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The Bavaria Digital Video Initiative was started by Dr. Ronald McIntire during the summer of 2001.  Dr. McIntire, along with the Education Division of the DSO, set forth a plan to improve student learning and performance.  

 The Bavaria District Improvement Plan has three main focuses:  Reading, Math, and Engaged Learning.  The Digital Video Initiative is a component of the Engaged Learning focus.

 The Digital Video Initiative has four main goals.

1. Information
2. Staff Development
3. Upgrade Studios to Digital
4. Project-Based Learning

In the past year, the Bavaria District has been actively implementing the initiative; we have produced publicity, celebratory, and informational videos.  We have captured Best Practices within classrooms and have created videos to enhance staff development within the district.   We have also upgraded our Middle and High School studios from analog to Digital Video and selected other schools for inclusion. Of the four goals, project-based learning directly addresses student achievement, this method inspires students to go beyond what is in the textbook and encourages them to learn just to learn.  Digital Video persuades students to do more than just regurgitate information.  It challenges and entices them to take responsibility for their learning.   

According to Bloom’s Taxonomy, knowledge is at the bottom of the hierarchy. We want to push students beyond acquiring knowledge and into analyzing and evaluating information. .  Through the Initiative students will be placed in the role of teacher in the creation of their digital videos. Since students are actively engaged and have to evaluate the materials they will present to others, we raise learning from a simple memorization activity to a pursuit of higher order thinking

 Howard Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences states that people learn in different ways but our school systems have primarily taught Verbal and Mathematical. Through Digital Video, we endeavor to engage more of the student’s intelligences.   Digital Video allows students within their group to use the intelligences that help them to learn best.   

Using Standards Based Learning as a guide, students are able to produce projects that are of value to them. When the information is of value, they become involved because young people are naturally curious. When it becomes personal it becomes important to them. Digital Video strives to maintain that curiosity. 

 Research also shows that technology motivates more students to attend college. Technology changes the way students learn and the way teachers have previously taught.  For the past few hundred years, technology has remained unchanged and teachers have taught through lecture with the main audio-visual being the blackboard and main supplemental information being the textbook. Teaching Digital Video is not the ultimate goal; Digital Video is a tool to facilitate learning much like using the computer for a “Word Processor” to create a TERM PAPER. Through the Bavaria Digital Video Initiative we strive to improve teaching and enhance learning.