nex·us
A means of connection; a link or tie

(www.thefreedictionary.com)

The notion of connection is intrinsic to every aspect of humanity. So vital, in fact, that our very lives depend upon it as every breath, every thought and every action is preceded by millions of synapses connecting, transmitting and communicating important information.

This network of thought-and-action-determining connections don't stop inside the confines of skin and bone. In a mysterious way they link up to a greater network where, in some instances, our thought-processes are absorbed into the minds of others, while, in other instances, we take on the thoughts of others and somehow allow it to shape our own internal matrix.

This is the wonder of communication and learning.

With the advent of the internet, we've been provided with what could almost be described as a visual representation of the "human internet" - that macro-network where the ebb and flow of thought and action in society at large shapes the individual's downloads and uploads, learnings and expressions.

From an educator's perspective, that, of course, changes everything. Learners no longer have to rely on teachers to be their only source of "information downloads" , but can now access a world which offers thoughts, ideas and perspectives far beyond their own or even that of their teachers.
The role of the teacher is then to provide learners with opportunities to partake in this macro-network - to guide their "uploads and downloads" in ways that would best benefit their futures.

This blog investigates websites, applications and internet functions that can serve as powerful "connection-points", or tools for transfomative learning in the classroom.

Monday, August 30, 2010

Video killed the library staff

Video killed more than just the radio star. If we reflect on how much we actually learn from watching moving images with sound, there is, without a doubt, a lot to think about. World Wide studies in 2005 ranked Australians 7th for time spent watching TV, with a whopping 22 hours per person per week on average (Nationmaster, 2005).

During those hours we spend watching television programs, movies, advertisements and online video clips, some things do, surprisingly, stick around in the process of going in one ear (or eye) and out the next. For instance, I have friends overseas who have learnt to speak conversational English simply through repeated exposure to subtitled Hollywood movies. It's easy to delve much deeper into this topic and from a sociological point of view analyse the effects of video material on the behaviours, cultures, and expressions of society at large. However, the bottom-line in this case is education and the significance video holds for effective pedagogy:

Duffy (2007, p.176) states the following:

"Video can be a powerful educational and motivation tool. However, a great deal of the medium's power lies not in itself, but in how it is used. Video is not an end in itself, but a means toward achieving learning goals and objectives. Effective instructional video is not television-to-students instruction but rather teacher-to-student instruction, with video as a vehicle for discovery."

When discussing videos and e-learning, obvious attention is drawn to YouTube. This website has certainly been a phenomena to observe over the past decade and so clearly displays the younger generation's demand for instant, full-colour, sound-wired connection to people, stories and events. For this reason, learning managers who solely rely on black and white text for conveying ideas and understandings, will speak a language foreign to that of their young students. Integrating video material into the curriculum is easy - and to prove that, here's a list of suggested strategies for the use of YouTube in the classroom as formulated by Duffy (2007):

- YouTube can be used to create a learning community where everyone has a voice, anyone can contribute, and the value lies equally within the creation of the content and the networks of learners that form around content discovered and shared (Educause Learning Initiative, 2006).

- Allow studetns to create a short video as part of an assessment item instead of the traditional essay. Becoming involved in the creation of a video, "heightens a student's visual literacy, an important skill in today's electronic culture" (Educause Learning Initiative, 2006).

- YouTube allows the learner to experiment in new media to convey information and knowledge. "Many educators believe that the act of creating content, in virtually any form, is a valuable learning exercise" (Educause Learning Initiative, 2006).

- Record a video of a guest presenter relevant to the unit/lesson and use the YouTube comments feature to generate some discussion.

- Pose a question at the end of class that can be considered from distinct viewpoints and ask learners to search for 2-3 video references relating to the different perspectives. the use of video as a part of an anticipatory set to promote discussion can be useful tool to engage with an audience already enamoured with the YouTube phenomenon.

- The use of video also has several advantages over graphic and textual media. E.g.: portrayal of concepts involving motion, the alteration of space and time; the observation of dangerous processes in a safe environment; dramatisation of historical and complex events; demonstration of sequential processes the viewer can pause and review.

- to support language learning, at the end of one of your classes, decide on a particular topic and ask students to search for short videos on this topic to watch it and create a difficult vocabulary guide.

The above list contains a general list of ideas which can easily be adjusted for various year-levels or key learning areas. For my own benefit as future learning manager, I have decided to collect YouTube videos under three different categories:

"Grabbers": clips which can be used to engage learners with a theme at the start of a unit. These would be clips that creatively inspire interest in a topic. Video 1 of 3 below would be fitting for a year 6-7 SOSE context where a unit on water is introduced.

"Facilitators": videos which can be used to facilitate learning or invite a higher order thinking response. Video 2 of 3 below would suit a year 5-7 context and could lead into group discussions, or a writing project where learners are asked to script the video.

"Entertainers": Amusing/Funny clips to use as a time-filler or reward in the classroom. See video 3 of 3 below - a personal favourite!

Conclusively, when dealing with video material, it is important that the video does not do the teaching, but that it facilitates teaching. Learning Managers need to scaffold the viewing and interpretation of a video in order for it to be utilised successfully for learning. Furthermore, ample opportunity needs to be given to learners to not only watch video's, but to respond to them, discuss them through collaboration-tools, and also create them. This will ensure the true power of Web 2.0 is maximised. When asking learners to create video material, the elements of visual literacy need to be covered explicitly so that learners can understand their medium. This could be a time-consuming process, but is well worth the effort, considering the skills learners can gain. My next blog will touch on video editing and publishing.

References

Educause Learning Initiative (2006). Seven things you should know about YouTube. Retrieved August 30, 2010, from http://www.educause.edu/ELI/7ThingsYouShouldKnowAboutYouTu/156821.

Duffy, P. (2007). Engaging the YouTube Google-eyed generation: strategies for using web 2.0 in teaching and learning. Paper presented at the 6th European conference on e-learning. Retrieved August 30, 2010 from http://books.google.com.au/books?hl=en&lr=&id=spo9X16qn30C&oi=fnd&pg=PA173&dq=youtube+in+the+classroom&ots=rsRDyZhRDv&sig=VpIzVfBTwIEW_NQk1rNlQb9CNus#v=onepage&q&f=false

Nationmaster (2005). Media statistis. Retrieved August 30, 2010, from http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/med_tel_vie-media-television-viewing





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