Media (is) the message?

Media (is) the message?

The question of whether media influences learning goes back to the early 1990's when Richard Clark and Robert Kozma first exerted their opinions sparking this continuous debate.

Clark believed that "[...] media are mere vehicles that deliver instruction but do not influence student achievement any more than the truck that delivers our groceries causes changes in our nutrition” (Clark 83: 445).

While Kozma believed that media “ possess particular characteristics that make them both more and less suitable for the accomplishment of certain kinds of learning tasks.” (Kozma, 1994).

When it comes to this age old question, I have to side with Kozma. Considering myself as a tech savvy teacher, I've seen the wonderful accomplishments that students make with the help of technology and have outlined them in three categories.

1. Presentation

With technology, there are a variety of ways that you can present information to learners. Those who are visual, audio, and kinesthetic learners are able to interact with resources that may help them understand information better. In one of my earlier blog posts, I wrote about how there is even a Revised Blooms Digital Taxonomy Pyramid. Most students use technology in their everyday lives. Using it as a means to teach sparks their interest more than a lecture. At one point my students were asking me to use the Chromebooks more for lessons, projects, and papers.

2. A 24/7 teacher

Another great thing about technology is its ability to be a constantly present tool. When students have missed lessons, forget, or need help understanding something, the right type of media/technology may be there to guide them when teachers aren't able to. For students to be able to go back, review information, and use it in various ways is an achievement in itself. Screencasts, You Tube, and many other resources guide learners to show them to how to do something, and they love being able to pause and rewind for understanding. 

3. Endless Possibilities

The possibilities with technology are endless. Learners can now take virtual field trips, seeing, learning, and experiencing things they might have never been able to experience. Even activities as simple as comics are accessible to students who thought they weren't capable of creating them because they weren't great illustrators.

I understand how it might have been easy to see media as just a tool in the early 90s when technology wasn't as advanced, but in 2016, I believe that instructors who use technology efficiently can increase the achievement of students, and a motivated student will also explore and learn on their on with the help of technology.

Podcasts

Podcasts 

Podcasts first became popular in the early 2000's as a way to share audio files over the internet. There are several websites you can use to create a podcast whether you want to share music, create a show, or listen to others. I created three free accounts using the following podcast sites, and I was able to compare their different features. Keep in mind the following chart is based upon free accounts, and you may get more features when purchasing advanced accounts. Some of the categories are left blank because the information wasn't very clear and I wanted to keep the chart as accurate as possible.

	Soundcloud	Audioboom	Podomatic
Storage			500 MB overall
Bandwidth			15 GB a month
Max Record Time	180 mins. (Total)	3 Minutes
Automatic QR Code	N	Y	N
Easy Upload	Y	N	N
Choice of Public Vs Private Uploads	Y	N	N
Download Enable Control	Y	N
Sharing Options Via Social Media	Y	Y	Y
Tag Option	Y	Y	Y
Private Sharing	Y	N	N
News Feed (Following Channels)	Y	Y	Y
Phone App Available	Y	Y	Y
Image Options	Y	Y	Y
Trim Capability		Y	N
Other Weaknesses	Not able to upload podcasts from phone apps.	Only able to record from phone or tablet.	Upload videos using other apps or computer software.

After my review of all the sites, I found soucloud to be the best! Different ways to implement podcasts into the classroom would include having students record book talks/reviews, scripts for a drama unit, poems that they're written, and research projects/papers. I would definitely have students record essays that they're written because many times students do not realize the grammar mistakes they've made until they read aloud, so it would force them to go back and edit their papers for grammar.  Traci Gardner also has very helpful lessons for how to use podcasts in the classroom.

Below, there's a podcast that I created using Soundcloud about library leader Carol Kuhlthau.

Cartoons and Comics

Cartoons and Comics

Even as readers get older, they still enjoy books with pictures such as Diary of a Wimpy. As readers' interests in graphic novels continue to increase, we have to start thinking about how we can use this  in the classroom. Making the students the authors and artists of their own comic strips can help struggling students build on important reading skills, engage artistic students, and allow students who may not be great artist to create their own comics. I created three different comic strips using ToonDoo, Pixton, and Makebeliefscomix. Continue reading to see my comments about each site.

