Week 4 Embedded task 3

Digital Tools.

This week my reflection is on digital tools such as audio, video and pod-casts that can be used in the classroom. Whether using these tools as multi-sensory learning aids to enhance a particular lesson such as slides and pod-casts to reaffirm ideas or used as leaning experiences outright. For example 'how to' videos on YouTube, these digital tools can help significantly with student engagement and visual literacy (the ability to see, understand, think, create and communicate graphically). With these aids, educators can present learning resources to students with the purpose of engaging thinking (knowledge, understanding, analysis, evaluation), influencing feelings or supporting skill development such as communication, observation and reflection. The skills necessary to identify details of these mediums are included in many disciplines; for example, careful observation is essential to scientific inquiry and the ability to analyse and evaluate the enormous amount of images and information etc. available would be beneficial to learners in all disciplines. Because all of these media types can be digitally stored, it enables students to access the content at their own pace. With the ability to pause and rewind if need be and participate or explore content more deeply during lesson activities with the potential freed time.

I have chosen pod-casts to elaborate further on in this reflection as I was not familiar with them before now and I have found them an interesting and convenient educational tool. The ease of accessibility to pod-casts enables students to access the information any time they want and download the information to the device of their choice to listen/watch, whenever they are free. With pod-casting, learning is no longer a sedentary activity. As every lesson can be downloaded on their iPod or MP3 player learning can occur even when a child is mowing the lawn or while lying on their bed. Teachers also have the ability to record their classes then upload them online creating an archive of lessons and moreover with the ability of updates (where students subscribe to a particular podcast) the student will be notified if there is an update available potentially eliminating the chance of the student forgetting.

All of these digital instruments are beneficial to educators as they have the ability to engage and stimulate different types of learners, whilst having the ability to encourage higher order thinking through the use and/or creation of one or all of these tools.

My video example:
http://goanimate.com/videos/07EjAo3cyPyQ
My audio example:
http://www.voki.com/pickup.php?scid=11217043&height=267&width=200

My image examples:

Edited Photo

Original photo