·Is a place where audio-visual materials and equipment for instructional support were housed.
·It provides a venue for multimedia learning for a more effective instructional process in school.
The Educational Media Center is a unit indispensable to the teacher-training programs of the College. It provides the following services to the faculty, staff and students of the College: audio and/or video media materials recording services, production services, basic repair services, and consultant service on effective media utilization.
To do its job, the Center has a collection of audio-visual facilities including cassette tape recorders, slide/tape recorders and projectors, film and film strip projectors, overhead and opaque projectors, video camera and other production hardware and equipment. For the most part, the Center serves as a laboratory for undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in Educational Technology courses.
The mission of the Educational Media Center (EMC) is to provide quality support for teaching and learning through the integration and use of technology
Responsibility of Media Specialist in Education
·Plan instructional programs
·Share information about resources and search strategies
·Help with the operation of a peace of Help with the operation of a peace of equipment
·Suggest specific resources for a particular unit particular unit
Constructivists view assessment as a process that involves both the instructor and the student. Educators who prefer to use constructivist methods and principles in evaluating student work have several different avenues to choose from that can help enhance the learning experience of students. Similarities between constructivist and traditional methods of assessment do exist. Even though constructivists continue to research and experiment with more interactive, experience based assessments, the more traditional methods still prevail and are being used in classrooms as the predominant means of assessment.
Principles of Assessment in a Constructivist Classroom
One principle of assessment in a constructivist classroom is not to isolate evaluation as a single exercise. Constructivists often see learning as a cyclical process. Since the shape of a circle has no beginning and no end, then the mark of where to assess could become blurry. Constructivists do not see assessment as an ending activity, but rather an ongoing process that helps the student continue to learn.
They isolated “Five Es" of constructivism: Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, and Evaluate. Not only is assessment its own category (evaluate), but it is also interwoven throughout each of the other stages of the learning process.
·For example, when a teacher is engaging students in a learning opportunity, the instructor begins to question. The process of questioning not only interests students in a topic, but also gives the instructor an idea of the amount of prior knowledge a learner will bring to the experience.
·During the exploring stage, "...students’ inquiry process drives instruction during an exploration." Driving instruction is one purpose of assessment, whether in a traditional or constructivist classroom.
·During the explain stage, communication occurs between student and teacher. At this point, an instructor can input more information or points of inquiry as needed; again they are actively assessing. Also during the explain stage, artifacts become available that demonstrate concrete evidence of student understanding.
·When students begin to elaborate on their ideas and observations, possible avenues of future research can develop.
·Therefore, evaluation as a stage is not meant to be solitary and final, but a constant in each stage of constructivist learning (Miami Museum of Science, 2001).
Another principle of constructivist assessment: not having the instructor as the only source of assessment. Many constructivists encourage self-reflection as a means of assessment, or encourage students to exchange evaluations of each other’s work.
When assessing, no matter who the evaluator is, many constructivists encourage an assessment of how the learner is thinking rather than just the outcome. In assessing, a constructivist's goal is to help the learner acquire knowledge, not make the learning process laborious and undesirable. Therefore, it is important to have a non-critical attitude as one evaluates in a constructivist format.
Principle Tools and Methods Used in Constructivist Assessment
When constructivists assess students, they prefer to use methods that either allow them to engage in dialogue with the learner, or give them opportunities to observe a student as he or she develops knowledge.
Teachers can initiate a wide variety of verbal discussions such as interviews, debates, knowledge telling, co-investigations, or dramatizations. In constructivist evaluation, observation does not only mean listening to a student for comprehension of a concept, but a physical assessment of the whole child as well.
When observed, a constructivist instructor will note physical stance and expression. KWL Charts (and other such baseline assessments), Mind mapping, portfolios, checklists, investigative projects, paper and pencil tests, and performance tasks are also often used to evaluate work in a constructivist frame. Many of the Web 2.0 tools can be integrated into constructivist teaching and assessment, including blogging, podcasting and audio sharing, social networking, video sharing, wiki creation, web authoring, and mashups.
Similarities and Differences Between Constructivist and Traditional Assessment
Similarities
·Both types of assessment can take on a variety of formats: paper and pencil, physical hands on experience, or some type of exchange.
·The phrasing and use of critical thinking terminology in questioning can also be similar.
·Instructors in traditional classroom also use assessments in order to plan lessons and develop activities.
