Chapter 9-Creating and Sharing Information with Multimedia Technologies

Chapter 9-Creating and Sharing Information with Multimedia Technologies

Focus Question-What is multimedia technology and how can teachers use it to effectively create and share visual information dynamically in their teaching?

Multimedia technology is the use of text, data, voice, pictures, or videos. Multimedia learning is when teachers use text, data, voice, pictures, or videos to teach their lessons to the students. A multimedia classroom integrates multiple technologies for teaching and learning. 

Tech Tool- Interactive Whiteboards

Interactive Whiteboards are a whiteboard connected to a computer.  The whiteboard has special markers that allow you use to write on the board.  You can run PowerPoint or other presentations on the board.  As a teacher, I would use the interactive whiteboard as a teaching tool.  Check this out!

The video is a new product that Smart Technologies is marketing.  Very Cool!

Summary-

I think this chapter was my favorite one.  I could really relate to this chapter and what they were saying. The use of multimedia technology does make a lot sense in classrooms because it engages students. Teaching digital story telling, interactive whiteboards, and photo and movie making by students.  It really allows the students to interact with the new technology as well as their learning.  Using technology will allow the students to participate in something they really enjoy.  With using the technology it engages the students and helping them learn better.

Chapter 8- Communicating and Networking with Websites, Blogs, Wikis and More

Chapter 8- Communicating and Networking with Websites, Blogs, Wikis and More

Focus Question- How can teachers use email or instant messaging to foster information exchanges with and among students?

        

In todays society emailing and instant messaging is everything.  Not only for students but for parents as well.  It seems like parents are always emailing teachers to ask questions about grades, behavior, really anything.  Students use both of these technologies to communicate.  They also use texting, which the book didn’t mention.  To answer the question though, it seems like it would be pretty easy for teachers just to email the parents back instead of calling them, or having them come in to talk.  Teachers can also email the students to answer questions about homework.  Email seems like the more professional way of talking on the computer instead of IM.  Instant messaging uses an informal language.  

Tech Tool- Moodle

Moodle is an online course management system.  Moodle offers several different management functions such as keeping and posting grades, selective content releases and various filtering options.  You can have a free version, or subscribe to them. Moodle helps and embraces differently learning and teaching styles.

Summary-

This was a very timely focus question for me.  I just got assigned to a new teacher in my online class.  Her whole motto is texting is best.  She would rather us text her our questions than call her.  I know the focus question didn’t ask about texting but personally I think that would be best.  It is so rare to meet a person that doesn’t text.  My mom gets emails all the time at crazy times from parents and students.  I think one down side to emailing is people don’t respect the time anymore.  They feel like it is okay to email or text others at 2 or 3 in the morning.  Other than that, the technology of emailing and IM has created a different more helpful relationship for students and teachers.