Multimedia Mania:
We have come a long way from transparencies,
overhead projectors, and slide projectors. Thanks to Microsoft’s PowerPoint (PP or PPT), information can be translated in an
engaging and fun way. Teachers can produce slides for visual information
displays featuring colorful graphics, pop-up or slide-in windows, and other
attention-grabbing techniques (Maloy, et al, 2014, p. 220). PowerPoint has been a staple in
the realm of presentations since the 90s where the software became more
popular; I remember teachers suddenly incorporating PowerPoint into their
teaching methods as well as class projects. I feel PowerPoint has been able to
maintain its standing in the technological running because it remains relevant
and diverse in its creativity: Text, audio, pictures, video, transitions,
numerous slides, and themes/backgrounds.
Videos are another fun way and interactive way to learn. Whether it’s a video found online, a video the teacher created, or a video a student made, the class will be able to react and connect more easily. The great thing about videos in the classroom is that it combines motion pictures with sound. Instead of a simple slideshow that may present audio (or no audio) with images, videos allow the students to follow along without having to slow down or pause their thought process. Chapter 9 provides a very popular and multi-range video site: YouTube. Here, videos can both be found and uploaded/made. Another great feature about this site is that videos can be divided into categories. This way, a video can be found for educational purposes or whichever topic can relate to the class material.
Although the reading did not go into detail on this matter, I feel that
surround sound in a classroom can be very beneficial when incorporating a
multitude of teaching methods. Surround sound has its perks both in the small
or average-sized classroom, and in the big lecture halls found on many college
campuses. The advantages of having sound surrounding the area of a room is that
students can hear the teacher without straining or missing information, can
hear all the little details within an audio clip that may be vital for later
reflection, and can even bring a more creative element to storytelling i.e.
whispers, loud noises/booms, emphasis on paused speech, and more.
In conclusion, there are so many options to choose from when dealing with creativity and multimedia technologies. The possibilities are not limited to what we read in our books, but can seem almost limitless to what we can find through other applications. Multimedia technologies can come in many forms and pairings, but how we create and put our stamp on that media is what makes it unique.
In conclusion, there are so many options to choose from when dealing with creativity and multimedia technologies. The possibilities are not limited to what we read in our books, but can seem almost limitless to what we can find through other applications. Multimedia technologies can come in many forms and pairings, but how we create and put our stamp on that media is what makes it unique.
Resources
Goshay, N. (2015, October 25). Multimedia Mania. Created with Bitstrips http://www.bitstrips.com/r/HK92K
Maloy, R., O'Loughlin, R., Edwards, S., & Woolf, B. (2014). Transforming Learning with New Technologies.
2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education Inc.
YouTube Help (2014, September 4). Sign in & navigate
YouTube. Retrieved October 25, 2015, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bP7vggHJLVM
Excellent point about the sound/speakers/microphone - many teachers don't think they are needed because they have small classrooms and/or 'teacher voices' but they often don't realize how the volume changes when they turn to write something on the board and/or when their intonation impacts the clarity. In Collier schools the speaker/sound/microphone is part of every classroom but not sure that it was worth the investment based on the number who don't use. :(
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