W2_Week 2 Reading

(Creative Commons, 2010)

Non‐Optimal Uses of Video in the Classroom

This article covers poor use of video in the classroom.  It was included as a balance to allowing video media a free, unstructured reign, as opposed to using it with purpose.  Age inappropriate content was discussed.  Student media literacy skills can be developed if video media used carefully. Also discussed was the history of media in the classroom from the filmstrip to the digital film.  Teachers must have a plan for their media use with a discussion on content versus instructional method.  Some of the non-optimal uses described were: no clearly defined purpose, no use of pause and rewind, to give the teacher a ‘break’, teacher mentally disengaged, use of video as ‘reward’, attention hook, or to control student behavior.

 Hobbs, R. (2006). Non‐optimal uses of video in the classroom. Learning, Media, & Technology, 31(1), 35-50. doi:10.1080/17439880500515457.

The Digital NATIVES are Restless: Using the Mobile Phone Camera Creatively in Visual Arts and Media Classrooms

Article discussed the need for students to be able to speak digitally.  An attempt must be made to shift digital culture from perpetuating visual parody only, into more serious academic pursuits.  The article also pursued the tension between the digital natives (students) and digital immigrants (teachers).  The article covered two schools that successfully implemented smart phone video-making as part of their course assignments.  The students had to interact with the material on multiple levels.  The conclusion was that image making was a socially constructed way for students to see the world.

Nash, G., & Mackey, K. (2007). The Digital NATIVES are restless: Using the mobile phone camera creatively in visual arts and media classrooms. Screen Education, (47), 92-97. Retrieved from Communication & Mass Media Complete database.

Filmmaking Across the Curriculum

Article covered the benefits of student video making as a way that enhanced their interaction with the course content.  Student video making enhanced their learning experience

 (2005). Filmmaking Across the Curriculum. Screen Education, (40), 58-61. Retrieved from Communication & Mass Media Complete database.

Digital Story Telling in a Science Classroom: Reflective Self-Learning (RSL) in Action

Article discussed how student video making helped them move from “knowledge telling” into the knowledge itself.   Student video making can be used to explore almost any curriculum domain.  Digital storytelling is not yet a part of education’s mainstream, but it is growing in acceptance as the idea of visual literacy takes on greater meaning.  Students learned to combine still image, sound, and video image into pieces that also helped them become more self-reflective with the material.  Used real world observations and data gathering and incorporated into a video creation.  Also described the benefit derived from students viewing one another’s productions.

Valkanova, Y., & Watts, M. (2007). Digital story telling in a science classroom: reflective self-learning (RSL) in action. Early Child Development & Care, 177(6/7), 793-807. doi:10.1080/03004430701437252.

Interviewing the Experts: Student Produced Podcast

While this article discussed college level work, its principles are applicable for middle school and high school applications.  Students were instructed to create podcasts on certain subjects.  The use of digital video media bolstered applied skills, communication skills, conceptual skills, research skills, team work, and new technology skills.  Also developed were analytical and critical thinking skills.  The research phase caused students to have to interact with the expert (the data).

Armstrong, G., Tucker, J., & Massad, V. (2009). Interviewing the Experts: Student Produced Podcast. Journal of Information Technology Education, 8IIP-79-IIP-90. Retrieved from Education Research Complete database.

"Writing" Research with Video: Exploring Video Action Research from the Classroom to the Field in New Orleans

Another article that described college level application, but its principles are appropriate to middle and high school.  Article discussed the relationship between research and pedagogy.  It was stressed that proper research was vital to accurate video presentation.  This new form of research is called video action research (VAR).  VAR has the potential to position students as media authors and producers and not just media consumers and spectators.  The article covers the effort needed to translate hard data in to accurate visual images.  The author called this process “collaboration with the subject”. 

Lovett, M. (2007). "Writing" Research with Video: Exploring Video Action Research from the Classroom to the Field in New Orleans. Journal of Curriculum & Pedagogy, 4(2), 7-18. Retrieved from Education Research Complete database.

Book Trailer Projects From Classroom to Community: Virginia Tech Students Reach Out to the Local High School

This article laid out an entire student video making project complete with storyboards, content goals, and rubrics and discussed the benefits derived from student interaction with course material through the medium of video production.

Woods, D., & Beach, C. (2008). Book Trailer Projects From Classroom to Community: Virginia Tech Students Reach Out to the Local High School. Virginia English Bulletin, 58(2), 42-47. Retrieved from Education Research Complete database.