"If a child can't learn the way we teach, maybe we should teach the way they learn" - Ignacio Estrada

Author: tmwhittall

Epic! App Evaluation

 

Epic! is a teacher, student and parent-friendly digital reading application designed for readers under the age of twelve. Teachers working with this program have the ability to track their students’ reading progress, provide at home reading assignments, and tailor reading to the student’s reading level. Teacher salaries do not support the investment of fancy technology and expensive applications; therefore, Epic! being offered as a free application makes it accessible for any educator with access to a school laptop or iPad cart. In Chien-Chuan Ko, Chun-Han Chiang, Yun-Lung Lin and Ming-Chung Chen’s article, “An Individualized e-Reading System Developed Based on Multi-Representations Approach,” (2011) they state that many “disabilities prevent students from meeting the challenge of the general curriculum” (p.88). This evaluation aims to prove that Epic! can be used to break down barriers for most students and provide easy and effective access to learning. Throughout our evaluation, we will identify how this application utilizes principles of multimedia learning, several reviews based on the application’s success in classroom situations, research supporting the use of Epic! in multimedia learning and how we plan to use this application in our future teaching practices. 

 

Epic!’s vast content includes many of the multimedia learning principles such as multimedia, signaling, segmenting and guided discovery. The multimedia learning principle is where “people learn better from words and pictures than from words alone” (McCue, 2020). Epic! contains countless picture books for children to enhance their knowledge and understanding as they read. The signaling principle is where “people learn better when cues are added that highlight the key information and its organization” (McCue, 2020). There is a collection of Read-to-Me books that offer a follow-along word highlighting feature. This helps students to focus on each spoken word and to make connections between written words and their corresponding pronunciation. The segmenting principle is where “people learn better when a multimedia message is presented in learner-paced segments rather than as a continuous unit” (McCue, 2020). Readers can work through books at their own pace and can choose to complete quizzes on certain topics to test their knowledge or after they read a book to develop their comprehension. The acts of listening to read-alouds, testing for comprehension, discussing books with others and reading authentic literature “are not only engaging aspects of literature-based classrooms across grade levels, but also essential aspects of learning to read and respond to literature in the early grades and beyond” (Möller, 2015, p. 55). Lastly, the guided discovery principle is where “people learn better when guidance is incorporated into discovery-based multimedia environments” (McCue, 2020). Although this app is very open and learner-centered, teachers can create multiple-choice quizzes and book collections from the various books on the app to assign to their students in order to guide them in a certain direction in order to enrich their learning process. 

 

The reviews and responses regarding Epic! are overwhelmingly positive. This application contains over 35000 different types of books such as audiobooks, educational videos and quizzes. The app is to be user friendly, accessible and adaptable for each student (Chandler, 2017). A local kindergarten teacher stated that she has found Epic! to be the best way to interest her students in reading and to introduce them to a wide variety of material that can interest each child (Sarah Fiorentino, personal communication, June 24, 2020). Also, she appreciates how this application allows for individual exploration of books for her young readers as well as whole-class lesson options to practice various early reading skills (Sarah Fiorentino, personal communication, June 24, 2020). Variety and books that will interest each learner were common themes throughout numerous reviews as well as the ability to move towards a paperless classroom (Chandler, 2017). Teachers can also create assignments and use Epic! as an assessment tool (Michelle, 2019). Another teacher said that Epic! has increased the reading motivation of all her grade 3 students because of the reading badges they can earn. He stated that his students “love earning badges, and so [does he], because the more time reading leads to better fluency and comprehension” (Devlin Coleman, personal communication, June 24, 2020). There is also an online guide available for educators “which has allowed for so many interactive lessons that students love” (Devlin Coleman, personal communication, June 24, 2020). 

