I have had the opportunity to both participate in and teach
numerous train-the-trainer courses throughout my career. In each of those courses I learned that through
the use of various teaching aids and multimedia we are able to keep our
learners engaged. It was this
foundational tenant that kept running through my mind as I was reading the text
this week. Almost without fail, if we
can incorporate the use of multiple media formats into our content, there will
be a positive learning outcome. I do
recognize that we need to be careful not to overwhelm our students and there
are certainly some other things that we need to be aware of, so I will cover
those a little later.
The various technologies mentioned in this week’s reading
provide an opportunity for instructors to reach students with varying learning styles. Asynchronous audio communication (AAC) is defined as delayed digital audio technology used to deliver verbal communication through a computer or other electronic device (Oomen-Early, Bold, & Gallien, Tara, 2011). In Chapter Four of our text the authors did a very good job in Table 4.1 (pg. 53) of providing online Instructional Strategies and Tools corresponding to Blooms Taxonomy of Learning Domains (Bloom, 1956). This table can serve as a menu of technologies an instructor could use in an online environment. Several case studies also provide support demonstrating the effectiveness of AAC. One study found that 91% of the students found AAC to improve their understanding of course content and 82.4% believed it improved the instructor-student relationship (pg. 59).
Digital video is simply another tool that can also improve
student understanding of the content, as well as making that content more
interesting. Just a few of the
advantages of all digital media are:
·
available on demand
·
can be retrieved as often as the student wants
·
reaches those with visual and audio learning
styles
·
able to serve the needs of both teacher-centered
and self-directed students (Cox & King, 2011)
I
really don’t want to say there are cons related to the use of any digital
technology, I would prefer to say there are simply some things that are very
important to watch out for. Obviously
when we are incorporating any media into our course content we must abide by
all copyright laws related to such use.
One other thing we need to be aware of is the learning curve related to
the use of technology. In a little while
I will discuss the process that I went through to upload my audio podcast to
YouTube. Not everything works out just
the way we expect, however with a little perseverance it is possible to succeed
in integrating various media into our content.
A final word of warning related to digital content. As I mentioned in the beginning of this post,
it is possible to overwhelm our students.
It is far better to “chunk” material into no more than 10 minute long
segments (Donavant, 2011)
Donavant, B. W. (2011). Narrated Digital Presentations. In
K. P. King, & T. D. Cox, The professors guide to taming technology (pp.
105-119). Charlotte: Information Age Publishing, Inc.
Oomen-Early, J., Bold, M., & Gallien, Tara. (2011).
Using Online Asynchronous Audio Communication in Higher Education. In K. P.
King, & T. D. Cox, The professors guide to taming technology (pp. 51-65).
Charlotte: Information Age Publishing, Inc.
Audio/Video/Podcast Activity - Multimedia Interview Assignment
I won’t spend a lot of time talking about the in’s and out’s
of my Interview Assignment, what I will say is that the Government Shutdown
torpedoed my entire project. I’m not
really complaining, because it did force me to simply go a different route and
so what I ended up doing was an Asynchronous Audio Communication (AAC) in the form of a podcast. I was able to accomplish this with pretty
minimal effort related to downloading the appropriate software or purchasing
additional equipment. Much of it was
simply trial and error but in the end it worked out very well. Below is a step-by-step process on how I
completed the project.
1.
Download Audacity which is a free, open
source, cross-platform software for recording and editing sounds.
2.
Using my computer and an inexpensive external
speaker, I conducted the interview with a co-worker
3.
Using there very easy to understand controls in
Audacity I edited the interview and exported it as an MP3 file
4.
I used PowerPoint to add introductory slides and
I inserted the MP3 file and formatted the transitions. I then saved the entire PowerPoint as a
Windows Media Audio/Video File (this is simply done in PowerPoint)
5. I then uploaded the Windows Media Audio/Video File into YouTube
5. I then uploaded the Windows Media Audio/Video File into YouTube
How to Upload a Video into YouTube
Gary,
ReplyDeleteI have to say you hit the proverbial "nail on the head" regarding copyright issues. This is something that instructors need to become aware of, (if they haven't already), and it can become a big issue if people aren't careful. On my blog I posted a link to the TEACH ACT that explains this issue in greater detail.
I was really happy to see you mention Bloom's Learning Domains. I have witnessed too many instructors simply "use technology for technology's sake" and don't take the time to make sure the teaching strategy and tool are aligned with the desired learning outcome and learning domain. Sometimes, the faculty members get upset and wonders why their students didn't learn anything. Maybe the problem, had to do with the fact that the instructional strategy aligned with one learning domain but the assessment of student learning was designed to align with a separate, distinct learning domain. What are your thoughts concerning this issue?
