Instructional Domains and Video Literacy

After reading this post's title, you might be asking yourself, 'what do those phrases mean'?
I shall give you a brief explanation!

Get it??

All puns aside, video literacy is defined by Smaldino, Lowther, & Russell as "the knowledge and skills needed to consume or meaningfully view video as well as to produce video" (2008, p. 234). 

Instructional domains refer to the four categories learning takes place in. Also called the domains of learning, these categories closely align with Bloom's Taxonomy with the exception of the last domain which is interpersonal. The four instructional domains are cognitive, affective, psychomotor, and interpersonal.

Today I will tell you about how videos can appeal to each of the four domains.

The first, cognitive domain, has to do with how the brain processes. It can also be referred to as the thinking domain.

The text suggests that "video can enhance the textbook by showing processes, relationships, and techniques." It also says that video may be used to interest students in reading about a topic (Smaldino, Lowther, & Russell, 2008, p. 235). Basically, video will help most students understand concepts better and perhaps even more quickly.

The affective domain refers to emotion and mood. It can include what students value or how they feel about a subject.

Smaldino, Lowther, & Russell say that "because of its great potential for emotional impact, video can be useful in shaping personal and social attitudes" (2008, p. 235). Documentaries about historic events can help students feel empathetic towards people groups and understand how people of the past may have felt when going through time of struggle.

Third is the psychomotor domain.

Psychomotor is defined by The Free Dictionary as the "psychology of, relating to, or characterizing movements of the body associated with mental activity". In younger grades especially, psychomotor skills are extremely important. While most students will be able to catch on to basic skills (such as cutting with scissors or using a pencil) easily, certain skills may require extra demonstration or resources. This is where videos can help. Page 235 of our text says, "if you are teaching a step-by-step process with a DVD, you can show it in real time, use fast forward for an overview, stop the action for careful study, or move forward one frame at a time" (Smaldino, Lowther, & Russell, 2008).

The last instructional domain is the interpersonal domain.

"When students are learning interpersonal skills, such as dealing with conflict resolution or peer relationships, they observe the behavior of others on video for demonstration and analysis" (Smaldino, Lowther, & Russell, 2008, p. 235). This domain is mostly applicable to teaching students values and real-life skills, like how to deal with conflict.

I hope that you learned a lot about the four instructional domains and how videos can positively impact students' learning in those areas!

SOURCES

"Psychomotor." The Free Dictionary. Farlex, 2010. Web. 10 Feb. 2016. <http://www.thefreedictionary.com/psychomotor>.

Hannaford, Amber. Joy. Digital image. Free Images. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Feb. 2016. <http://www.freeimages.com/photo/joy-1430953>.

M, Art. Shiny Brain. Digital image. Free Images. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Feb. 2016. <http://www.freeimages.com/photo/shiny-brain-1150907>.

Makadia, Manish. Friends Forever. Digital image. Free Images. N.p., 3 Nov. 2005. Web. 10 Feb. 2016. <http://www.freeimages.com/photo/friends-forever-1438818>.

Scheijen, Jean. Briefcase. Digital image. Free Images. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Feb. 2016. <http://www.freeimages.com/photo/briefcase-1421535>.

Smaldino, S. E., Lowther, D. L., & Russell, J. D. (2008). Instructional technology and media for learning. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Merrill Prentice Hall.

Young, Joe. <i>Playing the Piano</i>. Digital image. <i>Free Images</i>. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Feb. 2016. &lt;http://www.freeimages.com/photo/playing-the-piano-1533449&gt;.

Making the Most of Visuals in the Classroom

Today I will tell you all about using visuals in the classroom. Chapter Eight in our text is about enhancing learning with visuals. Smaldino, Lowther, & Russell state that "many students learn more readily through visual imagery, and even verbal learners need visual supports to grasp certain concepts" (2008, p. 176). In this blog post, I will specifically educate you on the four main ways to view visuals in the classroom.




The first way to view visuals is through presentation software.

Presentation software is a common media for presenting information, as its name implies. This software is great for showing students the main components of a concept you are trying to teach. The most popular example of presentation software is Microsoft's PowerPoint. Many presentation softwares give the option of printing slides out with room for notes on the side. This is especially helpful for students who are kinesthetic as well as visual learners.

Digital images are the second way to view visuals.

Digital images include any photo taken with a digital camera or scanner. These photos are transferred to a computer and can be stored in many ways (CDs, DVDs, USB drives, etc.). Digital images can be shown to your class through a plain old computer screen or, like the presentation software, through a projector.

Another way to view visuals is with overhead projection.

Overhead projectors are boxes with glass on the top. Light from a lamp inside is condensed by a lens and passes through a transparent sheet placed on top of the glass. A lense/mirror at the top of the projector projects the transparent image onto a wall or screen. Overhead projectors have become a little outdated as of late due to document cameras, but they can still be useful in classrooms. If students are completing a worksheet in class, a copy of the worksheet can be made into a transparency and the teacher can work along with them on the board using a wet erase marker.

The last way to view visuals is through printed visuals.

Printed visuals are pretty much what you think they are- images or graphics that have been printed out. This can include behavior charts, articles printed off the Internet, textbooks, and name tags, just to name a (very!) few. The possibilities of printed visuals are endless. This type of visual can be especially helpful to students who have trouble keeping up with the rest of the class or just need a little extra help (for example, printing off a PowerPoint or a webpage).

Well, I hope that you learned a lot, or at least a little, about different ways to view visuals. There is a lot of crossover between the four formats, so hopefully it was not too confusing. Now, go forth and present pictures to your pupils!

SOURCES

Conference Room. Web. 3 Feb. 2016.

Guglielmo, Davide. Printer. 2004. Web. 3 Feb. 2016.

Schoen, Sandra. Overhead. 2014. Web. 3 Feb. 2016.

Smaldino, S. E., Lowther, D. L., & Russell, J. D. (2008). Instructional technology and media for learning. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Merrill Prentice Hall.

Tamin, Gary. My camera 1. 2006. Web. 3 Feb. 2016.

The Four Types of Networks

Most of you probably have a good idea of what a network is. A network is, in general terms, a system of connections. Regarding computers, a network is "a communication system linking two or more computers" (Smaldino, Lowther, & Russell, 2008, p. 313). Today I am going to tell you about the four main types of networks.



The first type of network is a local area network, or LAN.

LANs are mostly used in classrooms, buildings, or labs and are the simplest of the networks. They are smaller networks that serve only the individual computers connected to them. One of the perks of an LAN is that "all of the classrooms in a school can have access to the school's collection of software" (Smaldino, Lowther, & Russell, 2008, p. 161).



Another type of network showcased in our text is a wide area network (WAN).

Wide area networks are typically found on college campuses or in workplaces with multiple buildings, such as Google. These networks are wireless, depending on radio frequency, microwave, or infrared technology to connect the computers (Smaldino, Lowther, & Russell, 2008, p. 162). This gives users the opportunity to use laptops as well as desktop computers.




The fourth type of network is intranet.

An intranet is "a proprietary or closed network that connects multiple sites across the state, within the country, or around the world" (Smaldino, Lowther, & Russell, 2008, p. 162). Intranets may be connected by a larger source, such as the Internet, but outside users are blocked from using them due to firewall software. The biggest draw of intranets is that they allow selected individuals to access files and software that people outside of the intranet cannot.





Last but not least is the Internet.

If you are reading this blog post, you know about the Internet. The Internet is a network that brings computers all over the world together to share information. It is accessible by nearly everyone and is a great source of information in our ever-growing world.




It is important to know about the types of networks in case you have distance learners in your class. Also, it is essential that we understand a concept before using it.




