Many people videotape their classes or sections to get a general picture of their teaching style and skills. Others wish to focus on particular problems or aspects of their teaching. Some choose to videotape on the recommendation of their friends and colleagues, or are part of an organized training program. Some people are rather apprehensive about appearing before the camera, but later find it a very rewarding and valuable experience. Most people find that certain things they were aware of but could not clearly perceive or handle during the process of teaching stand out boldly on the tape.
Most people have fresh ideas and insights while they observe themselves.
A copy of your tape also can be a valuable addition to your teaching dossier. To help you see yourself in a positive and constructive way, the Center for Teaching invites teachers to view and discuss their tapes with a trained consultant. Though prepared to discuss any aspect of teaching that you wish, consultants generally focus on mutual observations about the communication between you and your students and your teaching style and techniques. Strengths of your teaching, solutions to problems, and goals to pursue emerge in the course of the consultation. Subsequent tapings and viewings can be used to talk about progress toward those goals.