 

With classrooms continuing to focus on individualized learning and the increasing amount of technology available, applications such as Epic! ensure that teachers have a resource that can be effectively used to promote literacy in elementary classrooms. There have been many studies done on the effectiveness of eBooks and digital reading on tablets with beginning and emerging readers. Frequently, children are more engaged and are able to find enjoyment using apps similar to Epic!. Interactive elements within the application, such as quizzes and videos, can increase children’s autonomy as a reader and enjoyment of activities (Aliagas and Margallo, 2017). Additionally, eBooks and reading using a digital format was found to boost engagement and motivation to read for pleasure (Galebandi and Noorhidawati, 2019). 

 

Epic! is a valuable resource that we will be using in our future teaching practices. This application has multiple features that can help enhance classroom experiences for both the teacher and the student. There are many ways to use Epic! in the classroom. Below we have attached a link to a Prezi where we share several ways in which we plan to use this application in the future.

 

https://prezi.com/view/0Wkfx75hhTybUEXT4ell/ 

 

Through research on the Epic! application, we have discovered the diverse content developed to support teachers and students. Epic! allows teachers to create individualized reading plans for students

, provide multiple copies of the same picture books and create a larger library for students’ research projects. Additionally, this application is easily accessible and engaging for all students. Ko, Chiang, et al. (2011) state that “reading skill is essential to a successful learning activity” (p. 88). As strong believers in this statement, we conclude that Epic! will support our future students in becoming more effective and comprehensive readers. By enhancing and developing our students’ reading skills, they will be able to better contribute and engage in classroom reading activities and therefore, gaining more knowledge from reading activities.

 

References:

 

Aliagas, C., & Margallo, A. M. (2017). Children’s responses to the interactivity of storybook apps in family shared reading events involving the iPad. Literacy, 51(1), 44-52. doi:10.1111/lit.12089

 

Chandler, A. (2017, July 15). Smart Review- An Epic! Review from a teacher and a parent. Retrieved from https://www.gettingsmart.com/2017/07/getting-smart-review-an-epic-review-from-a-teacher-and-parent/

 

Ghalebandi, S. G., & Noorhidawati, A. (2019). Engaging children with pleasure reading: The E-reading experience. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 56(8), 1213-1237. doi:10.1177/0735633117738716

 

Ko, C.-C., Chiang, C.-H., Lin, Y.-L., & Chen, M.-C. (2011). An Individualized e-Reading System Developed Based on Multi-Representations Approach. Educational Technology & Society, 14 (4), 88–98.

 

Learning at the Primary Pond. 2019. Five Ways To Use Epic! In The Classroom (That You May Not Have Thought Of!) – Learning At The Primary Pond. [online] Available at: <https://learningattheprimarypond.com/blog/epic-for-teachers/> [Accessed 25 June 2020].

 

McCue, R. (2020). Principles of Multimedia Learning—A summary. Google Docs. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1TGVFG_iCc3iSz3aX3j8UC-YC63V__6tKFJQ4FtAsH4o/edit?usp=sharing&usp=embed_facebook

 

Michelle, E. (2019, February 25). Common Sense Education- Teacher Review for Epic! Kids books and Videos. Retrieved from https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jewk2MM8scHUEW08dFDXqMxqeWh3vYtItFVlzSxLqxw/edit 

 

Möller, K. J. (2015). Apps in literature-based classroom instruction: Integrating reading and response through traditional and digital media. Journal of Children’s Literature, 41(1), 54. Retrieved from https://search-proquest-com.ezproxy.library.uvic.ca/docview/1683975342?pq-origsite=summon

Wohlwend, K. (2017). The case of the iPad: Mobile literacies in education. Singapore: Springer. doi:10.1007/978-981-10-4364-2

Guided Discovery Learning Principle

Chapter fifteen of “The Cambridge Handbook of Multimedia Learning” by Richard Mayer focuses on the Guided Discovery Learning Principle in Multimedia Learning. This principle states that people learn better when guidance is incorporated into discovery-based multimedia environments. Given the fact that education and instruction can be presented in many different ways, it is up to educators to decide which method they use in their own teaching practice. This chapter explains that “too little guidance causes the student to fail, whereas too much guidance challenges the self-directed nature of the discovery learning process” (Jong & Lazonder, 2014, p. 382). This adds credibility to the argument that guidance is beneficial throughout the learning process, however, the amount of guidance provided to achieve the best learning outcomes may depend on multiple variables.