SOURCES
[Graphic]. (2012, April 26). Retrieved from https://pixabay.com/en/internet-www-mouse-web-business-42583/
Campus [Photograph]. (2015, May 13). Retrieved from https://pixabay.com/en/campus-820878/
Google [Image]. (2013, January 29). Retrieved from https://pixabay.com/en/google-search-engine-browser-search-76517/
Matthew, S. (2014, September 7). [Photograph]. Retrieved from https://pixabay.com/en/classroom-school-learn-student-435227/
Smaldino, S. E., Lowther, D. L., & Russell, J. D. (2008). Connecting learners at a distance. In Instructional technology and media for learning (p. 160). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Merrill Prentice Hall.

Five Types of Classroom Software

Software? Soft-there!

*Ba-dum-tss*

I had to pull a Tiffany and make a joke to start things off today.


     Our text tells us that "the computer's role in instruction is to serve as a resource for rich learning experiences, giving students the power to influence the depth and direction of their learning" (Smaldino, Lowther, & Russell, 2008, p. 103).


     In this blog post, I will share with you five types of software that can be used in the classroom.


My first example of classroom software is word processing software.

     Word processing software lets the user create a text document and type whatever they want to. I use Microsoft Word 2010 and Google Docs, both word processors, daily to write assignments for my classes. This software is for the most part user-friendly. If you know how to use a keyboard, you will be able to master the basics of word processing software. For teachers, word processing software can be used to create lesson plans, tests and quizzes, worksheets, concept maps, and more. For students, the software can be used for its thesaurus function, to write essays and book reports, and to create class newsletters, to name a few things (Smaldino, Lowther, & Russell, 2008, p. 104-105).


The second type of software is drawing/graphic software.

     Drawing or graphic software has many purposes, such as to "make drawing even more pleasurable", to "prepare complex visuals", and "to manipulate digital photos...to make the images more appropriate for a particular purpose" (Smaldino, Lowther, & Russell, 2008, p. 105-106). Several examples of this software are given in the text, such as KidPix and PhotoDeluxe by Adobe. One way drawing and graphic software can be used by teachers is to illustrate a concept during a lesson, such as the greenhouse effect. A few ways students can use this software are to illustrate a story they have written, to create a rough sketch of an invention, and to simply express themselves.


Presentation software is another type of software used in the classroom.

     Smaldino, Lowther, & Russell state that "with the computer connected to a digital projector, it is possible to create colorful and animated slides" (2008, p. 106). Presentation software allows the user to create presentations made up of slides with photos and text on them. Popular presentation software includes PowerPoint by Windows and Keynote by Apple, though there are a few websites for creating presentations that are growing in popularity, such as Prezi. The main way slideshows are used in the classroom is by teachers presenting the main content of a lesson. Slideshows can be used by students to present reports and even to create digital storybooks. This software is great for visual learners but the final product is not very interactive.



A fourth example of classroom software is role-playing or simulation software.

     Our text showcases Tom Snyder Productions' Decisions, Decisions software. This software gives the user scenarios in which they have to make a choice about a moral dilemma with the help of their peers. Role-playing or simulation software encourages students to consider real-life problems and lets them ask themselves how they would react in different situations. The software can be used to build teamwork skills and would be a great supplemental tool during social studies.



The last software I will share is graphing calculator and spreadsheet software.

     Graphing calculator software allows students "to solve complex mathematical calculations...with increased power and speed" (Smaldino, Lowther, & Russell, 2008, p. 107). Many computers have this software available for download, but you can also just buy a graphing calculator such as the one above. If you get the software on a computer, though, there is the added bonus of being able to print the graphs you create. Spreadsheets let students "prepare sets of data collected as part of a project" (Smaldino, Lowther, & Russell, 2008, p. 107). Teachers can use spreadsheets to keep track of attendance, student or parent contact information, and many other things as well. Students can use spreadsheets to keep track of personal finances, homework assignments, or to keep track of data in a research project.


     I hope that you have enjoyed learning about software in the classroom. There are many software options available today, both on computers and on tablets (called applications or apps).

