I really enjoyed the educational experience I had in this class. The pacing for this class combined with the prior knowledge I gained from other classes resulted in a fun experience. I like the fact I had the chance to work with other colleagues from around the state to create a final product. This was the first time that my group project would involve different types of digital media. From this experience I learned about different types of video editing software, using movie maker software, creating a podcast, and using the cloud to save/transfer files. All of the following applications will be of great use as I continue in the educational field. The majority of the readings were relevant to what I was involved in for the week. The articles gave valuable insight into different tips, tricks, and points of view for the weekly assignments. Up until this class, I never used Microsoft Movie Maker. I didn’t even know that it was a feature that came with my computer. After viewing youtube to get an idea how to use the application, I found out quickly that this software is user friendly. Immediately, I begin to think how great this would be for my classroom and I wouldn’t have to spend hours teaching how to use the program. “Don’t be intimidated if your students learn faster than you do. Many of them are accustomed to quickly absorbing technology. Use their aptitude to your advantage by letting students teach each other; you’ll find that they show their strengths rather quickly.” (New, 2005) During week 2, I had a chance to look at different video editing software. This was a refresher from my previous experience in college. My degree was in radio/television, so I’ve had a chance to edit video on numerous occasions. This was a fun activity; I didn’t realize how much I missed editing. There was a small learning curve because of the advancement of technology but the skill and technique aspects were the same. The podcast was totally new to me. I thought this would be very difficult to create. Again, I found out quickly that this would not be the case. I think that when I introduce this to my students, I won’t e able to do this all at once. It may be too much. “Multimedia adds complexity both to the screen and to the tasks that learners need to perform. By definition, a learning environment is already an unfamiliar and perhaps complex space. Use multimedia to help learners find there way around it. If multiple types of media and content are required, use position and prominence to direct learners’ attention to the most important information.” (Shank, n.d.) This will be an important consideration because some students my get overwhelmed and give up. Based on my prior knowledge and personal experiences, the activities during his class were manageable. My background in radio/television came into play as I completed my part of the project. This was a great asset. The new information I learned made the completion of the assignment easier. In the past, to complete a project of this magnitude you would need to be in a studio. With the advancement of technology, we were able to gather all of the information and combine it into one single product.
To complete the task in this assignment, time management would be a valuable skill. Throughout the program, I have improved upon this skill. To begin I had to use the discussion board to find a partner. It was just two of us in the beginning, but we added another partner during week two. We utilized Google docs as our main form of communication throughout the week. Once we established who would be responsible for what, then it was up to each to do their part and report the information to the document. Since I had experience with video, I was in charge of gathering video. The main thing I had to remember was to gather more video than what you will need. To make sure I had all the shots and more, I used my conference time to film. I scheduled times where I could go in to certain places and get shots, as long as the name of the establishment was not revealed. Also, when dealing with student comments, I made sure they knew that their face would not be revealed and I would be using their voice only. As a learner, this part of the assignment was easy because of the engagement aspect. All aspects of the assignments involved active engagement, collaboration, and creativity. These are the qualities to produce a relevant learning experience. Because of my colleagues, I had a chance to learn about other aspects of media. Each person in the group had an area of specialization and that helped with the completion process. The majority of our communication took place in Google docs and other times we used email. Since we all had different things we were involved in, Google docs was invaluable because we constantly update our information in real-world time. I was able to get accurate shots because of this. Each person performance was a direct result of positive collaboration within the group.
“The only way to get things done is through team work.” (Edutopia, 2002) This is true regarding how I learn. I am more engaged when the activity is tactile and it involves collaboration. I knew that this class would be favorable because of the type of assignments we had to do. In the future it will be important that I pay close attention to the lessons that I plan. I need to make sure that I can infuse a kinesthetic learning opportunity at some point. I also need to make sure that my students have a chance to collaborate in a manner that is accountable. As a leader, I want to promote the use of collaboration as a learning tool among professionals. There are many things that can be learned from the person right next to you. Looking on my past experiences, it will be important to discuss how using tools such as Google docs, blogs, or wikis can enhance communication from student to student and professional to professional. In the future, I would like to research a classroom that uses multimedia tools in a geography classroom setting. I’ve seen classrooms that use technology during this program, but I’ve never seen a classroom in a core content area that has the look of a 21st Century learning environment. I would like to research how the student performed on state mandated test in a 21st Century classroom learning environment.
References
Edutopia. (2002). Multimedia serves youths’ desire to express themselves. Retrieved on February 9, 2012 , from http://www.edutopia.org/print/980.
New, J. (2005). How to use digital storytelling in your classroom. Edutopia. Retrieved February 9,2012 , from http://www.edutopia.org/use-digital-storytelling-classroom.
Shank, P. (n.d.). The value of multimedia learning. Think Tank .Retrieved February 9, 2012 , from http://www.adobe.com/designcenter/thinktank/valuemedia/.
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