I remember the days when Saturday morning meant waking up early to eat cereal out of the box, lounge around in my PJ's, and watch my favorite Hanna-Barbera cartoons: The Flinstones and the Jetsons, with a side helping of Yogi and Huckleberry Hound.
If you were like me, you expected that by the time you were a grown up, all the cool gadgets on the Jetsons would be around, and you too, could have your very own hover-car inside your suitcase, a robot to do your dishes, and one to help with your homework if you needed it.
Unfortunately, we're still lagging behind the fantastical imaginings of Hanna-Barbera, and are a bit closer to the stone-age Flinstones with their tried and true traditional methods. However, that doesn't mean that progress isn't being made, especially in the classroom.
Technology is being integrated into learning at an astoundingly fast rate. Some of the biggest learning contributers in the classroom are multimedia, which can range from videos, to simulations, and interactive games. They're useful tools which can target most learning modalities, often encompassing the audio and the visual, and in some cases, the kinesthetic as well. They provide ways to explore different worlds, from taking a field trip inside the human body to trekking through a malaysian jungle, and allow students to experience different things than they normally would, or apply learning in different ways, like watching Tin-tin in french, in order to apply french knowledge to comprehend the dialogue, with the help of the animation.
Of course, that isn't to say that it's all silver linings and full pic-a-nic baskets (to quote a not-so-average bear); there are some problems that are still being addressed and dealt with. Issues in classroom, especially, is on how much emphasis is being placed on multimedia, and if the teacher is using it as a crutch, not as enrichment, or a tool. There is also the problem of malefunctions that can occur, and the loss of classroom management when the teacher becomes frustrated or confused with the technology, taking their focus, and precious minutes of classroom time to fix it, allowing the potential for disruption to occur.
However, the name in the education game is progress. We might not quite be at the level of Holograms and suit-case hover cars yet, but we're gaining a handle on technology in the classroom, and how to use it in a beneficial way.
Name of Multimedia Learning Object: Video
Subject Area: art
Grade Level: 5
Source - URL: http://www.ahsd25.k12.il.us/~TriciaFuglestad/VisualArt/page14/page3/files/page3-1003-pop.html
Description of Multimedia Learning Object: This is a music video in the style of 'School House Rock', which looks at taking care of art equipment in the classroom. It is from the perspective of a bunch of art room brushes, doing an expose on the tragic life of a misused brush. It is a video made by a grade 5 class, and details the importance of well kept brushes and materials.
The site also contains many videos and songs related to art techniques such as depth, shading, patterns, monochrome colors, and much more, which are fun, catchy and informative: great stuff to use in an elementary art class to illustrate a point visually and auditorialy.
Description of Integration Idea (how you intend to use it in the classroom): I would use this video to show the consequences of not taking care of classroom art equipment, like brushes. Once I had gone over the Art Room rules, I would ask them to pay special attention to what caused 'Young Sloppy Brush' to be sloppy (ie: what did the student do to ruin the brush), and then we could have a discussion abou why the art room rules are important, and which rules were broken to make 'Young Sloppy Brush's' life turn into a tragedy.
Planning and Preparation: I would have to outline the Art Room rules, watch the video to make sure its suitable for the students, and develop questions about the video that could guide them to learning about craftsmanship and economy in using art materials. I would also have to test the technology in the classroom I would use to make sure it works.
I would have to go over the rules with the class, check the technology before class starts, and give them an anticipatory set to watch out for.
Subject Outcome: craftsmanship, component 9, level 3: students will perfect images through economical use of material and efficiency of effort.
ICT Outcome:
C.6 - Students will use technology to investigate and/or solve problems.
Specific Outcomes
2.1
select and use technology to assist in problem solving
2.2
use data gathered from a variety of electronic sources to address identified problems
2.3
use graphic organizers, such as mind mapping/webbing, flow charting and outlining, to present connections between ideas and information in a problem-solving environment
2.4
solve problems, using numerical operations and such tools as calculators and spreadsheets
2.5
solve problems requiring the sorting, organizing, classifying and extending of data, using such tools as calculators, spreadsheets, databases or hypertext technology
2.6
solve issue-related problems, using such communication tools as a word processor or email to involve others in the process
2.7
generate alternative solutions to problems by using technology to facilitate the process
C.7 - Students will use electronic research techniques to construct personal knowledge and meaning.
Specific Outcomes
2.1
use a variety of technologies to organize and synthesize researched information
2.2
use selected presentation tools to demonstrate connections among various pieces of information
F.4 - Students will become discerning consumers of mass media and electronic information.
Specific Outcomes
2.1
recognize that graphics, video and sound enhance communication
2.2
describe how the use of various texts and graphics can alter perception
2.3
discuss how technology can be used to create special effects and/or to manipulate intent through the use of images and sound
Link to Art Videos:http://www.ahsd25.k12.il.us/~TriciaFuglestad/VisualArt/page14/page14.html