In this chapter, Ton de Jong and Ard Lazonder discuss how discovery instructional approaches result in generating deeper learning than if the information was simply given to students. Although various teaching styles can be effective under certain circumstances, Jong and Lazonder highlight the effectiveness of science education and how it “should engage students in active investigation and experimentation so as to increase and sustain their motivation” (Jong & Lazonder, 2014, p. 372). They continue to explain how unguided discovery learning is generally ineffective due to the challenges students face with the lack of direction they are given and how students will learn more if they are sufficiently guided. They then detail the different types of guidance such as process constraints, performance dashboard, prompts, heuristics, scaffolds and direct presentation of information.  Process constraints “[restrict] the number of options students need to consider” (Jong & Lazonder, 2014, p. 375) in order to make the learning process more manageable. This type of guidance is best used when students lack the knowledge of how to apply the inquiry process. Once sufficient experience is gained, the constraints can be loosened. Performance dashboards give students a “real-time progress report of their discovery learning process” (Jong & Lazonder, 2014, p. 375). They help students learn about the quality of their work and are best used with students that know how to follow up on feedback. Prompts remind students of certain tasks to be completed throughout their learning process and are given to students who may not be able to complete tasks independently. More detailed prompts have proven to be more effective than less detailed prompts. Heuristics provide students with suggestions (that are even more detailed than prompts) for how to go about conducting their learning process. They are best used when students are unsure about when or how to conduct the actions necessary to carry out their learning process. Scaffolds help guide students by supplying them with “components of the process and thus structure the process” (Jong & Lazonder, 2014, p. 377). They are best used when the learning process is too challenging for students. Lastly, direct presentation of information can be given throughout the learning process and is most effective when students are unable to individually find information or their prior knowledge is limited. This allows students to explore information deeper in the discovery environment. Jong and Lazonder emphasize how studies have proven guided discovery learning to be more effective than direct instruction and unguided instruction.  They also state the importance of giving the suitable amount of guidance to students. This depends on a student’s knowledge and skills and is something that needs to be monitored in order to support their evolving needs. The authors conclude this chapter by stating how further “research should focus on the design of well-balanced learning environments that, if applicable, combine different types of guidance at different levels of specificity” (Jong & Lazonder, 2014, p. 385) and how the creation of these environments will help to encourage the use of scientific discovery learning in classrooms.

The authors prove that there are many advantages when guided discovery principles are implemented into multimedia learning throughout chapter fifteen of “The Cambridge Handbook of Multimedia Learning.” The question still stands, however, should we combine different methods of guidance together? Jong and Lazonder’s chapter concluded conflicting findings. Through one study, implementing a variety of methods was found to enhance the learning outcomes of students; on the other hand, another study found it was extremely detrimental to the students’ learning. Mayer acknowledges in his paper the possibility of the negative findings being related to the two methods, self regulated scaffolding and integrated data interpretation, conflicting throughout the inquiry process; Jong and Lazonder’s findings may also have been related to the students they studied. For example, students with attention deficit disorders may struggle to stay focused when too many supports are working simultaneously. In comparison, some students who struggle to grasp concepts and processes in a singular topic may thrive off additional support. Perhaps, to better understand the consequences and successes of using a variety of methods, we first need to better understand which methods work well together, and when. By researching which methods are successful when used simultaneously, we can better equip our students for success instead of overwhelming them with conflicting methods. Whether teachers conducting inquiry based learning choose to use multiple guided discovery principles or few principles, it is important when planning to keep this in mind, “you (the student) don’t get used to the teacher giving you the answer, you get to find the answer by yourself” (Baldock and Murphrey, p. 240, 2020). This quote defines the fun students find throughout this style of learning. In their article, “Secondary Students’ Perceptions of Inquiry-based Learning in the Agriculture Classroom”, Balock and Murphrey quote a student who believes inquiry based and guided discovery learning “allows everyone to learn the same thing, but in different ways” (p. 240, 2020). These students who find joy and engagement from this teaching style prove to teachers the importance of stepping back from the methods and theories to focus on creating a lesson which allows the students to inquire and discover then implementing methods in afterward which will work to support the students on their journey. 

