Archive for July, 2009

Classroom Technology: Video Remains

Thursday, July 30th, 2009

Times sure have changed from when I was in Middle School. I remember when Mrs. Robinson took my Walkman away until the end of the year. I was crushed! Today, my bottom drawer is filled with cell phones and iPods. That’s why it is time to integrate technology in your classroom. School videos are a great place to begin. With all the new systems to access the Internet and educational resources, video remains the most important way to present images and using video as a tool in your lessons will help you learn how to integrate all technologies and resources into your classroom and into your lessons.

At times, it can be hard to capture the attention of students. I truly believe this has something to do with all of our technological advances. We have to advance the technology in our classrooms that we use to teach our kids. If lessons are taught using classroom technology effectively, my students will become more engage and more interested in the lesson.

YouTube and Teachertube are great places to see the vast application of educational ideas. These video forums also reveal what people watch which in turn allows for new ideas on how to present video. There is instruction going on everywhere. Kids can learn how to do the latest dance, beat a level on a video game, or learn how to play the guitar, just to list a few. This is also a great way to integrate technology in your classroom–by using what kids are interested in to develop your lesson. Students can do their work, make and post a video, and other students will learn from viewing it.

It is time to make the classroom more fun. I believe this will be one small step in doing just that!

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Educational Videos Help Your Lesson

Friday, July 17th, 2009

Videos Aren’t The Enemy

As a teacher, I know first hand that a lot of time goes into creating lesson plans. Typically there are four steps:

  1. Picking the topic
  2. Researching the topic
  3. Developing a presentation to keep students engaged

    4. The truth is, we live in a visual world, but videos aren’t the enemy. They can help get a point across. Using educational video in your lessons is a great way to make the curriculum come to life. There is nothing like teaching a unit on the ocean and having a video full of detailed images and full of ocean sounds for the students to see and hear. Video helps capture and present the many different habitats, species and regions oceans encompass around the world.

    Research has proven that visual, auditory and kinesthetic learners benefit from video resources in addition to lectures and white boards text. For the learner that needs to experience the lesson visually, educational videos present another option. With hundreds of videos available across subject areas and designed for specific grade levels and units of study, all teachers can utilized these resources to make their lessons more effective.

    As much as we would all like to show full length videos, it’s not always an option. Carefully placed video clips placed at important points in your lesson improve your lesson. Teaching a history lesson on the Louisiana Purchase? Find short clips to make it relevant. Teaching about metamorphosis? Let your students see the changes of a butterfly in real time. They’ll love it and you’ll love watching them.

    Using video in your lessons will help you turn on the light bulbs in your students minds. As educators, that’s why we teach - the “Aaah ha” moments. Have one in each lesson.

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School Videos: Replacing TV and VCRs with New Delivery Systems

Tuesday, July 14th, 2009

As technology becomes an ever more important part of our society, teachers and other education professionals must learn to harness its power to create a positive learning environment by integrating the technologies provided by schools and school district and the vast resources of the Internet.

By using what we know already about television as a delivery system and educational resources via video, we can transfer the delivery of video and interactive visual media through new classroom technology.

It is well known that simply standing in front of the class and lecturing them is not the best way to ensure that they remember the lessons that are being taught. The question is, “How can teachers get students to pay attention and play an active role in the learning process?” I believe that the answer lies in the effective use of educational media.

One important thing to note is that when movies are played in the classroom students have a tendency to stop paying attention. They may assume that the information will not be on the test, and so assume that they do not need to listen. It is crucial that teachers and professors find some way to break this habit. Think of an activity that will help keep them involved, and reward them for paying attention. When used properly these videos should improve student retention and make lesson planning easier for the teacher.

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