Differences
·Responses to traditional questions will also require more than a 'yes' or 'no' answer. However, the idea that interactive feedback occurs between evaluators and learners as well as the concept of judging the active construction of thinking as well as the outcome are greater priorities to the constructivist assessor than a traditional method of evaluation.
·Another difference lies in the support of standardized testing. Traditional learning environments support standardized testing and make many educational decisions off of those scores. Constructivists have a very negative view of this particular testing vehicle. Constructivists prefer that assessments have more of a 'real-life' application. The types of assessment preferred by constructivists would be: authentic, performance, or portfolio assessment. These types of assessment, according to Reeves & Okey, require more genuine thought from the learner and provide a more stimulating form of evaluation than traditional classroom testing.
Project-based multimedia learning is one instructional strategy that we can use and may also include non-technical projects, lecture and note-talking, writing and artistic or creative project-based multimedia learning strategy in teaching English process through distance education:
1. It is a powerful motivator students engaged in the creating in multimedia projects.
2. It makes teachers look for and apply the methods that optimize learning effect.
3. It makes teachers structurize the form of material.
Distance education is a multimedia education that uses for educational purposes e-mail textbooks, videoconferences, a computerized slide show, Web site and taking part in discussion in focus groups.
In this sense, one of the subjects which has been more extensively used in distance language teaching is focus groups.
Focus groups are organized discussion with a selected group of people with objective of gaining information about their views and experiences on a topic (Gibbs, 1998).
While focus groups have been used mostly in the fields of marketing our business specialities, over the past few decades they have come to be used as the methods of data gathering in qualitative studies.
The main benefit of focus groups is their ability to collect the data, to observe the information and then to analyze it. Focus groups are feelings and reactions because of the group synergy generated in these discussions.
Since focus groups rely on group interaction more than individual reports, often students have the opportunity to compare their experiences to those of the other participants and new information or different perspectives may be sparked by this interaction (Hoppe, Wells, Morrison Gillmore Wilsdom, 1995).
According to Morgan, the basic argument on favour of self-contained focus groups is that they reveal aspects of experiences and perspectives that would not be as accessible without group interaction. The focus groups used in the learning process must be homogenous.
The following parameters for focus groups are set:
- Group participants should be familiar with each other.
- Group participants should be homogenous.
- Group session should be no more than two hours.
- Group rules in each session include respecting each other opinions, no put-downs and letting everyone have a chance to talk.
After setting these initial focus group parameters it was decided that participants be able to choose the language in which they will participate.
Most authors resist the use of videotape recording in focus groups (Krueger, 1994; Morgan, 1997).
The primary goal of a focus group is to establish and facilitate discussion. In this case focus groups are being used after getting the basic knowledge on subject to interpret and analyze the given information.
Before focus group starts the discussion it is necessary to ask several questions. Firstly the participants would be asked the warm-up questions and then the actual data-collecting questions. It is possible to use the written answers to questions which participant are writing during the first few minutes before the discussion.
LESSON 15: Project-based Learning and Multimedia: What It Is?
A project based learning method is a comprehensive approach to instruction. Your students participate in projects and practice an interdisciplinary array of skills from math, language arts, fine arts, geography, science, and technology.
"The collaborative nature of the investigation enhances all of these valuable experiences ... as well as promotes a greater appreciation for social responsibility (Scott, 1994)."
Defining Project-Based Multimedia Learning
It's best to start with some definitions. By project-based learning, we mean a teaching method in which students acquire new knowledge and skills in the course of designing, planning, and producing some product or performance. By multimedia, we mean the integration of media objects such as text, graphics, video, animation, and sound to represent and convey information. Thus, our definition is:
Project-based multimedia learning is a method of teaching in which students acquire new knowledge and skills in the course of designing, planning, and producing a multimedia product.
Your students' multimedia products will be technology-based presentations, such as a computerized slide show, a Web site, or a video. These presentations will include evidence that your students have mastered key concepts and processes you need to teach and will be a source of great pride for them and for you.
Many present day activities focus on developing linguistic competence for example, the ability to use lexics, grammar and phonetics of the language. They also develop the pragmatic abilities of the learners to use the language for real-life communication. The activity of project-based multimedia learning stimulates through process in learners by forcing them to think and make decision.
The purpose of our report is to show the content of the method of project-based multimedia learning, the usage and the implementation it in teaching English process through distance education.
