Some Tips For Interviewing
Some Tips For Interviewing
Set up appointments well in advance. Be prepared for some people to flake out. It may take 2-3 attempts for you to land the interview.
Because your inquiry is about education, of course you will feel that your interviews should naturally take place in classrooms. But that doesn’t have to be the case. You can talk over lunch, in a park, or even at the interviewee’s house or place of work. Doing this will give your overall footage a sense of variety.
When picking interview spots, the most crucial thing you should do is to “scout” the location for its potential background audio problems. As a general rule, filming indoors will allow you to control your sound more, but there is something to be said for conducting the interview in an interesting outdoor locale, like near a river or on a balcony, etc. The key is to first determine if the background ambient sound will be a distraction or not.
When you do film in a classroom, take a few minutes to determine if the room has any interesting visual aspects that you can include in the scene. Maybe there are interesting “props” in the room, like maps or globes or science equipment. Our CTE schools have a great opportunity in this regard, because their classrooms are often such visually interesting places.
When interviewing listen carefully to what they say. That may seem obvious, but you would be surprised how often the interviewer is reading their own interview questions, or adjusting the camera, and in so doing, they don’t hear some important tidbit delivered by the interviewee that would make for a very powerful follow-up question.
Let them do the talking. This too may seem very obvious, but you would be amazed how easy it is for the interviewer to start in discussing the issue at hand with the interviewee, and next thing you know you have 30 minutes of footage in which the interviewer has talked for 20 minutes of it! (Or maybe I am just talking about myself here!)
Try to make the interview as comfortable as possible for both you and the interviewee. The more the process feels like a regular conversation—in which you are playing the part of attentive listener—the better. In other words, try not to cling too much to your “10 questions.” It can give the interview a kind of stilted or canned feel.
If the interviewee talks fast, or gets themself lost, or their answer peters out…it is perfectly OK to ask them to repeat themselves. Often their second attempt uncovers new aspects of their answer. Another tip is to rephrase your question if it feels like the interviewee is struggling a bit.
Once people warm up don’t be surprised if they don’t shut up. Don’t be surprised if they get off track. Find gentle ways to steer them back.
Group interviewing may work for you.
Consider showing your questions to the interviewee ahead of time. This allows them to focus in on where you are headed. (Interviewees WANT to do well.)
VERY IMPORTANT: Avoid posing YES/NO Style questions. It is MUCH harder to compose questions that are NOT yes/no in style, but obviously yes/no questions limit severely the interviewee. You will want to take the time to come up with more open-ended questions. You may notice that one strategy of seasoned interviewers is to not even really ASK questions. But rather they will frequently state their own premises or biases or hunches and ask the interviewee to comment on that. This may feel a bit like “leading the witness” but in our experience interviewees are very comfortable about—and capable of—supplying their own counter-hunch.
If your first 2-3 interviewees all give you more-or-less the same responses, try coming up with questions that create a little controversy.
Also, It’s perfectly fine to say, “John says ‘blah blah blah” about the topic. What is your response to that, Maria?”
Have fun…remember to breathe…
Getting Started Filming
GETTING STARTED FILMING
SHOOT PLAN
In this case the word shoot refers to a shooting session. If you think of everything you record as being part of a shoot, and have a plan for most of your shots, then you’re well on the way to having better organized footage.
First of all, be clear about the purpose of each shoot. Generally speaking, everything you do should be working towards a larger plan. Exactly what this is will depend on many factors. However, sometimes footage that you thought would be “just for fun” ends up playing a huge role in the finished product.
Plan the approximate length of the shoot: How much footage do you need to end up with, and how long will it take you to get it?
Planning means adopting an attitude in which you take control.
ZOOM
This is the function which moves your point of view closer to, or further away from, the subject. Note that the further you zoom in, the more difficult it is to keep the picture steady. In some cases you can move the camera closer to the subject. For long zooms you should use a tripod.
Zooming is the function everyone loves. It’s easy and you can do lots with it, which is why it’s so over-used. The most common advice on using the zoom is use it less. It works well in moderation but too much zooming is tiring for the audience.
AUDIO
Virtually all video cameras come with built-in microphones. These work fine, and are well-suited for most general work. But you can also try plugging an external microphone onto the hot shoe of your camera. Often, the external mic is better quality and captures the sound in a more focused way.
Listen to what people are saying and build it into the video. An interesting comment you heard yesterday in one of your interviews can be incorporated as a question into an interview today.
Try not to start and finish shots while someone is talking — there’s nothing worse than a video full of half-sentences. One more thing… be careful of wind noise. Even the slightest breeze can badly effect your audio.
BASIC SHOT TYPES
There is a general convention which assigns names to the most common types of shots. The names and their exact meanings may vary, but the following examples give a rough guide to the standard descriptions.
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EWS (Extreme Wide Shot) |
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VWS (Very Wide Shot) |
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WS (Wide Shot) |
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MS (Mid Shot) |
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MCU (Medium Close Up) |
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CU (Close Up) |
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ECU (Extreme Close Up) |
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CA (Cutaway) |
The “Rule of Thirds” divides the frame into nine sections. Points of interest should occur at 1/3 or 2/3 of the way up (or across) the frame, rather than in the center.
