Reflecting on our music teaching and learning practices using video observations

Introduction

In music lessons, there is always a lot going on: students are engaged in listening, moving or performing activities, finding creative ways to express themselves and picking up new musical ideas along the way. Teachers play a significant role in making this happen: they guide discussions, offer feedback, facilitate experiences and create teaching environments where every student can grow musically. However, it is not always easy to say how well these teaching methods and approaches work, especially if you rely on your memory or on informal conversations with students after class. This is where video recordings can offer additional insight into classroom practice. Most music teachers have likely encountered video observation during their university years or early careers. Whether it was filming a lesson or a rehearsal, video has been a handy tool for reflection. However, as teaching gets busier, it is easy to let this habit slide. In this short article, I want to take another look at video observation, why it still matters, and how it can keep making us better teachers, no matter where we are in our careers. A growing body of literature advocates video-based reflection and highlights its benefits for improving teaching and learning. However, studies also document, in various instances, teachers' discomfort, resistance, or a superficial engagement when video is experienced as an evaluative or surveilling tool (Hamel and Viau-Guay, 2019; Edwards, 2022; Lepp et al., 2023). This suggests that the impact of a video depends less on the recording itself and more on how reflection is structured and supported.

In this article, presented as an experience- and literature-informed opinion piece rather than reporting original empirical findings, I discuss that video observation in music education should be reframed not as an evaluative practice but as a teacher-led inquiry. I argue that the pedagogical value of video lies in how it is framed, structured, and experienced by teachers. When video is positioned as inquiry, it may support professional agency, deeper reflection and meaningful pedagogical learning; when framed as evaluation, it risks narrowing self-reflection to self-surveillance and performance management.

In my graduate courses, I tell my students that recording themselves teaching is a helpful way to gain a clearer view of what is happening in their classrooms. Sometimes, something that felt great in the moment might look confusing when you watch it later. Self-reflection lets music teachers spot what is working and where things could be improved. Video-based reflection helps music teachers view their communication style through a different lens, assess how much students are paying attention, and determine whether the class is running smoothly. Instead of just going with a gut feeling, teachers can re-watch lessons, zoom in on key moments, and use what they see as evidence to guide change. When teachers approach video as evidence for inquiry rather than for judgment, these observations become starting points for pedagogical questioning rather than self-critique alone.

Schön (1983) has written extensively about reflection-in-action and reflection-on-action. Reflection-in-action happens right in the moment. Teachers have to stay alert, think fast, and make changes as they go, all based on how students are reacting. Reflection-on-action is what happens after teaching, when you get a chance to look back and really think about how things went. It is a time to take a critical look at your approaches and methods, question old assumptions, and figure out what to change next (West, 2013).

In music teacher education, research shows that reflection-on-action is more effective when supported by a video recording (Daniel, 2006; Economidou Stavrou, 2014; Barclift and MacLeod, 2024). In this article, I focus on reflection-on-action through video observation in music teaching and learning contexts. In music teaching and learning, this has a particular conceptual weight as music teaching and learning is an embodied practice and musical communication takes place through so many different embodied dimensions, such as gestures, sound production, posture, modeling, movement activities, collaborative music making and many more, which become highly visible in a video observation, offering rich material for reflection.

Schön's framework, however, becomes pedagogically powerful only when reflection moves beyond simple description toward interpretation and inquiry, and toward interrogating assumptions, values, practices, and beliefs that shape one's decisions in teaching and learning. This is not something that happens automatically in video observation. Without the appropriate framing, teachers may focus on correcting surface features of their performance rather than interrogating pedagogical intentions, student learning or musical experiences (Hamel and Viau-Guay, 2019).

The power of video observation in music teaching

From an inquiry-oriented perspective, the widely cited benefits of video observation are not themselves endpoints but rather entry points for pedagogical questioning, offering important possibilities in music teaching and learning at two levels: what they enable teachers to notice about their own practice, and what they reveal about students' learning and engagement. Distinguishing these dimensions clarifies the pedagogical value of recorded lessons.

What video observation offers to teachers

One of the key affordances of video use in teaching is that it gives you the whole picture: how the lesson is set up, how you are teaching, and how students are reacting. When you are in the middle of teaching, you are typically managing multiple demands simultaneously, so it is tough to know whether your explanations are making sense, whether students are really getting it, or whether the class is dragging or racing ahead. Watching a recording afterwards lets you step back and see things much more clearly. It is a chance to look at your teaching from a new angle and figure out what is working and what could use some tweaking. When music teachers observe themselves on video, one of the first things that stands out is how the class actually flows. Balancing instruction, demonstrations, and letting students jump in is tricky, and it is easy to miss whether you are moving too fast for students to keep up or too slowly so they lose interest. Sometimes, you realize you spent too long explaining something and did not leave enough time for students to make music. Adjusting the pace after seeing these moments can help lessons feel both coherent and responsive. Research in teacher education has also found that pacing issues are among the most common insights teachers notice when they view their own teaching (Hamel and Viau-Guay, 2019; Lepp et al., 2023). While these insights are very valuable, research suggests that focusing solely on technical aspects may limit reflection and teachers are encouraged to link observations to broader pedagogical purposes (Hamel and Viau-Guay, 2019).

Video also helps you check how clear your instructions and demonstrations really are. Maybe your explanations were more abstract than you thought, or your musical example did not land the way you expected. Daniel (2006) points out that what teachers remember about a class can differ significantly from what actually happened. In his study, teachers spotted moments they had overlooked, such as explanations that dragged on or students left waiting, which makes video analysis much more powerful than relying on memory alone. Similar findings appear in work showing that teachers often notice important details, such as unclear modeling or missed transitions, only after watching the recording (Edwards, 2022; Glover et al., 2023).