The guided discovery principle in multimedia learning is an approach that will positively impact each student’s learning. This method incorporates various levels of guidance into discovery based situations and allows students to learn information deeply. This chapter makes it evident that in order for students to learn information effectively, they need to be engaged in their learning process. The guided discovery method allows for this as it enables educators to provide their students with various types/degrees of guidance depending on their specific learning needs. Using this method in the future will benefit each child. Being aware of various methods available and trying various methods for different students allows this method to incorporate the universal design for learning and allow deep learning. Using these methods independently as well as incorporating various strategies together will prove to be beneficial in our future teaching careers. This method is adaptable for each student and can therefore lead to deep thinking, learning and individualized success for each learner because “people learn better when guidance is incorporated into discovery-based multimedia environments” (Mayer, 2014, p.7).

 

References

Baldock, K., & Pesl Murphrey, T. (2020). Secondary Students’ Perceptions of Inquiry-based Learning in the Agriculture Classroom. Journal of Agricultural Education

De Jong, T., & Lazonder, A. (2014). The Guided Discovery Learning Principle in Multimedia Learning. In R. Mayer (Ed.), The Cambridge Handbook of Multimedia Learning (Cambridge Handbooks in Psychology, pp. 371-390). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. doi:10.1017/CBO9781139547369.019

Mayer, R. E. (Ed.). (2014). The Cambridge Handbook of Multimedia Learning (2nd ed.). Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781139547369

Pwalshy. (2019, March 25). Discovery Learning – Bruner [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1MTybVmF5Y

Schwartz, A. (2017, June 5). CI149 – Guided Discovery Model. [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nm2Uz7bELsw

 

Group Evaluation of ‘Epic!’ App

The multimedia application that we have chosen is Epic! Epic is a digital reading application that is tailored to children under the age of 12 to use on a tablet or computer. Educators can access Epic for free, and then gain an “access code” to share it with their students. On this app readers can track their reading progress, and since Epic is compatible with Google Classroom, this progress can be shared with the child’s teacher. Classrooms will need individual tablets or computers in order to use this app, but in our experience, we have noticed that most schools offer iPads or tablets that students can borrow.

We have chosen this app because it is a resource we all believe that we would like to use in our future teaching practice. Compared to the other apps our group reviewed, we decided that Epic has the most student and teacher friendly features, and this makes it more applicable in a classroom setting. We also thought that the layout of Epic was unique, and provided teachers and students with a lot of valuable resources. Furthermore, there are many fantastic reviews about Epic from parents and educators who use this app. Many of these reviews stated that the titles on Epic are popular, teachers can manage student’s profiles, encourages students to engage in reading activities, and many more. Another exciting feature Epic offers is “10 Creative Ways to use Epic! in the Classroom”. This list has many examples that we can definitely imagine incorporating into various lessons.

Overall, we have chosen Epic because of its user-friendly approach and we believe it is a valuable resource that follows many of the multimedia learning principles. We hope that by researching and learning more about Epic, it will help us feel more confident using this application in our future classrooms.

Letter School App Review

I chose to evaluate an app which marries the fun of iPad and the importance of spelling. Letter School is an app designed for young students to practice their letter writing skills in a fun and independent way. The app gives students the chance to work on drawing and identifying shapes, letters, and numbers.