“Headroom”, “looking room”, and “leading room”. These terms refer to the amount of room in the frame which is strategically left empty. The shot of the baby crawling has some leading room for him to crawl into, and the shot of his mother has some looking room for her to look into. Without empty space, framing looks uncomfortable.
Look for interesting and unusual shots. Most of your shots will probably be quite “straight”; that is, normal shots from approximate adult eye-level. Try mixing in a few variations. Different angles and different camera positions can make all the difference. For example; a shot can become much more dramatic if shot from a low point. On the other hand, a new and interesting perspective can be obtained by looking straight down on the scene. Be aware that looking up at a person can make them appear more imposing, whereas looking down at a person can diminish them.
BASIC CAMERA MOVES AND TECHNIQUES
As with camera framing, there are standard descriptions for the basic camera moves.
Pan: The framing moves left & right, with no vertical movement.
Tilt: The framing moves up & down, with no horizontal movement.
Zoom: In & out, appearing as if the camera is moving closer to or further away from the subject. When a shot zooms in closer to the subject, it is said to be getting “tighter”. As the shot zooms out, it is getting “looser”.
Follow: Any sort of shot when you are holding the camera and you follow the action while walking. Hard to keep steady, but very effective when done well.
Shooting Technique
Position yourself and your camera. If you’re using a tripod, make sure it’s stable and level (unless you have a reason for it to be tilted. If you’re not using a tripod, stabilize yourself and your camera as best you can. Keep your arms and elbows close to your body (you can use your arms as “braces” against your torso). Breathe steadily. For static shots, place your feet at shoulder width (if you’re standing), or try bracing yourself against some solid object (furniture, walls, or anything).
Think about your audio. Audio is just as important as vision, so don’t forget about it. Press “record”. Once you’re recording, make sure that you are actually recording. There’s no worse frustration than realizing that you were accidentally recording all the time you were setting the shot up, then stopped recording when you thought you were starting.
Keep checking the status displays in the viewfinder. Learn what all the indicators mean — they can give you valuable information.
Use both eyes. A valuable skill is the ability to use one eye to look at the lcd screen and the other eye to watch your surroundings. It takes a while to get used to it, but it means that you can walk around while shooting without tripping over, as well as keeping an eye out for where the action is happening. It’s also easier on your eyes during long shoots.
Learn to walk backwards. Have someone place their hand in the middle of your back and guide you. These shots can look great.
Keep thinking “Framing…Audio…” As long as you’re recording, think about how the frame composition is changing, and what’s happening to the sound.
That’s all there is to it!
Students as Co-inquirers- Thoughts from a former student inquirer
Students as Co-inquirers: Thoughts from a former student inquirer
Rummaging through my computer, I found some stuff from my student researcher days. Students as co-inquirers interpret student intakes differently than teachers. The making visible crew and I were able to see beyond the words on paper because we know what students do, when they are making excuses, fearing authority or lacking self-confidence. We were going through the exact same things. Students as co-inquirers are incredibly resourceful in interpreting student data and in educational reform.
Remember, student researchers don’t have to be enrolled in the class they are studying. In fact our making visible team was composed of four determined poets who had taken a few classes together. We often brought in our friends, class mates, or entire classrooms that we thought would add to our content, or fill gaps in our movies. And what a great experience it was for us! Now here I am, former student researcher, encouraging you to use students to assist you in your inquiry.
Here’s an example of the work we started with for our first project in 2005: reading and typing 150 student intake essays on the question, “what’s your relationship with reading,” pulling out themes, common threads and concepts. Our motto: When in doubt, grab the camera!
Happy Inquiry!_______________________________________________________________________
101A (one below entry level english) Trends
1. Re-reading
- Believe that they shouldn’t have to re-read the text/novel
- That it makes them read slower and the processes is drown out
- On the contrary, students admit that more reading only improves their skills.
- In conclusion, the students are discouraged and frustrated by this factor, and thus tend to not enjoy reading.
- They then feel alone in the situation.
- From my own experience, I know that EVERYONE has to read and re-read in order to truly understand the text.
- My solution to this is learning how to actively read. Writing notes in the margins, reading at least twice, finding the main idea, discussions, applying the concept, etc.
2. Interest
- The students only want to read things that interest them or directly relate, which I believe is a natural instinct.
- However, it leads them to be biased against certain areas of literature, such as poetry, texts, etc.
- Thus staying inside their own box and not exposing themselves to their ideas, environments, vocabulary words, cultures, etc.
- “My point of view you won’t learn anything you’re not interested in or like it…”
- Yet, a handful of students, both readers and non-readers, admit that reading improves your knowledge, vocab, and yourself.
- My conclusion is that these students are perhaps afraid of the unknown.
- Or maybe they have an authority issue, and don’t like taking orders or assignments from instructors that they don’t know and respect or that aren’t themselves.
- The solution: maybe having instructors introduce themselves; their interests, credentials, their experiences as a student, where they are from, whatever, in order to expose the students to their instructor.