ToonDoo

By dwoodard247 | View this Toon at ToonDoo | Create your own Toon

I enjoyed using ToonDoo. It thought it was very simple to use, and I think it would be great for students on an intermediate level who have had some experience with creating comics, but are still getting comfortable with the concept. I was able to to manipulate the characters, choose different props, and there are characters with predetermined facial expressions. 

Pixton

Pixton is probably my favorite website to use for creating comics. Students who are more advanced would enjoy using this website. There are tons of different backgrounds to choose from, you can manipulate the characters in many different ways, change their facial expressions, and add your own images. 

Make Beliefs Comix

Make Beliefs Comix is great for beginners. There aren't a ton of options to overwhelm the user, but there are still enough features to customize the comic to your liking. This would be good for elementary students, special ed, etc. 

How Can You Implement This In The Classroom

Makebeliefscomix.com also gives you some awesome tips on how to incorporate comics in the classroom no matter which subject area you may teach. Click here to view the 25 ways to incorporate comics. I also plan to use comics in the library as ways for students to review books, create comics for their favorite books, have a comic competition, or in the makerspace club! Since I work in middle school, I'll be using Pixtoon or ToonDoo.

Videos and QR Codes in the Library

Videos and QR Codes in the Library

YouTube is one of the most popular sites for video sharing. Many libraries or librarians now have YouTube channels to help them promote their library, help students with tasks, and much more.


For example, when it comes to tackling research projects, many students may forget steps, be absent when information is given, or just need a reminder on how to do certain things. The following video by Calypso Gilstrap from Norman High School is a video that I feel would be helpful for students when learning how to use EBSCOHost. 





But, we also need to incorporate balance, and have videos that students can create themselves, be involved in, and enjoying watching to promote the library. My students love to dance, so I know the following video by BBMSMEDIA would be enjoyable for them.

QR Codes

QR stands for quick response. It's a bar code that is readable by your mobile phone, allowing you to access information immediately without inputting a web address. In a world full of quick information, QR codes can also be used in education. Using Animoto, a video maker website, I was able to create a book trailer and create a QR code which takes you straight to it. Check it out below by scanning the bar code with your QR Reader. QR Reader's are easy and free to download from the majority of cell phones.

The two-time Newbery Honor winner Gary D. Schmidt delivers the shattering story of Joseph, a father at thirteen, who has never seen his daughter, Jupiter. After spending time in a juvenile facility, he’s placed with a foster family on a farm in rural Maine. Here Joseph, damaged and withdrawn, meets twelve-year-old Jack, who narrates the account of the troubled, passionate teen who wants to find his baby at any cost. In this riveting novel, two boys discover the true meaning of family and the sacrifices it requires.

In addition to book trailers, QR codes could be used for several other things in the library such as book reviews, directions, units created for specific teachers or subjects, competitions, catalog access, etc. The possibilities are endless! If there is information that you want students to be able to access quickly, create a QR code for it! I love Tony Vincent's idea of using QR codes as a way to reflect. Reflection Facilitated QR Codes. In what ways have you used QR codes in your classroom or library? Comment below.

Instagram, Vine, and Screencasts

Instagram, Vine, and Screencasts

As technology becomes one of the primary ways to make learning more engaging for students, new apps such as Instagram and Vine that are considered social media may also be helpful in the classroom. 

Instagram 

Previously, I never thought about using Instagram, but thanks to We Are Teachers and their creative lists of ways to use Instagram in the classroom, I'm now thinking of ways to use Instagram in the library. 

I've created an Instagram page for the new school I'll be at for the 2016-17 school year. It's fairly new, but you have to start somewhere! Follow us now @GranthamLMC 

A photo posted by Grantham Academy Library (@granthamlmc) on Jul 5, 2016 at 9:50pm PDT

The perfect bag to carry all your awesome books in! 🎒📚

A photo posted by Grantham Academy Library (@granthamlmc) on Jul 5, 2016 at 11:04pm PDT

Vine

Vine is an app that allows you to share six second videos. Similar to Twitter with it's sharing constraints, it forces you to use the time you have creatively in order to get your point across. Reading Horizons has created a list for 8 Ways You Can Use Vine To Teach Reading Comprehension. 

 Here's my school's official Vine page

 @GranthamLMC and an example of a few Vine videos. 

1. After playing around with Instagram and Vine. These are a few ideas of how you could use these two apps in the library. Keep in mind, Instagram does have a video option that allows you to record for 60 seconds. 

