Blog Ch 9

     Chapter Nine was a good source of information for teachers and students trying to learn new ideas to use for learning in the classroom. There were a lot of examples and explanations for those looking to incorporate new and refreshing lesson plans into their curriculum while allowing children to express their creative and unique individuality. Using multimedia throughout a lesson plans opens the learning experience to new light. Allowing children to find themselves within different learning strategies not only helps them as students, but allows the educator to learn more about their pupils and their learning styles.

     Media Synergy refers to video, digital and print materials that are combined with face-to-face instruction to build powerful learning environments for students. (Transforming Learning With New Technologies) This includes many different forms of media from social to print, to broadcast all of which could be beneficial in a learning environment. Using media synergy in a classroom has benefits that allow students to keep up to date on recent events while also learning the different concepts behind publishing and exporting the information. According to Professor Don E. Schultz, “Synergy-thinking was driven by two approaches.. A) The added value of simultaneous media exposure and B) The extended impact of sequential media messages delivered by multiple media forms. (Media Synergy – The Missing Ingredient) I had heard of social media and the expansive impact it has on young people because of its immediate effect and exposure. I never thought about using these Medias together to create a media monster in a sense, allowing and interpreting information through the interaction of more than one agents. Students and teachers are participating in this new synergy era by participating and interacting in these different agents and using them as one educational cooperative interaction.

      With so many different sources and resources available some of the most basic initiatives can still be used to make a huge impact in a classroom setting. Using video in the classroom (or an online classroom) is a major source of individuality for students expressing themselves and their learning techniques. It is a source of creativity and peaks student interest in projects and assignments. These unique learning experiences exposes students to thousands of resources available at their fingertips and introduces them to an entirely new idea of expression and learning. One example of using videos within the classroom would be YouTube. YouTube has received a bad rap in some aspects because of its accessibility to anyone and whatever content they want to post. While it is regulated and most inappropriate content is removed, there is still some that is unsuitable for a classroom. The creators of YouTube have created an answer to this however. Youtube.edu is classroom friendly and suitable for students of all ages. Using resources such as YouTube and other video related sites is a great support system for students learning new concepts. It gives students and teacher so many different capabilities like pausing and rewinding if something isn’t clear. Or, the ability to turn off the sound or take away the picture depending on what angle your trying to teach the class.

     Watching videos is an amazing resource for students to learn in a new and unique refuge. If you wanted to take it a step farther however, why not give the students the ability to create the picture or video being analyzed. This is an engaging active learning resource that involves students in creating information and education tools. It also introduces new computer programs and editing software to students who may have never utilized them before. Creating movies and photos enables students to think outside the box of a typical assignment. They will have to use their creativity and brainstorming skills. According to an article published by PBS “The major difference between books and film is that visual images stimulate our perceptions directly” (Adaptation: From Novel to Film) Teachers enabling their students to participate in movie photography assignments can incorporate them into their curriculum throughout the year. While participating in these assignments students will also be working on their grammar, editing and publishing skills as well as learning new concepts introduced to them through the editing software’s or document learning.

Students in this day in age have such a wide variety of opportunities to learn new concepts and ideas. It is no longer about the pen and paper. Incorporating their technology skills with their academic skills gives them a wider range of opportunities for their futures. This was a great chapter on skill sets and curriculum activities that are available for teachers and students.

References:

Maloy, R. (2011). Transforming learning with new technologies. Boston: Pearson/Allyn and Bacon.

 Adaptation: From Novel to Film. (n.d.). Retrieved October 22, 2015.