Journal # 2

Finding Students Who Learn with Media

Bull, G. (2010, February). Finding students who learn with media. Learnigs and Leding with Technology, 37(5), Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=February_No_5_4&Template=/MembersOnly.cfm&NavMenuID=4495&ContentID=25255&DirectListComboInd=D

The author of this article talks about how students-created media offers significant opportunities for engagement and learning. PrimaryAccess, MovieMakeer allows the students to combine their own text, primary source images, and audio narration to create short online documentary films linked to social studies standards of learning. PrimaryAccsess was created to eliminate overhead associated with conventional digital video editors, so that students can focus on learning objectives rather than spending class time learning how to use movie-making tools. In a pilot study, teachers using PrimaryAccess Storyboard were able to incorporate it into their classes with no additional class time. Students using this tool performed as well on the teacher-designed examinations as those who wrote traditional essays as their class assignments. The study of two classes (6 graders) found out that on average, students spent significantly more time on the storyboard task compared to students who wrote an essay, but those who created the storyboard responded in notably different ways to the activity and tool. There were four different media engagement profiles emerged based on students engagement with storyboarding activity and with the historical content:
High technology/high content. Approximately 40% were engaged in both historical content and the storyboarding activity.
High technology/low content. Other students were engaged by the storyboarding activity but not by the historical content.
Low technology/high content. Some students were interested in the historical content but were not engaged by the storyboarding activity.
Low technology/low content proximately 15% of the students were not engaged by either the historical content or by the storyboarding activity.

How long do students spend doing a historical document?

It takes a minimum of three class periods to create a short documentary: one period to create a storyboard and script; a second period to assemble the media and sequence it in the editor; and a third period for narration, titles, and music.

How did students respond to media?

Students who were engaged by both content and media demonstrated greater higher-order thinking and creativity in their work. Students engaged in media but not by content required additional help from the teacher to increase task management and content mastery. Students engaged by the content but not by the media may have preferred a more traditional task, such as writing an essay. Finally, students who were not engaged by the content or by media required a high level of structure to achieve success.