5/29/2007

An Investment in Tomorrow’s University Students: Enhancing the Multimedia Skills of Today’s K-12 Teachers. (Dr. John Minor Ross)

Many teacher training programs, such as that of the Woodring College of Education, now require that their preservice teachers take an instructional technology course. Ross describes in this article a new course at a teacher college focused on multimedia classroom preparation. This course was developed over a five year time period and Ross claims that it was relatively inexpensive to implement. Students gave positive reviews to the course, which included activities with video editing, PowerPoint, digital camera use, technical terminology, and web design. Using this success story as a foundation, Ross details what he sees as fundamental in teaching teachers about technology: While teachers should be prepared to use multimedia resources for their class activities, they must remember that teachers are the key to student learning, not technology. In addition, whatever is implemented must also be evaluated, keeping in mind questions, such as how students benefit from new technology and what technology is essential in order to help students. This assessment must be presented, or available, for all community members who have a vested interest in the education of children.

In reading this article I recalled instances in which I saw the technology in use as completely ineffective at facilitating my learning. PowerPoint is a program that I consider to be overused or at least frequently misused. When programs such as this are used only to provide reading material to the class while the teacher lectures, many lessons fail to effectively engage students. It seems that the software that we use most frequently can be used in much more creative and interesting ways. I feel I have been provided with opportunities in my instructional technology class to use familiar tools in new ways. I believe that Ross shares my view that instructional technology classes should challenge preservice teachers to use their available resources in the most creative and engaging way possible, while, of course, keeping in mind that a perfect 10 minute presentation does not make up for a week of lecture in terms of student engagement.

Ross, J. M. (2001). An Investment in Tomorrow’s University Students: Enhancing the Multimedia Skills of Today’s K-12 Teachers. Journal of Computing in Small Colleges, 10/2001, 52-61.


No comments: