Learnings and Findings From Week 4

Introduction

The week’s studies introduced us to the concept of multimodal learning which is using various digital communication technologies to construct meaning in the classroom. It stresses the importance of teachers knowing how to use multimodal texts and how to develop multimodal learning environments to enhance student learning. Thus, this week’s studies continued to build on multimedia, how to locate, use and create our own resources and encourage our learners to become media literate

We were introduced to three digital tools to add to our teaching repertoire; images, audio and video, which if applied appropriately to verbal instruction can result in significant gains in basic or higher order thinking. We were required to analyse and explore the features and functionalities of each mode, and experiment with creating one to include in our weekly reflection.  In learning how to create images, audio and video files we gain the necessary skills to implement them in our classroom and to teach and encourage students to utilise these tools to further develop and support knowledge and understanding. However, to enable our students to effectively design and communicate meaning through potentially complex texts, we need to enhance their multimodal literacy knowledge and skills.
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Images

With images all around us, it is vital for students to have the ability to interpret them meaningfully. All images, whether it be photographs, paintings, drawing, films or maps convey information and ideas. Students need to gain the necessary skills to see, to understand, and ultimately to think, create, and communicate graphically to become visually literate. Images should only be utilized in the classroom to support, enhance and encourage visual literacy. With this being said there are multiple ways digital images can be used in teaching and learning materials to support learning.  For example; to illustrate concepts, inspire discussions of a topic, enhance visual communication skills, document an event and to build reference collections, just to list a few.

I think we as teachers should not only utilise images in our materials but encourage students to gather images to support learning. They can help students build references which can be used to develop a deeper understanding of information. An example of this could be simply encouraging students to take photos on a school fieldtrips to support assignment content or reflections. I really liked the example provided in ‘Pedagogic Potentials in Multimodal Literacy’ where kindergarten students went around the school taking photos of objects that resembled the shapes they were learning about in class. To build on this idea, maybe students could take photos of signs around the school to support learning about different signs or hazards.

Images could also be used to encourage critical thinking. A skill I gained back in week one from Judy Wills is to ‘Advertise’ by introducing a possible unpopular topic a few weeks prior to prepare students and encouraging them to guess what the topic will be about. Images can also encourage creative thinking. Have students draw a title or cover page of a book they just read or draw of story board highlighting and reflecting on the events within a story.

I think images are a fantastic digital communication tool and one I would certainly utilise in my primary classroom environment. Besides being a tool for teachers to utilise to engage students in learning, students can utilise them to support their own learning.

To further develop my skills, I experiment with the resizing and modifying of images. This will benefit my teaching experience because it avoids the long painful downloading process during class which could result in restless and disengaged students. Below is an example. This image is also an example of an image that could be used to 'advertise' the topic of fractions.

Iceberg- Kimberly Emerson
www.kimberlyemerson.com 

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Podcasting

Podcasting is a digital communication technology that enables a range of modes to be used in the production of a multimedia experience. It can be defined as the preparation and distribution of a multimedia digital file available for download on the internet, computer or on mp3 device. They are created by individuals or companies on computer devises with appropriate software and hardware which can then be uploaded to a server allowing visitors to download the file.

Podcasts can be an effective, convenient, creative, intimate way to produce and deliver content that could engage and motivate students to learn. Podcasts stimulate learning through creative means and opens up a new channel to communicate. Podcasts also open up many opportunities for creative higher order learning with the ability to access a wide range of educational podcasts to support learning, and the ability to invite quest speakers or arrange interviews to further develop learning.  They can be used to create lectures, audio books, announcements and presentations facilitating the educational goals of the teacher or student.  If an educational class website is established teachers could utilise podcasts to record lessons for student reflection, post school news and class updates, share students work, upload class discoveries (interviews etc.),  or simple to make students smile or laugh by uploading appropriate music or jokes.
Prior to this reflection about podcasts, I had a strong belief that podcasting would enhance student learning if utilised by teachers, but would not enhance learning if utilised by students. After much research, I discovered that encouraging students to create their own podcasts can enhance personal learning. It can help develop literacy skills by improve listening skills and the ability to communicate coherently. It allows students to share their work with a wide audience and enables online interactions with the ability to send and receive comments and valuable feedback about their work. I really connected to the idea present in ‘Pedagogic Potentials in Multimodal Literacy’ where grade three students were engaged in a range of literacy tasks of researching, planning and writing texts for broadcasting. Another idea may be to encourage students to record an audio book to present to prep students. This could be a tool to build on literacy; speaking or reading. Stress the importance of voice inflictions, vocal colour, vocal light and shade as a means for engaging students.

