As I mentioned in my previous post, our new Technology Committee surveyed each department on how technology is currently being used in our classrooms, and how would we like to see it expanded. Below is the first part of the manifesto that I submitted to my fellow committee members.
With the updated 2007 English curriculum, Media Studies is now one of four strands that are to be incorporated into courses, on par with Reading, Writing, and Oral Communication. Effectively addressing Media Studies as a strand involves the use of a range of technology in the English Classroom.
| Technology | Uses |
| Computers | Student assignments, particularly multi-media ones
Student tests. When typing, students are able to communicate more in a shorter period of time. |
| Server | Hosting updated copies of all course documents |
| iPod | Sharing audio clips, podcasts, and audiobooks to extend listening skills. |
| Cameras | Practicing image capturing to understand the “grammar” of visual image texts. |
| DVD Player | Sharing video clips and movies for critical analysis. |
| LCD Projector | Used in almost every lesson for either lectures, video clips, assignments, etc. |
| SmartBoard | Fantastic tool that lends itself to many uses in the classroom. Used daily when available. |
| Software | Uses |
| PowerPoint | Used to prepare virtually all lecture notes. Many are available electronically for students.
Used by students to prepare photo essays (teaches image/word association). |
| Photoshop | Used by students to edit images for photo essays and multi-media presentations. |
| Audacity (or Garage Band) | Used by students to create and edit audio presentations. This is especially effective with student-created Shakespeare scenes. |
| Movie Maker | Used by students to create multi-media presentations, such as book trailers. A key expectation in the 2007 curriculum is that students be able to create multi-media presentations, and this application is one of the best for that. |
| Smart Ideas | Used by students to brainstorm and organize their ideas. |
| Comic Life | Used to create storyboards. Enables students to translate concepts from one medium to another. |
| Kurzwell and Universal Reader | Used to accommodate students with modified learning plans and to improve their reading skills. |
| Online Applications | Uses |
| Blogs and Blog Portals (Blogger, Edublogs, & 21Classes) | Used in several ways:
Class blog where students comment (for lower levels). This encourages discussion Class blog portal, where each student owns a blog. These are used as reflective journals and for building collaborative essays. Teacher reflective blog, which is the basis of a professional learning network. |
| Wikis (Wetpaint, Wikispaces) | Wikis have replaced class websites because of their interactive nature.
Used for posting assignments, due dates, and rubrics; hosting virtual literature circles and other discussions; and sharing student work. |
| Class Websites | Mostly used as a communication tool for parents: provides expectations and due dates |
| Teaches students to succinctly capture the essence of ideas (140 characters). | |
| Used as a basis for character studies (“Create a facebook page for …”) | |
| YouTube | Some videos are used for instruction (e.g. Information R/evolution) |
| Flickr | Creative Commons licensed photos are the only photos students may legally use, and they are available on Flickr. Class time is spent teaching students how to identify, use, and correctly cite images. |
| GoogleDocs | Allow for collaborative document creation. |
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Image by paulo-barcelos