Barclift and MacLeod (2024) also found that when teachers review recorded lessons, their focus shifts. Instead of just looking at how students did in the moment, they start paying attention to their own tone of voice, modeling, pacing, and clarity. For example, a teacher watching herself teach a rhythm activity realized that her explanation went on far too long, leaving little time for children to play. In the next lesson, she kept her instructions shorter and added a brief demonstration, which engaged students more. Video reflection can also reveal patterns teachers may not notice in the moment: speaking in a tone that feels too intense, always calling on the same few confident students, or missing the fact that a couple of children were completely disengaged. Noticing these patterns can spark meaningful reflection that extends beyond immediate adjustments. Studies consistently show that small, concrete details, such as who participates, who withdraws, and how teachers position themselves physically, are among the most powerful discoveries teachers make during video review (Hamel and Viau-Guay, 2019; Lepp et al., 2023).

Another benefit of using video is that it grounds reflection in tangible evidence. You can use a checklist or rubric while watching, focusing on aspects such as questioning, classroom management, or the balance between teacher talk and student activity. Similarly, Mercado and Baecher (2014) demonstrate that structured video self-observation and video-stimulated recall enable teachers to generate, analyse, and act upon evidence from their classrooms, engaging in systematic enquiry to improve practice. However, they caution that when such tools are used evaluatively, this may narrow teachers' attention and reduce opportunities for investigation. When the teacher retains control over the focus and the purpose, video reflection can strengthen professional agency rather than compliance.

Finally, the literature highlights the collaborative dimension of video observation, showing that video analysis within professional learning networks can explicitly support teachers' development as practitioner–researchers (Dayan et al., 2015). Sharing selected video clips with colleagues can prompt productive dialogue, generate new pedagogical ideas, and foster a sense of collective support and teamwork. As Bautista et al. (2019) further note, watching and discussing videos together can deepen collaborative learning and sustain shared professional conversations around teaching and learning.

What video observation reveals about students

Getting students musically engaged is central to music teaching and learning. If they are not actively participating, they are not truly developing as musicians. However, it can often be challenging to grasp each student's level of engagement in the moment. A video is helpful here, providing a clearer, more honest view of how students respond and interact. When you review a lesson, you can observe who is contributing, who is holding back, and whether anyone seems confused or excluded. These patterns help you assess whether your lesson plan is effective for all or if you need to modify your approach to ensure every student feels included and involved.

Another big plus is the way video captures all the little things people do without speaking: body language, facial expressions, eye contact, posture. These details matter a lot in music class. Teachers can check whether their own gestures, posture, and facial expressions help communicate ideas clearly or perhaps make things more confusing. At the same time, students' nonverbal signals can reveal interest, confusion, boredom, or excitement, things that are easy to miss in class but become evident on a recording. Research also highlights that video helps teachers notice subtle classroom interactions and student behaviors that are often forgotten or overlooked in the moment (Hamel and Viau-Guay, 2019). When interpreted through an inquiry lens, these observations prompt questions about access, participation, and musical identity rather than simply behavioral management.

Building a habit of reflection and overcoming challenges

Although video observation offers numerous benefits for teacher learning and reflective practice (Coffey, 2014; Mercado and Baecher, 2014; Hamel and Viau-Guay, 2019), it can also be quite challenging or fail to support teacher learning. Research with both pre-service and in-service teachers indicates that many feel awkward, anxious, or self-conscious when being recorded or watching themselves on video, especially during initial attempts (Edwards, 2022; Lepp et al., 2023) and when recordings are associated with appraisal or external judgment (Edwards, 2022). Recognizing these emotions and establishing a supportive, non-judgmental environment in which teachers control how footage is used can enhance their willingness to engage with video (Dayan et al., 2015; Edwards, 2022). The way these emotions are shaped is directly related to how the video is positioned, whether as a developmental inquiry or an evaluative scrutiny. Hamel and Viau-Guay (2019) note that reflection often remains descriptive or technical, and Lepp et al. (2023) document anxiety and self-consciousness among novice teachers, which may result in a narrow reflective focus. Establishing non-judgmental environments and ensuring teacher control over footage can increase engagement (Dayan et al., 2015; Edwards, 2022). Trust and clarity of purpose are determining factors in teachers' willingness to engage with video (Edwards, 2022). Taken together, these studies suggest that video does not inherently deepen reflection; without careful attention to power, purpose, and structure, it may reinforce self-surveillance rather than pedagogical learning. The effectiveness of video observation is by no means uniform across contexts, and its impact depends on how it is framed, supported and experienced by the teachers. Ethical considerations, including consent and privacy, are also essential to maintaining trust.

Over time, teachers often find that video, when positioned as teacher-led inquiry rather than evaluation, becomes a valuable tool for honest self-reflection, continuous professional development, and pedagogical agency, rather than a test of perfection (Coffey, 2014; Hamel and Viau-Guay, 2019; Glover et al., 2023). And it may support a music teacher's growth at any stage of their career. For music teacher education, these insights carry several implications. Video-based reflection activities should be explicitly framed as inquiry-oriented practices that prioritize interpretation, questioning, and sense-making over performance judgement, and teacher educators may need to scaffold video reflection in ways that support students in moving beyond initial noticing of technical features. Regularly recording and reviewing one's lessons, from university years onward and throughout their career, encourages self-reflection as a natural part of our routine, which, when used thoughtfully and ethically, might lead to engaging, adaptable, and relevant music classes for all our students.

Author contributions

NES: Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing.

Funding

The author(s) declared that financial support was not received for this work and/or its publication.

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