Project-based learning is an old and respected education method. The use of multimedia is a dynamic new form of communication. The merging of project-based learning English and multimedia represents a powerful teaching strategy that is called “project-based multimedia learning”.
Project-based multimedia learning is a method of teaching in which students acquire new knowledge and skills in the course of designing planning and producing a multimedia product.
Project-based multimedia learning has seven key dimensions such as core curriculum, real-world connection, extended time frame, students decision making, collaboration, assessment, multimedia.
Here is a brief explanation of each.
Core curriculum. At the foundation of any unit of this type is a clear set of learning goals drawn from whatever curriculum or set of standards is in use. We use the term core to emphasize that project-based multimedia learning should address the basic knowledge and skills all students are expected to acquire.
Real-world connection. Project-based multimedia learning strives to be real. It seeks to connect students’ work with the wider world in which students live.
“Real life!” Now, that is the key! I spent years waiting for “real life” to begin, not realizing that my childhood was real life. Children, even young ones, can make a meaningful contribution to the world while they are learning.
—Technology learning coordinator
Extended time frame. A good project is not a one-shot lesson; it extends over a significant period of time. The actual length of a project may vary with the age of the students and the nature of the project.
Students decision making. In project-based multimedia learning, students have a say. Teachers look carefully at what decisions have to be made and divide them into “teacher’s” and “students” based on a clear rationale.
Collaboration. We define collaboration as working together jointly to accomplish a common intellectual purpose in a manner superior. Students may work in pairs or in teams of as many as five or six. Whole-class collaborations are also possible. The goal is for each students involved to make a separate contribution to the final work.
Assessment. Regardless of the teaching method used, data must be gathered on what students nave learned. When using project-based multimedia learning, teachers face additional assessment challenges because multimedia products by themselves do not represent a full picture of student learning. Students are gaining content information, becoming better team members, solving problems and making choices about what new information to show in their presentations. We consider assessment to have three different roles in the project-based multimedia context:
- Activities for developing expectations;
- Activities for improving the media products;
- Activities for compiling and disseminating of learning.
Multimedia. In multimedia projects, students do not learn simply by “using’ multimedia produced by others. As students design and research their projects, instead of gathering only written notes, they also gather and create pictures, video clips, recording and other media objects that will serve as the raw material for their final product.
I did a project a couple of years ago where students drew on index cards that were later filmed. Although the students were still excited to be creating animation, those who were not as good at art started losing interest toward the end. With the use of computers, even an animated stick figure looks pretty good, and students are given the opportunity of cutting and pasting. The use of computers lowers many of the barriers that limited some students' ability to creatively express themselves... Boys, girls, high achievers, and low achievers seemed equally motivated to create a quality product.
—Middle school teacher
What value does the teacher add when she implements project-based multimedia learning? The answer of this question lies in the concept of “value added”. Richard Murnane and Frank Levy (1996) describe three skills sets students need to be competitive for today’s job. These are hard skills (math, reading, problem-solving skills , mastered at a much higher level than previously expected of high school graduates); soft skills (the ability to work in a group and to make effective oral and writing presentations); and the ability to use personal computer to carry out routine tasks (for example, word processing, data management and creating the multimedia presentations).
If means that high school graduates need to master a combination of foundation skills and competencies. These are exactly the soft skills students learn when engaged in project-based multimedia learning.
Adding Project-Based Multimedia Learning to Your Teaching Repertoire
Being a teacher is a bit like being a personal trainer. In general, a trainer knows that all clients need a balanced workout. They need to develop muscular strength, flexibility, and aerobic fitness. They also need to adhere to a sound, balanced diet. At the same time, each client will have specific needs or conditions that require accommodation. The workout you design for your client with asthma will be different from the one you create for your client with arthritis.
Likewise, effective teachers employ various teaching methods to achieve a balanced instructional program that is also personalized and reflects the needs and interests of individual students. You know that your students need a balanced diet of academic content and process skills—and workouts that include learning, practicing, analyzing, reflecting, and assessing. You also know that students vary in their comfort with these activities and the amount of support they need.
The amazing transformation I witnessed in my students came with the publishing of the first student work on the Web. The transformation had to do with the concept of audience. Realizing that their work was posted for the world to see, the students suddenly became more careful about their research, documentation, and the mechanics of their writing. The most reluctant proofreaders became voracious proofreaders and insistent editors. I no longer had to correct their work—they took an active interest in making sure that what was published was accurate and well written.
