Web-based multimedia/animation

The article I read was actually a study of the effectiveness of animation in learning. Besides this, though, it also had some good information on what is included in web-based multimedia/ animation. The article described multimedia as instruction including "motion, voice, data, text, graphics, and still images." Animation was specifically defined as images in motion used to accomplish one or more of these purposes: "attention-gaining, presentation, and practice." The study compared the use of still graphics with the use of animation when teaching freshmen college students about the heart. Their conclusions were that animation was equal in effectiveness to still images, based on test scores produced by the students after learning the material.

I think multimedia is certainly more effective than traditional print materials. And animation can be effective, if used well. Animation and multimedia are able to capture students' attention and engage them in learning. My high school Anatomy&Physiology teacher used many animations when teaching us about specific processes occurring in or with cells. It gave a much deeper and clearer understanding of what we were learning than simply reading the book or notes did. I think so much is available to teachers and students through technology. It is especially convenient since these multimedia tools can be found not only on software but also on the Internet.

I think if web-based multimedia/animation are going to be used in the classroom, it is the teacher's responsibility to do some research and evaluation on their effectiveness. It could be a temptation to focus more energy on making the animation really interesting than on the actual content of the material being taught. It could also be a distraction rather than a teaching tool. It's also important to determine what form of multimedia would be best- pictures, animation, sound, text, etc.- for the subject being taught and the learning outcomes desired.

To read this article visit
http://vnweb.hwwilsonweb.com.ezproxy.fgcu.edu/hww/results/external_link_maincontentframe.jhtml?_DARGS=/hww/results/results_common.jhtml.16

Digital Imagery

The article I chose discussed digital imagery in the social studies classroom specifically. Not only do students gain a better and more in-depth understanding of history, but they also learn skills "to access, analyze, and evaluate all forms of information and communication," which is necessary to be a well-informed citizen. By thinking critically about the images they have captured, students can understand bias in pictures as well as determine how reliable the image is. Some of the specific uses of digital imagery mentioned in the article dealt with regional artifacts of the community, geography, environmental issues, economic issues, government and politics, cultural diversity, and children in the community. The article gave a specific example of students who put together a photo essay on littering in their community. It opened their eyes to real issues and instilled in them a desire to be a part of the solution.

I think digital imagery in the classroom is a great teaching and learning tool. By exploring some current history, especially with pictures, students will be more interested in learning about past history. I also think the use of digital images can be used in a wide area of subjects- science, math, writing or journaling, and others. Images capture students' attention much more than traditional lecturing or notes. In addition, the use of pictures in projects or essays as described in the article allows students to be more creative than if they simply wrote about or discussed what they learned.

As with any new teaching tool that is introduced into the classroom, it is important to evaluate the effectiveness of digital imagery. Are students learning better? Are they more engaged? Do they understand how to use the technology correctly? Also, because students are taking pictures, some time must be devoted to explaining the ethics of photography. Privacy and credibility of images are just a few of the issues that need to be addressed by the teacher and clearly understood by the students before using digital imagery in the classroom.

To read this article visit
http://find.galegroup.com.ezproxy.fgcu.edu/itx/retrieve.do?contentSet=IAC-Documents&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&qrySerId=Locale%28en%2CUS%2C%29%3AFQE%3D%28JN%2CNone%2C18%29%22Social+Education%22%3AAnd%3ALQE%3D%28DA%2CNone%2C8%2920040401%24&sgHitCountType=None&inPS=true&sort=DateDescend&searchType=PublicationSearchForm&tabID=T002&prodId=AIM&searchId=R1&currentPosition=8&userGroupName=gale15690&docId=A116451995&docType=IAC

Storyboarding

The article I read talked about one class's experience with
storyboarding. In the class were several students who were reluctant to write and one student who was labeled Special Education. The author of the article, who also guided the class in how to proceed with their stories, discussed the basics of storyboarding as a tool to eventually get a story on paper. He first had the students get a story from their parents, find the part in the story that was funny, interesting, scary, ect. (known as the hook), and draw simple pictures with few words to describe the story's main events. Because the actual writing process was not done until the very end, more students were engaged and were able to efffectively lay out their story so that revisions and final writing would be easier.

Storyboarding is a great tool to use in the classroom. It not only involves students that are normally uninterested, but it also strengthens the writing of the more involved students. Additionally, storyboarding gives the student more direct and quick access to teacher feedback. In the article, students presented their storyboards to the class and were able to get feedback from fellow students as well.

I never used storyboarding in my classroom experience, but after reading this article I wish my teachers would have used this. I think storyboarding brings a collaborative aspect to classroom writing. Students give and receive feedback but also learn how they can improve their own stories simply by hearing the stories of the other students. I also think storyboarding gives the teacher the ability to get a better understanding of where a student is headed with his or her writing and can therefore better assist the student, instead of merely covering the student's paper with comments written in red ink.

As seen in this article, storyboarding is an effective tool for teaching students to express ideas or stories through writing. But I wonder if it could be effective in teaching other things as well like mathematical or scientific processes. I think further research on this could be very beneficial for both students and teachers.

To view this article go to

http://proquest.umi.com/pqdlink?vinst=PROD&fmt=6&startpage=-1&clientid=8631&vname=PQD&RQT=309&did=841260061&pmid=34901&scaling=FULL&ts=1202405931&vtype=PQD&fileinfoindex=share2%2Fpqimage%2Firs3%2F20080207123850537%2F8977%2Fout.pdf&rqt=309&TS=1202407546&clientId=8631