The other idea that I will be pulling away from this chapter is the reminder that it is not the delivery media that that causes learning per se but it is the instructional methods. I often times feel that I use instructional media just because it is there and I feel it may add value. I am once again reminded to look critically at the media that I use and to see if it is really the best instructional method or if it is just convenient.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
R/D12
One idea that I will pull away from Chapter 30 in the book are "when working with low knowledge learners... be particularly careful to employ relevant principles of multimedia design." As a teacher we often have a room full of students who are coming to the class with vast differences in prior knowledge and experience. Working in what I consider a "one size fits most" educational setting I feel that it is essential to provide rich media experiences when possible in order to make sure that we are able to accmodate our low knowledge learners. It seems to be an even bigger help since the book discusses how the higher knowledge learners are not adversely affected by rich media.
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5 comments:
I like that you pointed out that in a classroom we have students with vast differences.
I have a big problem with the levels of students in my classroom. I have 9-12 graders in the same class. Also, I have a lot of the high achieving students who are dedicated toward that subject area and then I have a lot of lower functioning special education students who need to meet a learning objective. I really don't have much of a choice to differentiate a little.
I think in general I need to look a little more closely at my instruction methods. I have been making some progress this year but I know I can still do more.
I like how you reconized that sometimes you use instructional media to maybe add value, I am guilty of doing this as well. At times I have felt that I need to just add a little extra and not really looking at if using it is benefiting the students.
I agree. I also have students with vast differences in prior knowledge, experience, and educational caliber. Some are 4.0 students and others are special needs students. Finding that balance in teaching is always a struggle. One thing I know that helps me is that I have special projects for the more advanced students (all my classes are project based). This allows them to continue advancing their knowledge and experience and gives me time to focus on the students who are struggling.
Matthew—
I was surprised, and relieved, that rich media does not adversely affect higher knowledge learners. Our current school system is set up for a “one size fits most” type of lesson. Luckily, for our current generation of lower learners, that they have more options than ever before to help them succeed.
This chapter was helpful in talking about how instructional methods are more important than delivery media used. Not having much media available, I have been wishing for more of it all year. Although, when I get to another district I won’t be so gung-ho to use it just for the sake of using it.
Donna
Matthew,
I agree, sometimes because we are crunched for time and we have to come a specific amount of material in a specific time frame, we go for what is convenient.
I feel that it will take effort on our part to ask ourselves if this is what is happening when we are choosing media to use in the classroom. However, I do think that it is good to use relevant media to help low knowledge learners because they are often the ones that are overlooked. As sometimes are our higher knowledge learners, but I think that sometimes the higher knowledge learners may be used as a resource to whether or not some of the media is worth using.
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