REFERENCES

4th Grade Word Magnet Board. 2004. Web. 20 Jan. 2016.
Bruno, Christopher. Graphing Calculator 2. 2003. Web. 21 Jan. 2016.
Dilrosun, Haroen. Graphic, Or Design For Cloths. 2006. Web. 20 Jan. 2016.
Geertsma, Jan Willem. Business Team. Web. 20 Jan. 2016.
Minasi, Elias. Choices. 2002. Web. 21 Jan. 2016.
Nagy, Miroslav. Drums For Music. 2005. Web. 20 Jan. 2016.
Smaldino, S., Lowther, D., & Russell, J. (2008). Exploring 21st Century Learning. In Instructional technology and media for learning (9th ed., p. 103-). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Merrill Prentice Hall.

Writing Clear Objectives

Material taken from Smaldino, Lowther, & Russell, 2012, p. 42-44. 

 The University of New Mexico School of Medicine defines a learning objective as "An outcome statement that captures specifically what knowledge, skills, [and] attitudes learners should be able to exhibit following instruction" (2005, p. 1). 

 There are four components to a well-written learning objective. In our text, they are listed in an ABCD format. 
 The first component of a well-written learning objective is Audience.

When writing a learning objective for your class, you should always consider the audience. Who are the targeted learners? Who will you be teaching? You (hopefully) know the age of your audience, so this component should be simple. It is important to remember, though, that if a student has an Individual Education Plan (IEP), the objectives will be targeted to that student specifically.

The second component of a well-written learning objective is Behavior.

Behavior in this case is referring to the observable behavior you want your students to exhibit after they have learned the objective. Verbs (also called performance terms) are used to describe these observable behaviors. For example, if your objective is that children will be able to name the first six US presidents, here are some verbs you could use and the context in which you could use them:

• Build- Using your knowledge of the first six presidents, build a display presenting 3-4 facts about each of them.
• Categorize- Refer to the pictures above and categorize each one as one of the first six presidents or not.
• Identify/Name (interchangable)- Identify the first six presidents of the United States.

The third component of a well-written learning objective is Conditions.

While assessing students, "learning objectives should include the conditions under which the performance is to be assessed" (Smaldino, Lowther, & Russell, 2012, p. 42). This includes the materials and tools that students will or will not be allowed to use when they are being observed. An example of this in an objective would be:

"Without photographs or illustrations for reference, the student will draw

 and label the anatomy of an ant."

The fourth and final component of a well-written learning objective is Degree.

Degree refers to "the degree of accuracy or proficiency by which minimally acceptable performance will be judged" (Smaldino, Lowther, & Russell, 2012, p. 42). This component may also be called criterion. You may ask yourself questions such as, 'How long will the students be given to complete the task?', 'What are the qualitative standards I will measure my student by?', and 'How many correct responses are required of students to be considered proficient?'. 

By examining each of these components when you create learning objectives, you will create stronger and, more importantly, more clear objectives for your students. It will be easier to assess your students and to make sure you have assessed each one fairly and accurately.

References: 

2020VG. Worker Adjusts Watch. Digital image. Free Images. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Jan. 2016.
Boston, Massachusetts: Pearson. EFFECTIVE USE OF PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES FOR LEARNING AND ASSESSMENT (For Use With Fink’s and Bloom’s Taxonomies). (2005). 
Bruda, A. (n.d.). [Central Park in Timisoara]. Retrieved from http://www.freeimages.com/photo/audience-1369428
Jacops, Marc. Calculator. Digital image. Free Images. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Jan. 2016.
Kritsotakis, Dimitris. Colored Hand. Digital image. Free Images. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Jan. 2016.
Retrieved January 13, 2016, from http://ccoe.rbhs.rutgers.edu/forms/EffectiveUseofLearningObjectives.pdf 
Smaldino, S., Lowther, D., & Russell, J. (2012). Integrating Technology and Media into Instruction: The ASSURE Model. In Instructional Technology and Media for Learning (10th ed., pp. 42-44). 

Hello, Comrades

This is my blog. I have started it for an online class I am taking called Instructional Media. I do not have much to say yet, but I am excited to see where this takes me!