1. Take pictures/videos of events going on in the library. (Book fair, author visits, book club, makerspaces, etc.)
2. Take pictures/videos of new books available, or short excerpts.
3. Take pictures/videos of students using the library. 
4. Post competitions and announcements.
5. Get students involved using a hashtag challenge to promote literacy. 

Screencasts

Screencast allow you to record or take picture images of your computer screen. In the past, I've used Screencast-O-Matic and I love it! This time around, I decided to download Jing to see which one I enjoyed using more. Watch the following two videos that I recorded using two different programs.

Screencast-o-matic

Jing

Click on the following link to watch the video, or scroll to the very bottom of the page.

JING VIDEO

Cons

Screencast-O-Matic

1. Doesn't allow you to capture only a picture.

2. Has preset recording screen dimensions. 

Jing

1. Doesn't allow you to automatically save to YouTube.

2. Doesn't allow you to record the screen and webcam simultaneously.

3. Five minute recording time maximum.

I began with the cons because most of the time that's where the deal breakers outshine the pros.  With Screencast-O-Matic, I like that I can post the videos directly to my YouTube channel, and when I pause I can also go back to specific spots in my recording. While using Jing, I felt rushed to meet the five minute time limit, and I had a lot of trouble accessing the video when saved to my computer. The only features I found more appealing in Jing were the recording screen options and the sun icon to access the program.  Overall, I still prefer to use Screencast-o-matic. I felt like I could do more using the program in comparison to Jing.

Instagram, Vine, and Screencasts

Instagram, Vine, and Screencasts

As technology becomes one of the primary ways to make learning more engaging for students, new apps such as Instagram and Vine that are considered social media may also be helpful in the classroom. 

Instagram 

Previously, I never thought about using Instagram, but thanks to We Are Teachers and their creative lists of ways to use Instagram in the classroom, I'm now thinking of ways to use Instagram in the library. 

I've created an Instagram page for the new school I'll be at for the 2016-17 school year. It's fairly new, but you have to start somewhere! Follow us now @GranthamLMC 

A photo posted by Grantham Academy Library (@granthamlmc) on Jul 5, 2016 at 9:50pm PDT

The perfect bag to carry all your awesome books in! 🎒📚

A photo posted by Grantham Academy Library (@granthamlmc) on Jul 5, 2016 at 11:04pm PDT

Vine

Vine is an app that allows you to share six second videos. Similar to Twitter with it's sharing constraints, it forces you to use the time you have creatively in order to get your point across. Reading Horizons has created a list for 8 Ways You Can Use Vine To Teach Reading Comprehension. 

 Here's my school's official Vine page

 @GranthamLMC and an example of a few Vine videos. 

1. After playing around with Instagram and Vine. These are a few ideas of how you could use these two apps in the library. Keep in mind, Instagram does have a video option that allows you to record for 60 seconds. 

1. Take pictures/videos of events going on in the library. (Book fair, author visits, book club, makerspaces, etc.)
2. Take pictures/videos of new books available, or short excerpts.
3. Take pictures/videos of students using the library. 
4. Post competitions and announcements.
5. Get students involved using a hashtag challenge to promote literacy. 

Screencasts

Screencast allow you to record or take picture images of your computer screen. In the past, I've used Screencast-O-Matic and I love it! This time around, I decided to download Jing to see which one I enjoyed using more. Watch the following two videos that I recorded using two different programs.

Screencast-o-matic

Jing

JING VIDEO

Cons

Screencast-O-Matic

1. Doesn't allow you to capture only a picture.

2. Has preset recording screen dimensions. 

Jing

1. Doesn't allow you to automatically save to YouTube.

2. Doesn't allow you to record the screen and webcam simultaneously.

3. Five minute recording time maximum.

I began with the cons because most of the time that's where the deal breakers outshine the pros.  With Screencast-O-Matic, I like that I can post the videos directly to my YouTube channel, and when I pause I can also go back to specific spots in my recording. While using Jing, I felt rushed to meet the five minute time limit, and I had a lot of trouble accessing the video when saved to my computer.. The only features I found more appealing in Jing were the recording screen options and the sun icon to access the program.  Overall, I still prefer to use Screencast-o-matic. I felt like I could do more using the program in comparison to Jing.