—Technology learning coordinator
Project-based multimedia learning is one instructional strategy that you can use in a school year that may also include non-technical projects, lecture and note-taking, rote practice, writing, and artistic or creative work. During this part of the year, students may be spending less time on rote practice and the breadth of material they cover may be smaller. What they will be doing instead includes:
Honing their planning and organizational skills;
Learning to present information in compelling ways;
Synthesizing and analyzing complex content and data;
Practicing research and technical skills; and
Learning how academic subject matter applies to the real world.
We worked on the project on and off for much of the year. At the beginning, I would let the students work on the project one day every week or so. When that day came, students would pump their arms and say, “Yes!” The students were so into the project that the class just basically ran itself. I would wander the room getting group updates and be available to help with individual group problems. Students were always asking for more time on the computers, even 10 minutes here and there. Sometimes students would hang around for hours after school; when their parents came to pick them up they would have a hard time getting the students to leave.
—Middle school teacher
Further, the motivational character keeps students engaged, giving you the freedom to support individual students—far better than when every moment of instruction depends on you alone.
Historically, instructors could have any color of chalkboard they wanted as long as it was black. Today the chalkboard comes in all colors, shapes, sizes and degrees of portability. Some have special surfaces that require a particular type of felt-tip pen rather than chalk. Most times, however, this medium includes a large writing area, a writing substance (usually chalk), and an eraser.
The chalkboard is so common that not much attention is paid to maximizing the use of this
fantastic sub-strategy, but by following the guidelines below, the potential of even the trusty old "blackboard" can be greatly increased.
Advantages or Special Purposes
1. Availability. Most areas assigned for instruction are equipped with chalkboards. Also, if more board space is needed, portable boards of various types and styles are handy.
2. The chalkboard is inexpensive, especially when the usable life of the board is considered.
3. It is flexible in use in the sense that instructors may use it, learners may use it and changes can be easily made through erasure.
4. Space. Lots of writing space is usually provided.
5. The chalkboard can be used to present more formally prepared lessons, or for informal, spontaneous sessions.
6. Ideas can be dealt with at all levels from facts to concepts, from cognitive to affective learning.
7. Various colored chalk or pens can be used to develop the topic, show parts or build associations.
8. A point-by-point outline of a presentation can be made on the spot with diagrams, charts, and
other accentuation drawn at the appropriate moment.
9. The visual communication of the chalkboard directs attention of the class to the purposes of the lecture or discussion.
10. Ideas or topics suggested in discussion can be listed on the board, reorganized, deleted, added to, and put in final form.
11. Test or discussion questions can be put on the board and covered up before the class assembles, then revealed at the appropriate time. This can save on time and cost of duplication materials.
12. A number of learners can do practice or drill work on the board at one time, allowing the instructor to give feedback immediately.
Disadvantages or Limitations
1. The chalkboard carries with it a "temporariness." Material put on the board cannot be saved or made permanent.
2. Chalkboards are often fixed in such a way that they are not always at a comfortable height for all potential users.
3. Being fixed, chalkboards can put restrictions on the use of classroom space and classroom activities as learners need to be placed where they can see the boards.
4. Problems can arise for learners who have vision impairments.
5. With age, use of certain types of chalk, and/or improper cleaning practices, boards can become "cloudy" as they retain chalk dust.
6. Some instructors are psyched-out of using the board because they feel a lack of artistic ability.
7. Motion cannot be easily shown.
8. A teacher's handwriting or spelling deficiencies are most obvious when using the chalkboard.
9. Chalkboard work can be messy.
11. Writing on the board can be "down time" and may break the class' s train of thought and/or discussion.
Application
1. Be prepared. See that the chalkboard and erasers are properly cleaned and maintained.
Ensure that chalk is available in sufficient quantity; learners get very tired of watching
instructors search constantly during class for a piece of chalk (or eraser).
2. Plan what you are going to write on the board:
a) keep writing to a minimum by using key words or conceptual diagrams; and
b) develop topics by using the board from left to right and top to bottom.
3. Keep writing
a) neat:
b) large, heavy and high enough to be visible by all;
c) brief; and
d) specific.
