Jim Knight: The power of video in development programmes and coaching

In the first of our five-part interview series with Jim Knight, Jim talks about how video is transforming instructional coaching. He outlines the key reasons why video is such a disruptive technology for teacher professional development and argues that it’s the biggest innovation for PD since the internet.

“The potential of video is awesome...some of the best professional development you’ll ever do.”

- Jim Knight (Click to tweet)

Dr Jim Knight is a research associate in the University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning and director of the Kansas Coaching Project. He has spent the past two decades studying professional learning and instructional coaching and has recently authored the book  Better Conversations: Coaching Ourselves and Each Other to Be More Credible, Caring, and Connected.

In recent years, Jim has researched the use of video for instructional coaching and has authored a book on the subject called Focus on Teaching: Using Video for High Impact Instruction. Jim was interviewed for this series by Dr. Shawn Edmondson, CEO of IRIS Connect Inc.

In the second of our five-part interview series with Jim Knight, Jim discusses how video can unlock the truth about your teaching. He identifies the five essential components for building a trusting coaching relationship and the key features of a video platform for building trust.

“If we want to get better, we have to see what other people see. That’s where video comes in.”

- Jim Knight (Click to tweet)

In the third of our five-part interview series with Jim Knight, Jim discusses how schools can build a video library of effective teaching practices to transform teaching and learning. He also describes how video can address common misperceptions teachers have about their practice.

“Once you push the red button, you're not talking anymore. It's action. You're going to look at the video and go, 'I gotta change that.’”

- Jim Knight (Click to tweet)

In the fourth of our five-part interview series with Jim Knight, Jim lists the key components that every teacher development program must include in order to succeed. He describes the importance of giving teachers a truly authentic voice in their own learning.

“Until we start listening to our teachers, our schools will never move forward.”

- Jim Knight (Click to tweet) 

In the fifth of our five-part interview series with Jim Knight, Jim talks about how video can help to overcome the distances that often separate instructional coaches from the teachers they support.

“Video is a lot more efficient.”

- Jim Knight (Click to tweet)