Wednesday, 5 April 2023

Digital Media - Images and Videos

Images and videos to enhance learning

Visual aids, images and videos, are tools that help make a learning outcome clearer, easier to understand and enhance the learning experience. 65% of people are visual learners, meaning they prefer to be shown something to be able to understand it (Bradford, 2012). It is then vital that visual aids play an important role within your classroom.

Infographics

You know the saying “A picture is worth a thousand words”? Well, that definitely is the case for infographics. An infographic is an image that is a visual representation of information, data, and knowledge. It is designed to pass on information clearly and quickly (Tomboc, 2021).

Using infographics within the classroom is a useful visual pedagogy, particularly when teaching visual learners (CopyPress, 2022). Whilst I was on my teaching placement last year, I found that a majority of students within my year 8 food studies class were visual learners so using infographics was a tool that I frequently used.

Below is an example of an infographic which shows the flavour origins around the world.

 

Image: Flavour from around the world. (https://www.umamiinfo.com/images/world/ph_01.jpg)

Creating images

Creating, editing, and adapting your own images for learning can be a simple task with the many programs available. Canva and Adobe Express are two programs that I use frequently. Whilst both are simple to use and are available for free, my preference is Adobe Express. This is due to its large range of stock images, animations, and social media-compatible features. Below is a logo I created using Adobe Express for my other blog – A side of BLING!


Videos

Videos are an engaging tool teachers can use in a classroom to enhance a learning experience. Learners can see and hear the concept which is being taught and motivate deeper learning. YouTube is an online platform, which hosts a library of videos, which can be uploaded, viewed, shared and commented on (Sharma et al., 2021).

A teacher can show a video demonstrating a particular skill that they may be unable to teach in the classroom due to time constraints, funding, or OH&S, but knowledge of that skill will enhance learning.

Video: How to dye fabrics using natural dyes. 

Content creators, organisations and businesses, can link all their videos to create a channel to which viewers, if interested, can subscribe (Sharma et al., 2021).

Whilst YouTube has rules around the appropriateness of its content being uploaded it is important for teachers to view the entire video before showing their class. In some cases, inappropriate content has been hidden within a video and not detected. If the content is deemed inappropriate by YouTube, it will be removed, and the user can be blocked from the platform (Sharma et al., 2021).

Legal, safe, and ethical protocols

It is important that when using digital media in a classroom teachers and students consider the legal, safe, and ethical protocols. Teachers must set firm boundaries and outline clear expectations when using media programs, particularly when it involves creating and uploading content to the internet. Most schools require students to sign a code of conduct for digital media use and they should be reminded of this. In an age where people share almost everything, with everyone, students need to be made aware of the importance of privacy. Private images should not be shared without the original owner’s permission as this is a breach of privacy and can lead to serious consequences, not just within a school setting.

Image: Sharing private information and images online. (https://sharethis.com/insights/2017/12/sharethis-private-sharing-and-dark-social-whitepaper/)

Implementing visuals in your classroom

Images and videos can be used within a home economics, food studies and textiles, classroom. Using the SAMR model, here are some examples of how I intend to incorporate visual aids within my own classrooms.

Substitution – Using infographics around the classroom to direct students rather than relying on teacher-led instruction. An example of this is using the below images of how to set the table in a hospitality class.

Image: Place Setting Infographic. (https://www.pinterest.com.au/pin/442126888404673892/)

Augmentation – Watching a cooking demonstration on YouTube in a food studies class rather than doing a live demonstration.

Modification – Students can create their own infographics on a chosen topic which they can then use a revision tool.

Redefinition – Students can create a video of themselves doing a cooking demonstration which they can then share with their peers.

 



References

Bradford, W.C. (2012). Research the Visual Learner: Teaching Property Through Art. http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=587201

CopyPress. (2022). The Benefits of Infographics for Education. https://www.copypress.com/kb/infographics/the-benefits-of-infographics-for-education/

Tomboc, K. (2021). Piktochart. What is an Infographic? https://piktochart.com/blog/what-is-an-infographic/

Sharma, T. & Sharma, S. (2021). A study of YouTube as an effective educational tool. https://cibg.org.au

3 comments:

  1. Hi Louise,
    Once again, great post. I really appreciate how concise you keep your writing, it is straight to the point. I liked what you did with the set out and they way you included many images and videos. I believe it shows you know how to navigate ICT.
    I think it is great how you started to discuss how you would incorporate digital media in your future subjects but I would have loved to see you explore it further and show the depth of knowledge you have.
    In your safe and ethical protocols, I think it would be beneficial to use resources to support your points. I personally believe the Australian Curriculum and the policies and procedures found in the Queensland Department of Education are valuable resources.
    I look forward to reading your next post and reading your opinions.

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  2. Hi Louise, thanks for sharing your insights on the use of digital media, particularly images and videos, to enhance learning experiences in the classroom.
    You've made a strong case for the importance of visual aids in teaching and learning. I particularly enjoyed how you elaborated on the use of infographics, image creation tools, and videos in the classroom, and shared relevant examples and resources.
    Out of curiosity, have you heard of any good tips to overcome the challenges of using technology in the classroom. For example, technology availability, internet connection, or lack of student engagement?
    It would be great if there were criteria available that teachers can use to evaluate the quality and relevance of images, infographics, and videos, as well as tips for integrating these resources effectively into lesson plans.
    Your use of the SAMR model to illustrate ways of incorporating visual aids in the classroom made it simple to understand.
    Thanks again,
    Donna
    Donna’s Digital Pedagogies

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    Replies
    1. Hey Donna, thanks for reading my blog and taking the time to comment! It's funny you should ask about overcoming challenges of using technology as the lack of student engagement is something I have actually been a bit sceptical about. It would be rather deflating if you spent hours creating a demonstration video or Prezi presentation and the class didn't engage with it. I touched on this also within my next blog post and the importance of keeping images and videos to the point so that the learning outcome doesn't get lost. I very much agree that a criteria for teachers to assess resources effectively would be a huge asset. Thanks again for your input. All the best, Louise

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