- Maybe that would wipe away they fear and intimidation by some of the students, making them more comfortable to open themselves up.
- I don’t really know how to fix the fear of the unknown, I think it’s a natural feeling and that its an individual battle.
Overall Conclusion
- It seems that the trends are predictable in this 101A class.
- Their ideas are somewhat based on their skill level and exposure.
- Even though the trends tend to be similar, there are different situations, excuses, and examples. (Some being more interesting than others)
Interesting Comments and Response
1.
- Enjoys reading newspapers and novels only.
- Has a negative attitude towards textbooks.
- States that text books are for learning only and one should pay attention to the author’s opinion and purpose.
- My question is, shouldn’t we always look for the author’s bias and purpose? And especially in novels and newspapers!!
- A reader should always ask themselves questions, or question the author’s statements.
2.
- Dyslexia without good teaching: it held her back greatly, being at a fifth to sixth grade level in High School.
- Thus was discouraged early and learned to hate reading
- This, I believe caused her to have a low self esteem
- And once a teacher exposed her to techniques of reading, gave her attention and confidence, she was encouraged to read and now she can’t stop! Despite its difficulty.
- My question to her would be, how long did you go without being diagnosed?
- How did you feel in those degrading ‘special ed classes?’
- Did any one else try to reach out to you? Or did everyone just ignore your severe disability?
3.
- Didn’t read a book until the last year of H.S and believes that short stories are better because they are short.
- Can only read if there is some sort of background distraction- does that truly help the info stick?
- Refers to self as ‘kids nowadays’ –Maybe suggests a low self esteem.
- Grammar is poor: a reflection of not reading and paying attention in school.
- Question: How did you graduate high school without ever reading the books?
- “hard to get kids to read because they are used to having everything done for them”
- Is that quote a sort of cop out? An excuse to give up and not even try? To just continue to be a lazy student scarping by?
4.
- “if I want a lengthy build up to a great ending then I’ll watch a movie, that takes far less time invested”
- Isn’t a ‘reader’
- Wants the quick fix
- Never finished a book in H.S- didn’t anyone notice? How did he pass?
- Says that no book is of interest because he doesn’t like to read and is unable to make himself relate in novels and texts.
- Don’t you think that you aren’t a reader because you didn’t read as a young child when your brain and skills are still developing?
- Do you feel cheated or guilty?
- “I could almost guarantee the amount of pleasure reading declines with each generation”
- Why do you think that is? Because of the young students like you who want the quick fix, movies, technology, caring only about the self and the self’s interests?
Keeping Track of Your Making Visible Work
There are a number of different ways we will be able to see your Making Visible work as it evolves:
- In-person, through site visits or when we get together at one of our gatherings.
- You will be able to upload material to the web. We will be posting directions for how to do this soon.
- You can email content to us in the form of attachments.
- You can mail us content. Let’s say you burned a DVD; that would be very easy to mail.
- CCC Confer has a web feature. You will be able to literally show us what you have created using CCC Confer.
- Of course, we are always available by phone or email. And you can talk us through what you are working on.
- We are also looking into the exciting possibility that we will be able to link to your Mac laptop through the internet, and that–through the use of iChat–we can literally “take over” your computer. Then, while you watch, we can do the tutorial right on your computer.
Student Voices — as objects of Inquiry
There are many ways to capture Student Voices. We hope the list below offers some starting points for you and your team. We will add to this list as we begin to hear other ideas from FIN teams.
- Faculty interviews student .
- Student interviews student.
- Student interviews herself—self-reflection.
- Roundtable—group of students discuss issues put before them.
- Think-alouds. Student is filmed as she works through a problem taken from her class, all the while talking about why she is making the choices she is making. With this strategy, the student’s meta-cognitive state is revealed.
- Collaborative problem solving. Similar to Think-alouds, but with more than one student engaged in the task.
- Students of course can be filmed in the class setting, working in groups, responding to the instructor, etc. With this strategy you may run into issues around getting good sound. One tip is to, whenever possible, get the camera in close to whomever is speaking.
- Of course, any time you ask students in a class setting to generate content that you can later analyze as part of your Inquiry, you are uncovering Student Voices. For example, having students do in-take self-assessments, or written self-reflections, or classroom assessments, etc.–all of these tools reveal Student Voices.
Types of interviews:
- One-on-one.
- Duo interviews, in which 2 students are on camera.
- Group interviews.
- “Man in the Street” –actually should be called “Student in the Street” interviews. Students are esp. good at conducting these. These kinds of “quick hitting” interviews can actually serve as good starting points for Inquiry. They of course can tend to be anecdotal in nature, and may not deliver hard data, but they do sometimes uncover areas of interest that Inquirers may not have considered.
About FIN
The Faculty Inquiry Network’s (FIN) purpose is to support professional development which includes: conducting faculty inquiry; revisiting basic skills assumptions; interpreting and integrating data; accessing student voices; developing students as co-inquirers; making visible; using technology for teaching and learning; creating and supporting new initiatives, curriculum and program development; constructing educational tools using digital media; and hosting dialogue around student and faculty learning.
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