WOW!
There are so many fantastic digital
tools out there that I never would have even considered using in the classroom…
but now I know how to use them,
WHY NOT!?!
This week in
Managing E-Learning, we learnt all about IMAGE
EDITING, PODCASTS and VIDEOS. Time for a bit of
creativity, methinks!
So let’s begin
with one of the most used digital processes – IMAGE EDITING. Anyone who’s plugged a picture into a Word document
would have at some point RESIZED,
CROPPED, MOVED and TRANSFORMED and
image, right?
But did you know there are so very many more (free) editing tools
out there for us to play with?
EASY-PEASY with MobaPhoto!
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IMAGE EDITING
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STRENGTHS
-
FREE services offered by MobaPhoto and
many others (including standard programs on computers and most mobile
devices)
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VERY EASY to use (don’t need much technical knowledge)
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Can be
edited A LOT OR A LITTLE, depending
on ability and preferences
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ENHANCES poor-quality or imperfect images, and allows image MANIPULATION
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RESIZES and compresses images for use on the web
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WEAKNESSES
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MobaPhoto and other free programs have only LIMITED EDITING OPTIONS, unlike paid-for programs
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Easy to OVER-MANIPULATE and distort images,
and some programs REPLACE the
original image without the user’s realisation
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OPPORTUNITIES
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Makes the
use of images more ACCESSIBLE to
students
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Students
are able to EDIT and MANIPULATE images to their
preferences
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Encourages
students to use MULTIMODAL and
creative ways of presenting information
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ENGAGING for students as it is an interactive, customisable technology
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Gives
students a sense of OWNERSHIP and
pride for their work
-
Meets
students at their technological INTERESTS
and their abilities
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THREATS
-
Copyright
and PLAGIARISM issues could arise
when using images from the internet
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Easy to
spend a lot of time editing images, which could DISTRACT students from the classroom task
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Increases
risk of students INAPPROPRIATELY manipulating
images (be it inappropriate content or simply off-task behaviour)
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I believe that
there is DEFINITELY a use for image
editing in the classroom! It encourages students to use images in their
presentations and assignments, which might otherwise seem DULL and BORING. This
technology also allows students more FREEDOM
and control over their work, and involves them more in their work than simply “copying
and pasting” an image from the web.
So image editing is a go!
Next in line is
the ever-fun PODCAST, or SOUND RECORDING. Who hasn’t recorded themselves
talking, only to play it back and hear a completely foreign voice?! I have –
when recording a quick message this week, I was alarmed to hear how very Aussie
I sound!
There are MANY PLATFORMS out there that allow for
sound recording, and many computers and mobile devices already have such
software installed. One of my favourite sound recording and editing programs is
AUDACITY – I was first introduced to
it at school when I was 12 years old, so it’s VERY EASY to use!
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PODCASTS / SOUND RECORDING
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STRENGTHS
-
FREE services offered by Audacity and
many others (including standard programs on computers and most mobile
devices)
-
EASY to use (don’t need much technical knowledge)
-
Can be
used to record SIMPLE voice
messages, or COMPLICATED soundscapes
and effects
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WEAKNESSES
-
Depending
on the program and the hardware (speakers and microphone) used, quality can
be VERY POOR
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Standard
programs offer very little editing OPTIONS
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Audacity can be COMPLICATED to use
for in-depth sound manipulation (but straightforward for simple recordings
and editing)
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OPPORTUNITIES
-
Encourages
students to use MULTIMODAL and
creative ways of presenting information
-
ENGAGING for students as it is an interactive, customisable technology
-
Gives
students a sense of OWNERSHIP and
pride for their work
-
Meets
students at their technological INTERESTS
and their abilities
-
Allows QUIETER students the opportunity to
input their ideas
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THREATS
-
Easy to
spend a lot of time in recording and editing, which could DISTRACT students from the classroom
task
-
Copyright
and PLAGIARISM issues could arise
when using sound effects from the internet
-
Increases
risk of students INAPPROPRIATELY manipulating
sounds (be it inappropriate content or simply off-task behaviour)
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I have experienced
firsthand as a student the BENEFIT of using sound recordings/podcasts in the
classroom. It was a new, exciting and MULTIMODAL way to present a story we had
written, and it allowed us to play with sounds, music and effects. Every
student was engaged and INVOLVED in the assignments, as the podcasting was FUN!
So I would DEFINITELY use
podcasting and sound recording in my classroom, for myself (in teaching) and my
students (in learning).
Access my Aussie
greeting HERE:
And now VIDEOS… anyone with a SMARTPHONE or a WEBCAM is sure to have filmed something (or someone!) at some
point. I personally haven’t had a whole lot to do with the EDITING side of videography, but I will admit to taking a few too
many videos of my friends (and myself!) doing crazy stuff!! But does VIDEOGRAPHY have a place in the
classroom?
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VIDEOS
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STRENGTHS
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FREE services offered online, and most current phones and computers have
video functions as standard
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Very
interactive, and completely STUDENT-AUTHORED
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Most video
programs are EASY to film and edit
with (don’t need much technical knowledge)
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Can be
used to film and create videos with a LITTLE,
SOME or NO EDITING (depending
on preference and ability)
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A very CREATIVE and OPEN technology
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WEAKNESSES
-
Depending
on the program and the hardware (camera and microphone) used, quality can be VERY POOR
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Standard
programs offer very little editing OPTIONS
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Some
programs can be COMPLICATED to use
for in-depth manipulation (but straightforward for simple recordings and
editing)
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SAFETY CONCERNS regarding the capturing and transmission of images of students (no anonymity
in videos)
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OPPORTUNITIES
-
Can be
used as a PRESENTING tool for research
tasks, creative tasks or music/media tasks
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Encourages
students to use MULTIMODAL and
creative ways of presenting information
-
ENGAGING for students as it is an interactive, customisable technology
-
Gives
students a sense of OWNERSHIP and
pride for their work
-
Meets
students at their technological INTERESTS
and their abilities
-
ACCESSIBLE for students of all technological abilities (engages creatively and
academically)
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THREATS
-
Very easy
to spend a lot of time creating, filming and editing, which could DISTRACT students from the purpose of
the task
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Copyright
and PLAGIARISM issues could arise
when using sound effects, images and fonts from the internet
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Increases
risk of students INAPPROPRIATELY manipulating
videos (be it inappropriate content or simply off-task behaviour)
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Difficult
as a teacher to MONITOR BEHAVIOUR
and progress as students will be filming in different areas throughout the
school
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Having made videos
throughout high school, and now at university, I definitely agree that there is
VALUE IN VIDEOGRAPHY! It ENGAGES all students on any level –
through the scripting, filming/acting, and editing processes – and can be a
highly effective way to INTEREST
students in tasks. Furthermore, it also ENHANCES
PRESENTATIONS to no end!
In a previous
course at uni, I was part of a group who had to present about Sensory Learning. In a moment of
ill-thought creativity, I ended up writing a song about it. So I dressed up
like a hipster (trust me, it’s a character – not the real me!) and decided to
spoof it up. We played it in our presentation and got the class roaring with
laughter!
Watch it HERE:
So FINAL VERDICT: yay or nay for IMAGE EDITING, PODCASTS and VIDEOS?
YAYYYY!!!
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