Classroom videos
In our series "Data Types in Focus," we take a look at selected data types and describe services related to the respective data. This page focuses on classroom videos. Use the links below to access the individual contents:
Research with classroom videosAvailable classroom videos – a selectionProjects and workshopsPublications
Research with classroom videos
Classroom videos are audiovisual recordings of school teaching that often originate from research projects, so-called video studies.
Rarely is there just a single camera in the classroom. A typical setup includes one camera focused on the teacher and another camera facing the students from the front. Nowadays, there are many different camera setups, these sometimes involve up to 30 cameras simultaneously.
Depending on the research interest, video studies differ in terms of who is recorded and how often. For some researchers, it may be important to observe a specific class over an extended period, across different subjects and teachers. Other researchers may be interested in instructional practices within a particular subject and grade level across various classes. Thus, the data basis can vary greatly between video studies.
For video-supported classroom research, video data are highly valuable.
- They offer the unique opportunity to capture sequential and simultaneous events in the classroom, including interactions, facial expressions, gestures, and spatial positioning of the filmed individuals.
- They enable comprehensive analyses of teaching and learning processes and practices, supporting both quantitative and qualitative research interests.
- They have already made, and will likely continue to make, significant contributions to the theory development of classroom research, both nationally and internationally.
Available classroom videos – a selection
The TALIS Video Study (Teaching and Learning International Survey) provides worldwide insights into mathematics instruction and pedagogy, including in countries such as Germany, the USA, and Japan. The TALIS data are available for reuse from RDC Education.To the TALIS data
The DESI Video Study (German English Student Performance International) offers insights into the performance of 9th-grade students in German and English. A total of 105 classes were recorded. The DESI video data are available for reuse from RDC Education.To the DESI data
With Measures for Effective Teaching (MET), the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation funded what is likely the largest video study to date. Around 15,000 lessons were recorded from more than 3,000 teachers. The MET data are available for reuse from ICPSR in the USA.To the MET data
Experience report
Dr. Ulrike Hartmann shares her experiences in an interview about the secondary use of videos from the VERA study: Good Teaching Practice.
To the interview (only available in German)
Projects and workshops
As part of the DIPF cooperation ShaReD, the following projects are planned in the area of classroom videos:
- Barriers and Facilitators to Sharing and Reusing Classroom Video: In a systematic review followed by a Delphi study, factors are examined that contribute to the successful sharing or reuse of classroom videos.
Workshops on Open Video Data and its integration into the broader context of Open Science are planned for 2025.
Publications
In this guide, attorney Jürgen Scheller addresses the discrepancies between data protection law, funding requirements, and approval regulations.
Schneider, J., Schreyer, P., Kunter, M. & Porzelt, M. (2025). Bereitstellen und Nachnutzen von Unterrichtsvideos: Ein Leitfaden mit Ressourcen für Forschende. Unterrichtswissenschaft (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42010-025-00234-8
