Empowered learning: teaching the video essay in the secondary school environment

ABSTRACT

In this video essay, video analysis is shown to empower students in the same way that Paulo Freire claimed critical literacy does in Pedagogy of the Oppressed. Online Video essays have already become powerful learning tools in the classroom, but they are even more valuable as tools for assessment. Exemplars of student work, collected since 2016 from a range of high school subjects and year levels, demonstrate how the non-linear, collaborative and creative process of video essays has led to increased engagement and academic rigour. More importantly, for students marginalised by the logocentric nature of the traditional English curriculum, video essays have quite literally given them a voice in the classroom. Finally, the dynamic relationship between students and teachers predicted by Freire’s pedagogy is shown to emerge from video essay production.

KEYWORDS:

• Freire
• video essays
• secondary school
• assessment

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes on contributor

Travis McKenzie is an educator and published writer who has been working as an English, Media and Art teacher for 18 years. He currently leads the VCE Arts & Technology Professional Learning Community at Fitzroy High and is working on a whole-school approach to teaching and assessing Critical and Creative Thinking. Travis is on the education board of Australian Teachers of Media (ATOM) and continues to work with the Victorian Curriculum Assessment Authority (VCAA) as well as the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) to develop and review curriculum and assessment resources in the subjects of Media and Visual Art.