Design wise, the app follows many of Richard Mayer’s multimedia principles in the Cambridge Handbook of Multimedia Learning. The app opens and exemplifies both the multimedia principle, “people learn better from words and pictures than from words alone”(Mayer, 2014) and the spatial contiguity principle, “People learn better when corresponding words and pictures are presented near rather than far from each other on the screen or page or in time”(Mayer, 2014). To do this, the app presents the first three options in a clear and precise manner with the images and text located parallel to each other, as shown in the below picture.

The app also follows the coherence principle by only presenting what information is necessary on the screen at a time (Mayer, 2014).  I believe young students may find it confusing if lots of writing was present on the screen directing them what to do; therefore, by simply presenting the singular letter, number, or shape on the screen at a time and having it spoken to the student, I believe the students will find success with the app. Below is a screen recording of a simple example of how the app works.

Moreover, by adding animation and sound effects to the app, the creators fostered the personalization principle. This principle states, “Learners better comprehend text when presented in conversational styles opposed to formal”(Mayer, 2014). For younger students, conversational text is best understood when oral. Because of this, the spoken text is very valuable for students using this app. Using fun animation additionally promotes the personalization principle by communicating with the students in a way they understand and enjoy.

To use this app, it is important for educators to follow Mayer’s “pretraining” principle which states, “By providing students with key information prior to the animation, learners will be able to better understand the concepts they are learning” (Mayer, 2014). In the case of this app, teachers will be required to provide students with both knowledge of the app, as well as, knowledge of the content. For the content to have meaning to the student, they must be made previously aware of all the letters, shapes, and numbers they will be working with.

Finally,the ease of functionality and accessibility when using this app are promising toward making it a powerful multimedia learning tool at the primary level. It is important for students to not become frustrate with learning in order to fully immerse in it and this app allows learners to do so, simply and quickly. I believe this app would fit well in a classroom or for at home learning.

Anstey, L., & Watson, G. (2018, September 18). A Rubric for Evaluating E-Learning Tools in Higher Education. Educause Review. https://er.educause.edu/articles/2018/9/a-rubric-for-evaluating-e-learning-tools-in-higher-education

Theory of Multimedia Learning: http://etec.ctlt.ubc.ca/510wiki/Cognitive_Theory_of_Multimedia_Learning

Multimedia Principles

Robert Mayer’s cognitive theory of multimedia principals of learning has been developed through connecting research behind how people learn and design for instruction (Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning, 2011). Through his applied research, Mayer constructed the following 10 principles of learning:

  • Coherence Principle: students learn better when unecessary information and images are cut from the presentation
  • Signaling Principle: Students learn better when a sign is implemented to signify important information.
  • Redundancy Principle: When information is presented with visuals, text, and oral cues, the information can become overwhelming and redundant.
  • Spatial Contiguity Principle: Information is better processed when the multimedia concepts are presented near each other on the screen.
  • Temporal Contiguity Principle: Information is more effectively processed when animation and auditory information are presented simultaneously.
  • Segmenting Principle: Learners better process information when broken into learning paced sections. This way their working memory has time to move the information to long term memory.
  • Pretraining Principle: By providing students with key information prior to the animation, learners will be able to better understand the concepts they are learning.
  • Modality Principle: Spoken text and graphics are more effective than text and graphics.
  • Multimedia Principle: Universally, people learn better from verbal and non-verbal information than verbal alone.
  • Personalization Principle: Learners better comprehend text when presented in conversational styles opposed to formal.

(Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning, 2011)

Mayer developed these ideas to support learners in processing information. The ten principles can be spilt up into three categories: principles to lessen extraneous information, principles to manage essential information, and principles to foster generative information (Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning, 2011).

I found this topic fascinating. In these unprecedented times, online learning has become more important than ever before. By working to apply these principles presented by Mayer, as teachers, we may be able to better reach and engage the needs of our students.