In reflection to my findings about podcasting, I now believe it is not only a tool I can use to build knowledge and understanding, but a tool I can encourage students to use to build their own knowledge and understanding. It is a creative and unique way to engage students in learning and enhance learning by targeting each child’s interests.

With podcasts being a new concept for me, I decided to partake in the engagement activity of creating my own and as well as experiment with creating a Voki. This will provide me with the necessary skills to both implement podcasts in my classroom and to teach students how to create their own. As an extension on creating a podcast, I chose to create a Minicast to incorporate various images along with the audio. Please see below to view my Minicast and Voki creations


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Video

A video is simply the recording, reproducing, or broadcasting of moving visual images. Videos, just like images, are a huge part of our lives and are increasingly becoming a huge part of our classrooms. From television to movies to video games to YouTube, videos provide endless learning materials and learning opportunities.

In addition to being fun, engaging and motivating, videos provide many powerful opportunities for teacher to enhance student learning and for students to express learning. Videos allow teachers to add depth to learning by showing examples of content. For example; if students are learning about volcanos in class, teachers have the ability to show videos of volcanic eruptions, which can further develop student’s knowledge and understanding of the topic. Sometimes videos can even explain things better then teachers. Using common craft videos complex concepts can be explained with a simple approach. I experienced this first hand in last week’s studies when trying to understand the concept of wiki’s. The common craft video provided ‘Wikis plain and simple’, cleared up any questions and uncertainties about the new concept.  With a wide range on video sources available it opens opportunities to gather various perspectives from experts and can provide the ability to arrange conference calls and interviews. Another idea for teachers to gain ‘brownie points’ with parents is to record students oral presentations and share online in an established learning site for the parents and the public to view. Parents love to be involved and included in their students learning and celebrating students achievements is an effective way to building students confidence. With the ability to share videos online, comes the ability to interact online. Offering and gaining feedback is a great way for students to strive for excellence and be the best they can be.  
 

Besides the advantages that come with the ability to show videos in the classroom, many benefits come from the ability of creating videos in the classroom. Video projects teach students to plan, organise, write, communicate, collaborate and analyse as well as teaches them the basic technology skills of filming, editing and publishing. Some examples of video projects could include creating book trailers, public service announcements and advertisements or re-enacting scenes from books, script or movies. Students could also express creativity by creating their own common craft videos or RSA animate videos where someone is filmed writing words or ideas and drawing pictures which is then speed up.
 

It is however important to ensure that conceptual development related to curriculum outcomes is relevant and maintained as the core focus. The following is from a blog I stumbled across in my research that provides a list of ‘50 ways to use videos in the classroom’ (Deubellbeiss, D. n/a).  

 

50 ways to use video in the English language classroom from David Deubelbeiss

 

Videos are definitely a tool I would both incorporate and encourage in my classroom. Videos take learning to a different level and provide a fun, creative way for all year level students to engage in what they are learning. I think it is important that teachers have the necessary skills to utilise videos in the classroom and create, edit and produce video in the classroom so that they can teach students how to create, edit and produce them.  I do not yet feel I am technically capable of creating my own video, however this is a goal I have set for myself. Once I have gained the necessary skills to create, edit and produce my own video, I will upload it for your viewing.

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Summary

Sorry about another long blog. I just can’t help myself there is so much I have learnt that I want to share. In reflection to this week’s study, I believe images, audio and videos are an essential for student learning and tools I would undoubtedly utilise in my own classroom environment. I have now learnt the necessary skills to incorporate these tools in the classroom which could result in more focused, motivated, multimodal and multimedia literate students.

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Reference List

Thacker, C. (2007). Podcasts in Education. Retrieved from http://www.macinstruct.com/node/43

Walsh, M. (2009) Pedagogic Potentials in Multimodal Literacy. Retrieved from  http://www.acu.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/195676/Chapter_3_Multimodal_Literacy_M_Walsh.pdf

EdTechTeacher (2013). Video in the Classroom. Retrieved from http://edtechteacher.org/index.php/teaching-technology/presentation-multimedia/112-video

Deubelbeiss, D. (n/a). 50 ways to use video in the classroom. Retrieved from  http://community.eflclassroom.com/profiles/blogs/50-ways-to-use-video-in-the-classroom