4. Practice writing and/or printing in a straight line.
5. Use yellow chalk on a green board, white on a black board, etc.
6. If your chalk squeaks, simply break the piece in half.
7. Learn to stand and/or move around so you do not block the view of learners as you use the
board.
8. Avoid writing and "talking into" the board at the same time.
9. Put the chalk down when you are through writing. This reduces the chances for distraction
caused by playing with the chalk.
10. Use the eraser to remove errors or make changes. Using your hands only smears the chalk
and may deposit oil on the board, which can serve as a dust collector.
11. In erasing the board, use a down-sweep erasing motion. Erasing the board with a side-to-side
motion only enables the learners to observe (from a most unflattering angle) the instructor
doing something resembling the "Twist." It also causes chalk- dust particles to fly into the air
instead of into the collector tray.
12. When you are through with the material, erase it completely so that it will not serve as a
distraction while the next topic is being considered.
13. Intersperse writing on the board with questions or verbal emphasis. Keep the class aware of
what is being put on the board and why.
14. If important drawings or maps are needed on the board, a instructor is wise to save time by:
a) doing them before class, and
b) copying a projection on the board (from a filmstrip, slide, or opaque projector) rather
than "free-handing" it.
15. Chalkboard etiquette: if someone will be using the board after you, please don't leave it for
him/her to erase. It's nice to clean the eraser against the board as well
Overhead Projector
The overhead projector is probably one of the most versatile and useful visual aids that has been made available to the modern-day lecturer. The overhead projector has long since replaced the traditional chalkboard as one of the main teaching aids and is used in lecture theaters and classrooms all over the world.
Even though computer-based data projectors are increasing in popularity, they are indeed very expensive and this means that they are in no way a match for the overhead projector. Therefore, it is very important for lecturers and teachers to know how to use overhead projectors effectively, so as to exploit its potential to the maximum level.
Strengths
The overhead projector definitely has a number of advantages that would outdo most other visual teaching aids. For instance, a lecturer can use it in just the same way that he or she would use a chalkboard, but the biggest advantage would be that with the overhead projector, lecturers all over the world now get to face the whole class and maintain eye contact all times with their students instead of having to turn around and write. As a teacher, you would know that this eye contact plays a very big role in both facilitative as well as expository teaching, and serves both as a means of receiving feedback from the class on how good or bad the session is and as an outward non-verbal communication medium for the teacher.
Another very important benefit that the overhead projector has over the chalkboard is that it is multi-purpose and can be used to present pre-prepared material, which enables lecturers to build notes, tables, diagrams, and so on., and these can be used anytime, repeatedly.
If designed well and planned well, these overhead transparencies will provide all the aides and cues that are needed during a lecture, so that you don't have to resort to the conventional note taking. These overhead transparencies are fairly compact when you compare them with some of the other types of visual aids like charts and can easily be stored in boxes, folders, files, or large envelopes.
As compared to most other projected visual aids, the overhead projector also has another big advantage, as it does not require a room to be darkened, so it allows students to take notes easily. It can also be used in any kind of room, except ones with extreme bright lights or in the direct sunlight.
The overhead projector is quiet, 'user-friendly' and clean and requires no technical knowledge or skill on the part of the person operating it, apart, of course, from the ability to change the lamps occasionally.
Weaknesses
The drawbacks of the overhead projector include the basic fact that it requires a constant power supply and also requires a white flat surface on which its image can be projected. Another disadvantage is that if the surface is not suitable inclined at the correct angle, the image will suffer from a phenomenon called 'keystoning'.
Unlike marker boards and chalkboards, overhead projectors require a small amount of maintenance. They are more likely to crack or break, so you must be very careful and always keep a spare bulb close at hand. Another disadvantage is that some teachers find the glare that is emitted from the overhead projector quite bothersome, even though this can be overcome by attaching a shade to the device.
Besides these hardware 'glitches', the basic problems that are associated with the overhead projectors arise from the fact that most users do not really provide enough thought or consideration to the production of their display material. The writing is generally too untidy or too small and can't be read easily, and apart from this it could also extend beyond the area of transparency. Lecturers and teachers always forget that this illuminated projection area in the overhead projector is not the same exact size as the acetate sheets that produce the transparencies. However, most overhead projectors are still of the older 'square' variety.
Lastly, lecturers and teachers tend to overuse these projectors only because they are so convenient. They employ it in situations where, on other occasions, other visual aids would have been more effective.
