Using Cameras to Help Teachers Evaluate Lessons

Edutopia

The Research is In

2/16/26

After a big game, athletes and coaches often gather around video footage to discuss individual techniques, highlight strategies, and gain a deeper understanding of game scenarios. A 2025 study argues that a similar approach could help teachers evaluate their lessons.

In the study, two math teachers taught classes of 4th-grade students in the presence of peer observers; during one lesson a video recording provided an additional layer of scrutiny.

When the teachers later convened to provide feedback, the video facilitated deeper discussion. Forced to recall details from memory—or fragmented notes—the educators without access to footage relitigated key points and “found it difficult to capture the root problems” they had witnessed. By contrast, critical analysis and self-reflection flourished when educators “paused, rewound, or fast-forwarded” the video to replay critical moments, reflect on successful teacher moves, and build on each others’ thinking.

Videos are ultimately more candid than colleagues—and can shed light on hard-to-spot strengths and weaknesses. Educators who’ve made the leap, like Christina Miller, say they’ve also used videos to solicit “suggestions from others with more experience.”