Photos, Podcasts and videos oh here we go.....

This week we where asked to evaluate the uses of images, podcasts and digital videos. All of these tools can be used to help aid a students learning as well as aiding the teacher in their efforts to help aid their teaching methods.

The first tool was that of images, not only do images engage a student in their leaning, it can also help support a students critical thinking whilst also being able to present the learning materials required to help aid the students in their learning. There are many ways to help present images to students such as creating book covers and adding images to slides in a PowerPoint. All of these techniques can be used to help students to learn whilst keeping the student entertained and interested in the topic at hand.

I found the resizing and editing of images easy due to my experience in ITS and the fact that I always edit and use filters on many images I take. The many uses that come with editing and resizing images are great. And I believe that this tool will become very helpful in the future years of teaching.

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The second tool was that of a podcast, which can be used to continue a students learning, out of the school environment, whilst allowing the teacher to continue teaching the student whilst our of school via audio files. By using a podcast it allows the student to stay engaged whilst keeping them interested. This tool also allows the use of digital pedagogy to come through whilst supporting a variety of students learning techniques. There are many sites that can be used to create these audio files and in today's age any basic phone allows the recording of audio files.

I found creating a voki, to be quite nerve racking and I found that recording audio files, I would go back delete and then rerecord. Therefore I would fear that implementing this tool in a school environment would cause some students distress whilst allowing other students to flourish. So whilst I see the potential for podcasts, I myself would not use this tool as frequently as possible. However I do see the overall benefit of using them.

Link to voki:

http://www.voki.com/pickup.php?scid=8392143&height=267&width=200

The third and final tool was of video, which I absolutely personally love, as a learning tool it can be used to help students communicate, observe and reflect on the lessons learnt through out the school year. Videos can again keep the student interested and involved in their own personal learning, whilst allowing the student to express themselves in their own unique way. This therefore supporting their own personal learning technique and supporting their creative side of learning.

I personally love the many uses of video, in my years of schooling I have helped produce many short films. The only real issue I have with video is how hard it is to make sure the videos stays in accordance to the curriculum. However I really enjoy the ideas and many uses that the topic of videos can present. The video I selected was a video created back when I was in steps, it was created around the topic of "dreams" in which I took footage from a TV show "Primeval: New World" edited it together along to a song and showed that as part of my assessment on dreams.

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In conclusion I find all three tools as effective learning tools, however I would choose to use videos and images over that of podcasts. Due to if I as an adult dislike using such a tool then my students may not enjoy it either, yes that doesn't mean I wouldn't use it, it just means I would select the other two modems over that of podcasts. However it can be seen that all three tools all have their own pros and cons, it all just depends which tool we as teachers and students and more comfortable and confident in using.