
§ PG – Parental Guidance Suggested: some material may not be suitable for children. This film may contain some profanity, violence, and brief nudity. There is no depiction of drug use.
§ PG-13 – Parents strongly cautioned: some material may be inappropriate for children under age 13. The film may depict drug use, violence, non-sexually oriented nudity, sensuality, and contain one sexually-derived expletive in a non-sexual context
§ R– Restricted: Under age 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian. The film contains adult material and may contain profanity, extreme violence, nudity within sensual scenes, more than one sexually-derived word as an expletive, one sexually-derived word in a sexual context, or drug abuse.
§ NC-17– No under age 17 admitted. The film contains violence, sex, aberrant behavior, drug abuse or other elements that most parents would consider off-limits for their children.
The above information is summarized from the web site of the Motion Picture Association of America.
Please see Ms. Council for the Copyright for Educators Responsibilities reprinted from
Copyright for Schools: A Practical Guide, 5th edition, by Carol Simpson, Linworth Publishing, c.2010
Teachers are expected to carefully plan and to exercise professional judgment and discretion in selecting videos to use in classroom instruction. Videos[1] should be used only on a limited basis in the classroom.
In making this selection, teachers should use the following guidelines:
A. Instructional Objectives
1. The video content must support the North Carolina Standard Course of Study (NCSCOS).
2. The video content must have a connection to the particular curriculum of the specific class in which the video will be shown.
3. As a rule, teachers should use appropriate excerpts rather than showing an entire video.
4. Teachers should plan preliminary and follow-up activities to enhance the curricular connection.
B. Administrative Approval, Parental Permission, and Age Requirements
1. The teacher must use the Motion Picture Association of America’s (“MPAA”) ratings[2] in selecting age-appropriate videos.
2. No video with a rating of “X” or “NC-17” may be shown in any school.
3. “R” rated videos may not be shown in elementary or middle schools.
4. “PG-13” rated videos may not be shown in elementary schools.
5. Before showing a PG-13 rated video in middle schools or an R-rated video in high schools, the teacher must:
a. Have approval from the principal or principals designee, and
b. Have a signed permission slip from the student’s parent or guardian.
6. Alternative activities must be available for any student whose parent denies permission or does not sign the permission form.
7. For a non-rated video that addresses sensitive or controversial topics or that contains profanity, or depicts violence, sexually explicit behavior or drug use, the teacher must secure permission from the principal and permission from the student’s parent or guardian prior to allowing the student to view the video.
8. The principal will provide the teacher with the approved Video Usage Parent Permission form.
Using Videos to Enhance Lesson Design
The term “video” refers to any audiovisual format, such as film, videocassette recording, or DVD.
Because students do not come equipped to learn in the same way, a variety of instructional tools and teaching techniques must be planned and implemented by the effective teacher.
Videos- an effective, invaluable, and forceful medium- can provide context and clarity. They can make the difference between effective learning and mundane lesson presentations. The popular format is not intended to supplant the teacher, but to supplement instruction.
In order for videos to be beneficial to instruction, video programs must be selected that:
Help students understand content more clearly than words alone permit.
Promote interest in subjects by adding color, energy, and clarity.
Improve the effectiveness of teaching and learning within and outside the classroom.
Broaden the educational experiences within a classroom.
Illustrate visual literacy and critical viewing skills through the use of sound, animation, dramatic reenactments, live footage, camera angles, music, shot composition, actors, and other special effects.
Depict complex or abstract concepts through sight and sound.
Deliver lasting images and ideas.
Take students on “arm-chair” field trips to faraway places in space and time.
Provide an economical way to communicate information and ideas, NOT just entertain.
Increase the speed of communication.
Motion Picture Association of America
(MPAA) Ratings
- PG-Parental Guidance: Parental guidance suggested. Contains some material not suitable for children. There may be some profanity and some violence. There is no drug use or explicit sex.
- PG-13-Parental Guidance 13: Parents are strongly cautioned that some materials are unsuitable for children under 13. Drug use would require this rating, as would the single use of a sexually-derived expletive.
- R-Restricted: Anyone under the age of 17 will require an accompanying adult or adult guardian. May include hard language, drug use, tough violence, nudity within sexual scenes, and the use of more than one expletive.
- NC-17: No one 17 and under admitted.
- Gather the right resources.
Check the equipment- monitor, DVD player, remote control.
- Plan thoughtfully.
Review the Standard Course of Study for content information.
Use videos for instructional purposes – not as part of a reward system, fundraiser, or as a babysitter.
Check out the rating system.
Notify the parents if the rating may cause concern.
Send a letter to parents, if needed.
Provide alternative instructional activities for students who do not have permission to view.
- Ask questions.
Who is the audience?
What is the instructional objective and how does the video support the objective?
What is the connection to the Standard Course of Study?
What is the learning context in which the video is shown?
What parts of the video are relevant to the curriculum?
What do students need to know and be able to do?
Is the video selected at a level appropriate for the students?
Is the use of the video well thought-out?
Should the full-feature video be shown?
How much of the video should be shown at any given time?
Has the video been viewed from beginning to ending?
What do you want to communicate by using the video?
At what point in the lesson plan will the video be used?
What new concepts and vocabulary will students need to learn?
What are the extended activities that will enhance students’ comprehension and reinforce new concepts?
How is student learning evaluated?
What are learning activities that can be interspersed throughout the video?
- Prepare students.
Provide a focus for viewing.
Define clearly what students are looking for in the video.
Determine student expectations to be gained from viewing.
Go over any advanced concepts or vocabulary.
Leave students with a charge, causing them to be active learners.
- Position yourself.
Watch the video with the students to suggest the importance of viewing (negates the belief that video is a passive, entertaining feature).
Show only key, main segments.
Check for comprehension.
Highlight or underscore a point.
Solicit inferences from students.
Predict an outcome.
Define words based on contextual clues.
Make connections to other topics or “real world applications.”
Control the viewing pace and amount of information to be analyzed.
Apply what they see on the screen to real life paths.
Illuminate dramatic devices, such as foreshadowing, characterization, etc.
Enhance students’ observation and memory skills.
[1] The term “video” refers to any audiovisual format, such as a film, videocassette recording, or DVD.
[2] The Motion Picture Association of America’s (MPAA) ratings are:
§ G – General audiences: all ages admitted. The content of this video contains nothing in theme or language which would be offensive to parents whose younger children view the film. There is no nudity, no depictions of sex or drug use, and no profanity; violence is minimal.
§ PG – Parental Guidance Suggested: some material may not be suitable for children. This film may contain some profanity, violence, and brief nudity. There is no depiction of drug use.
§ PG-13 – Parents strongly cautioned: some material may be inappropriate for children under age 13. The film may depict drug use, violence, non-sexually oriented nudity, sensuality, and contain one sexually-derived expletive in a non-sexual context
§ R– Restricted: Under age 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian. The film contains adult material and may contain profanity, extreme violence, nudity within sensual scenes, more than one sexually-derived word as an expletive, one sexually-derived word in a sexual context, or drug abuse.
§ NC-17– No under age 17 admitted. The film contains violence, sex, aberrant behavior, drug abuse or other elements that most parents would consider off-limits for their children.
The above information is summarized from the web site of the Motion Picture Association of America.