Digital Badge H: Chapter 9

In the modern day classroom, teachers have many options of multimedia tools to use as a means to enhance the quality of learning. Teachers can now quickly and easily create displays of videos, photos, written words, audio clips, and much more using readily available media on computers, smartphones, or tablets. Multimedia tools allow teachers to incorporate a variety of learning modes or styles within a single lesson. "Multimodal learning happens when teachers combine spoken words with visuals or written text with audio or utilize simulations and models" (217). Technology now allows for more effective multimodal learning to occur and this is very important as research conducted by Multimodal Learning through Media reports, "Students engaged in learning that incorporates multimodal designs, on average, outperform students who learn using traditional approaches with single modes" (217). As a 21st Century instructor I can create digital displays to emphasize main ideas or important fact relevant to the lessons. I can use podcasts, PowerPoints, video clips, photos/pictures, and share websites with my students using the smart board or white board in the classroom. I can also encourage my students to create their own videos, podcasts, and slideshows to share with the class.

I remember being in primary school and having assignments that required making a presentation for class. I dreaded classroom presentation assignments! It was not the topics presented that I dreaded, nor was it speaking in front of my peers, it was the actual presentation material I disliked! The first task in creating a presentation was convincing your parents to spend the extra money to buy a cardboard tri-fold standalone poster board, these were much more impressive than a standard poster board and scotch tape. Growing up in Chicago (the windy and often snowy city) the preparation for safely transporting a presentation to school was another task in itself. The endless hours spent perfecting bubble letters and gluing pictures took away from the learning experience as well. Today, students can create a PowerPoint, including as much fancy word art and photos as desired without losing out on valuable learning time. Transporting presentations to school is also much easier (especially in Florida as there is never any snow) since flash drives store presentations and fit nicely in a pocket. PowerPoint presentations allow students to creatively express their acquired knowledge using a multimedia readily accessible in the classroom.

Photo Credit: leslle via flickr 

Teachers can encourage creativity and explore digital artwork with students. Digital artworks are "artistic expressions that happen through electronic or computer-based environments" (232).  I am a huge fan of using digital artwork for creative exploration. As a parent, I appreciate the no mess clean up for new artwork! As a teacher, this might prove true as well. My son uses an app called Procreate on his Ipad as a means of creative expression. He then saves his drawings and uses them in apps like iMovie, adds some music he loves and the end products are often quite impressive pieces of artwork created by a ten year old. These apps have a combined cost around $10, the same cost of  markers and a sketchbook. As a teacher, I wonder if digital artwork might help keep cost down, while still allowing for creative expressions, and no need to ever cut these classes from the curriculum due to budget cuts within the school system.



Resources:

Leslle. (December 8, 2008) Walkers Active in the Snow. Retrieved October 19, 2014 from https://flic.kr/p/9b5wKG

Maloy, R., O’Loughlin, R., Edwards, S., & Woolf, B. (2013). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2^nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education Inc.