Audio Files, Images and Digital Movies

My PodOmatic Audio

21^st Century Literacy

Audio, Images and Video are now a standard form of communication today. These forms of communication are multimodal and can deliver information to give meaning that was not achievable using traditional forms of communication.

Images – A picture says a thousand words! As a dominant visual learner I love the idea of using images for learning. I personally understand so clearly when I can seen an idea through  images that may otherwise be quite a challenge to convey if someone was trying to explain the concept through poorly draft sketches and mind maps.

Manipulating images comes naturally to me as I am extremely comfortable using photoshop. The key to image manipulation is understanding resolution and what is the files final usage or destination will determine what process or programs you use. I used the program mobaphoto recommended in the learning material this week to resize the image, and found it quite easy to use, however there was some initial confusion in the download section but once I found the workaround I found the installation quite easy. One of the features of this program I particularly enjoyed was being able manipulate an entire folder of images similar to the photoshops’ tool set however mobaphoto is far more intuitive in this area and I can see why novice image manipulators would prefer this option over photoshop.

Audio

I thoroughly enjoyed using audacity it was a lot of fun recording our voices which fell in the category of when learning is fun throughout the entire process. Both myself and study buddy Deb Jacobson found the recording tasks quite jovial not unlike when you are placed on the spot when video-taped at a party and hearing your voice recorded is always a novel experience. Whether its video editing or audio both Deb and I found the process not very intuitive and a few hours of tutorials were required to progress especially in the creation of URL’s which until that point was a mystery for the both of us. ITunes however is still somewhat of a challenge to me. I was able to find interesting podcasts but struggled to work out how to upload them. This only adds to the theory that I am a digital immigrant. My teenage children play with these tools with ease.

Audio in the classroom has a number of key uses especially as a narrative with images or video to explain information. Students could record songs or pneumonic to remember facts of information. Audio books or recording class content are additional ways audio could be used for learning. If I had to include a negative would be they could become a distraction from the learning that is meant to be done and the process is time consuming when compared with other digital learning tools.

Video

Using movie maker is relative easy to do as this also is familiar to me from previous projects but I am still struggling to navigate my way around blogger because URL’s, links and the methodology of linking multiple elements is quite complex and it will require further study and investigation.

Drawing on white boards and taking snapshots of their class learning and displaying the images in a classroom or online context would be an interactive and useful way to build meaning relevant to the student.

Books are a traditional method of recording and mass producing information. Using Audio, images and video to record the information and content is set. This is a benefit for the learner as the message is not as likely to become lost is translation where this may be the case when a teacher articulates content, over and over. It is important and time consuming to update and maintain content and information recorded using audio, images and video. These modern recording tools are essential for today’s student and teacher because mass production of learning tools are one of the avenues that teachers can cover the needs of an ever increasing subject matter and population. Although creating authentic learning environments is essential, customised content is no longer a practical option in a society where instant gratification of learning is the new standard.

References

Kearney, M. & Shuck, S. (2006). Spotlight on authentic learning: Student developed digital video projects. Australian Journal of Educational Technology, 22 (2), 189-208. Retrieved from CQUniversity Course Resources Online (FAHE11001). 

The New Media Consortium. (2005). A global imperative: The report of the 21st century literacy summit. Retrieved from CQUniversity Course Resources Online (FAHE11001).