Corny metaphor, but it is a lot easier to drive a nail with a hammer as opposed to using a screwdriver. In other words, make sure we are using the right tool for the right job in order to produce more effective, desired outcomes.
Tom
Tom,
DeleteThanks for taking the time to read my blog and comment. I'm glad you talked more about the copyright issues in your post, as well as, posting the link to the Teach Act. I think this provides some much needed background for all of us as we strive to make learning more effective using technology.
Obviously the most effective training aligns the instructional strategy, learning activities and the assessment method with the same learning domain. Bloom's Taxonomy provides a structure for planning, designing, assessing and evaluating training and learning effectiveness (The American Institute of Architects, 2013). It really is difficult to manage all that needs to go into our content, but it all starts out with well written learning objectives (Mager, 1984). If we can build from that point then we have a much better chance of hitting the mark with our students.
Gary
George Mason University. (n.d.). Bloom's Taxonomy of Cognitive Domain. Retrieved October 12, 2013, from INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN KNOWLEDGE BASE (IDKB): http://classweb.gmu.edu/ndabbagh/Resources/Resources2/bloomstax.htm
The American Institute of Architects. (2013). Bloom's Taxonomy of Learning Domains. Retrieved October 12, 2013, from The American Institute of Architects Education for Provides: http://www.aia.org/education/providers/AIAS076139
Mager, R.F. (1984). Preparing instructional objectives. (2nd ed.). Belmont, CA: David S. Lake. http://www2.gsu.edu/~mstmbs/CrsTools/Magerobj.html
Hi Gary,
ReplyDeleteI agree with both you and Tom regarding the copyright issues involved in utilizing so many newer types of media. I teach at a college that is corporate owned. The copyright laws regarding nonprofit institutions is different than for profits. Our Instructors need to be much more careful and obtain permission before showing materials in the classroom.
I also particularly liked that you included Bloom's Taxonomy and where digital media fits into the higher levels of learning. Instructors have such a wide opportunity of sources available to them today. Finding the right fit and making sure that the materials are aligned with the SLO's is a critical point. Thank you for sharing.
Carolyn,
DeleteThanks for your insight related to the copyright issues at the college where you teach and for bringing to light the differences teachers at for profit vs. non-profit organizations face. It is simply another dimension to a challenging situation instructors need to be aware of.
Gary
Gary,
ReplyDeleteI totally agree that as educators, we need to incorporate different forms of media and teaching aids which will help keep the learners engaged. Podcasts are an interesting choice of multimedia to use, because it is able to serve the needs of both teacher-centered and self-directed students, as you mentioned (Cox & King, 2011). Having multimedia which can be used in different formats really opens the learners to seeing or working with the course content through the means of a podcast, giving them hand-on experience. From the instructor-use point of view, students are able to access content quicker though podcasts. As mentioned in King and Cox (2011), the nuances in a teacher’s voice are also able to be picked up by the students, something that is not available in typed evaluations, for example.
Lastly, your avoidance of cons is correct. While there are not many immediate downsides, there are points that must be acknowledged. By not avoiding or altering these points, instructors are not creating the most educationally beneficial plan for student success.
Jacob,
DeleteThanks for checking out my blog and for the positive comments. I think the challenge for educators is trying to continually keep learners engaged. When we have done that regardless of the media we have chosen, we have made great strides toward learning.
Gary
Hi Gary-
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your blog and particularly like how you mentioned Bloom's Taxonomy and that technology assignments really can and do correspond to Bloom's. Often times teachers throw technology in to say that they used it, but the students are never really engaged or are just observing technology rather than purposefully using it themselves. We all know that technology has meaning, provides enrichment and according to the study you mentioned, increases understanding of content. Now we just have to get those instructors who still have their technological barriers in place to break down the wall and start integrating. Have you had experience with an instructor who you work/worked with not willing to integrate technology into their courses?
Rebecca
Rebecca,
DeleteYou know none of us like to change, but some times you just have to drag and them into the 21st century kicking and screaming....which btw is how many of my instructors tend to go. Seriously, yes I have had instructors who are less than willing to incorporate technolgy, but on the other hand I have had some folks who were on the leading edge as well.
Thanks for the comments and for taking the time to read my blog!
Gary
Gary,
ReplyDeleteI liked your video presentation, It was straight to the point and it was nice to hear about the delivery content/system problems overall instead of just one particular issue. Dr. Minnis discusses many different systems which was a good deal.
Thanks for the comments John and for taking the time to listen in on our interview.
ReplyDeleteGary,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your video. It was thorough, yet concise, and brought up many good points, specifically about incorporating a number of different technologies. I wholeheartedly agree with that concept. Keeping learners engaged is increasingly difficult in this day and age of constant stimulation from digital media, but I agree... this is crucial to success for us as educators.
Great post.