I specifically found the coherence and redundancy principles relevant to my teaching style. I often find myself implementing unnecessary text, encouragement, and photos into presentations; I now realize, those extra pieces in my presentations may be overwhelming and distracting for students. Similarly, I often repeat myself multiple times or use more than one video to explain the same topic. In doing so, I most likely confuse my students instead of support their learning. Moving forward I plan to create more concise and to the point presentations.

Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash

 

References

Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning. (2011, July 3). Retrieved June 11, 2020, from http://etec.ctlt.ubc.ca/510wiki/Cognitive_Theory_of_Multimedia_Learning

Mayer, R. E. (2014). The Cambridge Handbook of Multimedia Learning. Retrieved from https://doi-org.ezproxy.library.uvic.ca/10.1017/CBO9781139547369

Sams Response to Topic #1

https://samfry.opened.ca/2020/06/07/topic-1-what-is-multimedia-and-interactive-learning-and-why-is-it-important/

Sam, when I read your blog I became caught on the idea of storytelling. In all this talk about multimedia I believe mny of us became caught on the idea of technology. By including storytelling into our lesson plans and teaching, we are not only using a new and engaging media, we are also connecting with the First Peoples Principles of Learning which implies storytelling is a key way of relating current day education with their traditions. In primary grades, fantastical stories are engaging and inspiring for students. They believe in each and every aspect of what they are hearing and they absorb everything they are hearing because the story triggers parts of their brain and becomes engraved in their memory. As if they themselves expereinced it, it’s fascinating! In the onlder ages, students wish to hear our stories. How do our travels, adventures, or lives relate to what they are learning? It makes what they are learning real and memorable. I wonder, if by asking the students to relate what they are learning to themselves, and to tell us those stories, if it would support the students in learningthe content at a deeper level.

“Multimedia and Interactive Learning” by Liv Winther

https://howtoliv.home.blog

Liv, firstly I must thank you for sharing with us your experiences through public school and post-secondary education. We seemingly had similar experiences! Having teachers who are passionate about learning is essential for students’ success. Between our two stories, I find similarities and wonder if the reason our passionate teachers were successful was not only because of their excitement for the topic they were teaching, but because they were willing to learn new things when we were interested. Throughout this past year in the education program, I have found the importance of being a flexible teacher and promoting inquiry in the classroom. Our lesson plans may not always get the students thinking about what we hoped for, but if they are asking questions and finding interest in similar topics, we are lucky to follow their ideas and support them in finding the answers. Humility is key. Arrogant, know it all teachers rarely are respected by their students nor find success in teaching. Teachers with humility allow their students to learn alongside them. Be a guide on the side, not a sage on the stage.

“What is Multimedia and Interactive Learning, and Why is it Important?” by Kayla Krug

https://kaylakrug.wordpress.com/2020/06/06/topic-1-what-is-multimedia-and-interactive-learning-and-why-is-it-important/

Thank you for sharing your views on the topic of technology in the classroom Kayla! When you mentioned how you wonder how to incorporate technology while continuing to keep your classroom interactive, I immediately thought of games. There are so many games online which allow students to interact through technology. I used to think video games were useless, time consuming, brain cell killing, devices which had no use in classrooms; through practica however, I have experienced the value in them. Online computer games allow students who struggle to connect with their peers in any way, the opportunity to chat, work, and interact with students in their classes and others. Although this may seem like the opposite of interactive learning, for many students this kind of interaction allows them to step out of their comfort zone and communicate without fear of judgement. Surely technology has the ability to connect and support students in other ways, but I believe this is one of the most remarkable and rewarding forms of technology in the classroom.

