Video-based reflection in the acquistion of skills and competencies

In Denmark professional bachelor programmes all have a curriculum based on the description of both theoretical and practical/professional intended learning outcomes. The intended learning outcomes are described in terms of knowledge, skills and competencies according to the Danish Qualifications Framework for Higher Education [1]. This study focuses on students obtaining skills and competencies and has less focus on theoretical knowledge.
Little is known about video-supported reflection as a method for mediating learning of skills and competencies. We aim to explore: In which way can shared video recordings, showing students simulating professional actions, mediate students’ reflection in order to obtain skills and competencies?
A qualitative study was conducted to explore the students’ experience and learning from the video reflection. We call the method “video-on-video”. The students’ videos show the recordings of themselves performing (simulations of) professional actions. Critical moments from the students’ video recordings - regarded as holding learning potential - are shown to the same students during interventions designed as focus group interviews, hereafter called interview-workshops. Data from this study consists of videos of students seeing these critical moments of their video recordings (video-on-video). The interview questions used in the interview-workshops are referring to the three levels of reflections regarding the actions performed: premise, product and process, as described by Mezirow [2]. Video recordings of interview/workshops (the “video-on-video”s) are analyzed using thematic analysis inspired by Braun and Clarke [3].
Findings show that students can be inspired to reflect on their actions when they see videos of themselves. The students’ reflections on skills and competencies seems to derive from both their knowledge as professionals (from internships) as well as pedagogical framing of the students’ video recordings. Furthermore, the students’ collaborative video-production seems to produce a new practice-based and socially supported learning environment. Students develop their professional judgement when deciding what they will present, and how they will present actions on video as well as when they judge their own and peers’ actions on video.