This week Michael covered multimedia theory and learning design. We went over types of videos that can be used in educational environments and the best ways to showcase those videos. I believe embedding videos is a great tool that I don’t see many teachers using currently – they then often fumble with youtube auto play, or deal with more ads than an embedded video might procure.

Dean Pelton GIF from tenor.com

I found it interesting that Michael’s take was to not show videos during class time, but to assign it as homework. I believe this works super well for university students but not well for any grade-school students. A few reasons… 1) They’re super busy, busier than we think we know, and more often than not they won’t watch the video. 2) Taking a break from yapping as the teacher is always good, and watching a video is sometimes the best way to provide information, especially subjective lived experience types of information. 3) Dual coding theory, which suggests memory retention is enhanced when the combination of verbal and imagery systems are being utilized simultaneously as the two systems are interconnected. Thus, watching a video/film in class can be super helpful for students’ memory retention about any given topic.

While slideshows are probably most common and an easy way to share content, screencast recording is a great way to get information to students. This is especially important for students who aren’t able to attend class physically and those who would like to look at lessons again with both a visual and an audio aspect. Additionally, it can be super helpful to have a recorded lecture of both slides and audio for students to review if they ever need to.

Incorporating multimedia into lessons is crucial for providing multiple ways for students to learn and keeping their attention from wandering. In an age where everything is quick and teenagers attention spans are forever waning, it can be beneficial for teachers and students to make learning fun and stimulating instead of a dry talking-focused lesson.