Journal Post # 9

What is Multimedia Technology and How Can Teachers Use it to Effectively Create and Share Visual Information Dynamically in Their Teaching?

Photo Credit: Flickr, Merrill College of Journalism Press Releases

So, what is multimedia technology?  This type of technology refers to a variety of tools that instructors and educators often utilize in the educational realm.  These tools can range from projectors to digital blackboards, or from auditory to computers.  The combination of these resources together provide for an interesting and often exhilarating learning experience.  When I was coming along in through the public school system, my school's budget barely got us computer labs.  Anything other than that was unexpected and greatly appreciated.  We did not have access to the internet or the availability of youtube and powerpoint, so are teachers did as best as they could with the limited resources they had.  In most of my classes, the teacher and the textbook were the two main sources of information.  This left most of the students with two undesirable choices; and, if the student hated traditional reading and did not get along with that particular teacher...well, let's just say that the student's calender year was not one of longevity.  Fortunately for many students and teachers today, technology has helped to pave the way for multiple educational resources and more exciting learning experiences.  There are a myriad of ways for educators to inform their students today.  "Multimedia and digital technologies use words and pictures as well as sound, voice, and animation to present educational ideas and information in creative, engaging, and memorable ways."  (Edwards, Malloy, Verock O'Loughlin, & Woolf, 2014, pg. 217)  Most students just couldn't bare to hear the voice of some of their teachers for the entirety of the class, so having digital sounds and voices helps to level the playing field, so to speak. 

Throughout the history of education, most students have learned more effectively when their learning involved a combination of materials, all in one setting at the same time.  Well, this is what multimedia devices are able to due.  Teachers who are able to incorporate different sources of materials within their educational environment, these teachers are able to reach higher learning levels for most of their students.  For instance, most of my teachers used blackboards when I was in school.  The blackboards were very limited in what they could do.  However, add a projector with audio recording, and you just added a little something extra to the learning experience, especially for the students who are auditory in their learning style.  In addition to addressing different learning styles while using a combination of resources, a good hands-on approach with multimedia technologies allows for a more in-depth learning experience for the students.  "Multimedia uses computers to present text, audio, video, animation, interative features, and still images in various ways and combinations made possible through the advancement of technology."  (Lovetto, 2014, pg.1)

Tech Tools:  Digital Projectors are able to display electronic images at a rate much faster than teachers in the older days could change a slide (by hand) on an overhead projector.  These digital projectors work great for images and pictures.

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Summary & Connection

The more effective educators are the ones who are learning how to incorporate multimedia technologies into the learning environments.  What teachers cannot do in an 8 hour class day, multimedia technologies will be able to compensate for the lack.  New technological devices are what most students are into these day, and teachers and educators have to be able to effectively use these materials in combination inside the classroom for a more effective and real learning experience for the students.  The many different learning styles of the students have a better chance of being address in a multimedia driven atmosphere.  Multimedia technologies are not just fun for the students, but it can be exciting for the teachers as well.

Resources

Edwards, S., Maloy, R., Verock-O'Loughlin, R.E., & Woolf, B. (2014)  Transforming Learning With New Technologies, Boston, Massachuettes: Pearson

Loretto, P., (2014)  About.com Internship.  The Definition of Multimedia.  Retrieved 26 Mar 2014.  Web n.d. 

Journal Post #8

How Can Teachers Use Email or Text messaging to foster information exchanges with and among students?

One of the biggest goals of effective teaching has to do with the teacher being able to effectively communicate with his/her students. Throughout my educational years in the public school system, this was accomplished through face-to-face action. Of course, I'm talking twenty years ago. Presently communication between teacher and student is done via many technological devices, such as cell phones, computers, ipads, etc. A very big part of effective teacher-student relationship will always have its basis in communication and collaboration. What better way to maintain that foundational flow of connection between teacher and student then in the use of social media.

With the demands in education, the amount of time allotted in the day to accomplish your lesson along with the size of a classroom, educators are needing more assistance to help aid their students in the learning processes. Sending home countless papers in a day can be overwhelming both for the teacher and the student, so teachers have to be able to use other resources in order to effectively and proficiently communicate with their students. Furthermore, students have to be able to provide feedback to their teachers in a timely manner. Today, the usage of emailing or text messaging provides that type of connection between the teacher and his/her students. However, this can be a difficult journey for those who struggle with new technologies. Many times teachers need more technology training in order for them to effectively communicate in technologies with their students.

 




























Photo Credit to Flickr: mgehly


During classroom time, the communication between teacher and student will be synchronous. This type of communication usually involves real time or face-to-face connection. The usage of cell phone and texting could also be a part of this type of communication. There is also asynchronous communication. This type of communication usually consists of emails, text messaging, or blogs, all which require a period of delay before information is passed over from teacher to student. Both forms of communication are used by teachers to provide information to students.  (Maloy, Verock-O'Loughlin, Edwards, & Woolf, 2014) 

Tech Tool: 
The commercially available website called TaskStream is a type of program the allows users to create many features and functions.

Summary & Connection:
In the past two decades, many strides have been taking by those in the field of education to lessen the communication gap between teachers and their students. Classrooms are no longer controlled by teachers who simply give long lectures and students who sit idly and misbehave. Teachers are beginning to utilize modern technology in order to be able to effectively communicate with their students. With the ever evolving cell phone and computer, we can only suspect that the teachers' expectations to consistently and effectively communicate with their students through emailing and text messaging, will only get better.

Resources:

Edwards, S., Maloy, R., Verock-O'Loughlin, R.E., & Woolf, B.  (2014) Transforming Learning with New Technologies, Boston, Massachuettes: Pearson

Journal Post # 7

What Are the Key Debates About Using Computer Games and Simulations as Learning Resources?


Photo Credit: Game Design Expo 2010's Industry Panel, Flickr

Video games have been around since the early 1940's, and the topic of discussion has long been their ability to help or hurt the mind the its users, particulary children. In the past, many would have voted that computer games do potentially hurt the mind of its users. As we fast forward into the future however, it seems that much of the discussion has turn 180 degrees towards computer games actually helping children to develop effective critical thinking skills. Yeah, this may seem a bit laughable to the skeptical audience whose concern for their youth are targeted on video games such as Grand Theft Auto and Call of Duty, but these types of games are very different from computer games today which have been designed specifically for learning purposes.

I had my skepticism about video games being an effective tool for students in education. Come on, let's reason about this...video games do have a history of violence, do they not? So, I would say for the skeptic that it is o.k. to feel a bit of skepticism about the matter, but I would also encourage the skeptic to keep an open mind about the whole topic. We have some intelligent people out there who are working extremely hard to use modern technology to their children's advantage. Technologies, like children, are our future; and, it would do us very well to focus our efforts on how the two can effectively work together to bring more innovations to our society. Again, we have to keep an open mind about the usages of computer games in education because research is proving that many newly designed video games are helping students to develop better critical thinking skills. Professor David W. Shaffer of Wisconsin, Madison argues that video games help children learn better because it involves them using certain critical thinking skills such as planning and problem-solving. This entire process, he continues, is essential for developing the child's brain and all around decision-making ability. (Boulanger, 2013)

Although research has proven to have shown positive results for computer games within the learning environment, not all spectators would agree with their findings. There are some concerned parents and educators who are arguing against computer games being inside the classroom, stating that they are only harmful distractions to students and that video games can do nothing to develop a students intellectual skill base. (Edwards, Maloy, Verock-O'Loughlin, & Woolf, 2014)  Whatever the agrument may be, video games are used by a wide percentage of people, especially students from kindergarden to college. It is well documented that computer games have a way of keeping students interest for an extended period of time.

Summary & Connection
Somehow, we must make an effort to invovle games, apps, and software in our students learning because students themselves are more than willing to express how these types of tools are helping them to excel in the learning environment.

Tech Tool:  Zoombinis are a collection of educational puzzle computer games designed to help kids learn critical logic and mathematical thinking skills.

Resources:

Edwards, S., Maloy, R., Verock-O'Loughlin, R., & Woolf, B. (2014) Transforming Learning with New Technologies, Boston, Massachuettes: Pearson

Boulanger, A. (2013) Medical Daily; How Video Games Can Help Children Succeed in School. Retrieved 1 Mar 2014. Web 24 May 2013.