Chapter 8

Identify authoring tools that offer a multimedia environment for students to express and communicate their ideas.


Chapter eight explores multiple tools that can aid students in communicating their ideas both academically and expressionatively. “In essence students have access to many different multimedia tools to think with, to create, and to communicate what they know and how they know it.” Concept maps, slide-based communication tools, and clip-based communication tools are discussed in this chapter as possible ways for students to learn and communicate within a multimedia environment.  A concept map can help a student organize their thoughts and communicate exactly what they are thinking. Concept maps can also help in brainstorming and to show the parallels between multiple topics and ideas. It is also important to note that a concept map gives a visual display of the topic at hand.

Slide-based communication tools can help a student to effectively present an idea or project through the use of software such as Microsoft PowerPoint. Students create slides that already have built-in capabilities such as “backgrounds, designs, text formatting, and drawing tools;” as well as the ability to add audio and video. This technology can be used both as a way for the students to communicate what they know, but also for the teacher to present students with new materials.

Clip-based communication tools consist of video and audio editing programs that offer continuous motion picture presentations. The process of developing a movie not only displays the student’s literacy on the subject, but also “their literacy with respect to using multimedia in developing their critical thinking and creative production capabilities.”

My question regarding this chapter is one similar to the previous questions I have posed: how important is it to incorporate technology, such as multimedia programs, into a classroom even if it takes away from the lesson, or drags a simple lesson out? I am still very unsure of when I need to use technology and when I can rely on pen, paper, and the student’s mind to effectively engage learning.

I truly enjoy the idea of multimedia presentations in the classroom. I’d like to be able to incorporate multimedia tools in my classroom as much as possible. I think a good opportunity to do so would be when discussing a longer text such as short stories, or novels. The students could use their critical analysis t recreate part of the text, but set in a more modern time or scenario more personal to their everyday lives. Once the project is completed it will be both enjoyable for the class to watch, but also an easy way to assess what the students have learned.