Multimedia and Interactive Learning by Justyn Mackie

https://justynmackie.opened.ca/category/edci337-blog/

In Justyn Mackie’s blog post, “Multimedia and Interactive Learning,” Justyn describes the incorporation of technology into education as needing to be “organic”. As a fellow teacher who fears, and sometimes forces, the use of technology in lesson plans, you really made me think about how I may incorporate technology in more natural ways. Perhaps, for aspiring teachers like you and I, this course and the resources provided to us through this course, will support us in becoming more comfortable, open, and knowledgeable when it comes to implementing technology into our classroom. As students in the University of Victoria Education Program, we are both familiar with the idea of creating learner-centered classrooms and designing lessons to be open and accessible for all learning styles and abilities. Technology has the potential to create a learning environment where every student is provided the resources to be successful. A quote by Caroline Belden explains how technology can support students in school,

“Equality is leaving the door open for anyone who has the means to approach it; equity is ensuring there is a pathway to that door for those who need it.”

Through opening our minds and learning to implement technology into our classrooms, we can make our learning outcomes more reachable for all our learners.

Meeting the Needs of all Students Through Story and Multimedia Learning

Multimedia VS Technology

As a student in the University of Victoria Teacher Education Program, I have spent the past two years of university immersing myself, and buying into, the importance of place-based learning and UDL. Professors have consistently preached the need for teachers to expand their variety of multiple media lessons to better meet the needs of all their students. The mistake teachers make when hearing this term is they immediately think technology. I understand the frustration many teachers have as computers can be frustrating for those who do not fully understand it. Fortunately, I have already learned through this course “multimedia” does not simply mean “technology” it means relating pictures to words to create a deeper understanding for the learner. Furthermore, through EDCI-337 I hope to become more familiar with technological multimedia platforms which are school appropriate, and non-technological multimedia options that are engaging for all students. 

Photo by Hannah Rodrigo on Unsplash

As a high school student, I dreaded school. I perceived every day as long, unnecessary, and unrelated to my future, or so I thought at the time. Reflecting on my past, the two teachers whose classes I thoroughly enjoyed were those who had experience applying what they were teaching. Before today I believed I enjoyed those teachers’ classes more because they loved their occupation; however, Rutledge’s acknowledgment of the importance of story in learning has made me realize, I learned more effectively from those teachers because they shared their stories and made the information stimulating for my brain.

Guide on the side NOT Sage on the stage

Teachers lecturing from the front of the class has become a thing of the past. Instead, teachers are promoting hands-on learning for their students. This method of teaching in conjunction with written or oral descriptions of what they are doing creates multimedia learning. The students are not only hearing the words but seeing and exemplifying what they are learning about. For example, students often understand mathematical principles more thoroughly after using manipulatives to represent the content they are learning. 

https://youtu.be/w-_0E-OiEqc

Video on Multimedia Learning by Osmosis

In grade seven, I began learning about positive and negative integers. I recall confusion around the topic for days. My whole class seemingly understood the concept by my teacher speaking and drawing positive and negative signs next to numbers. It wasn’t until the teacher provided us all with number lines and two different colored markers for visually representing the addition of positive numbers to negative numbers that I finally could comprehend what was happening. I have always needed multiple different explanations of the same topic to fully understand what I was learning. Because of this, I am excited and eager to learn more throughout this course about the different possibilities with multimedia learning. 

References

Juliani, A. (2016, March 21). The Hidden Importance of Teaching With Stories. Retrieved June 06, 2020, from http://ajjuliani.com/hidden-importance-teaching-stories/

Mayor, R. E. (2014). The Cambridge Handbook of Multimedia Learning. Retrieved from https://doi-org.ezproxy.library.uvic.ca/10.1017/CBO9781139547369

Osmosis (2017, August 8). Multimedia Learning [Video]. YouTube. URL https://youtu.be/w-_0E-OiEqc

Team, S. (2018, April 06). 5 Examples of Interactive Teaching Styles: Resilient Educator. Retrieved June 06, 2020, from https://resilienteducator.com/classroom-resources/5-interactive-teaching-styles-2/

 

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