Multimedia Inventory
Jul 26th, 2009 by Michele Brannon-Hamilton
Multimedia Inventory for Moodle LMS Site
Instructors can use various types of media in order to engage literacy learners in the classroom. Following is a comprehensive list of the media I used in my Moodle LMS site entitled Instructing the Instructor.
Images on Splash Page
1. File name: Welcome / Type of media: photo / Purpose: visually appealing and easy to understand / Sources: self made / Copyright Clearance: NA / Technologies Required: digital camera and Moodle to upload photo / Prep Time: 30 min / Costs: free
2. File name: M/ Type of media: photo / Purpose: visually appealing and easy to understand / Sources: self made / Copyright Clearance: NA / Technologies Required: digital camera and Moodle to upload photo / Prep Time: 30 min / Costs: free
3. File name: Sandbox / Type of media: photo / Purpose: visually appealing and easy to understand / Sources: self made / Copyright Clearance: NA / Technologies Required: digital camera and Moodle to upload photo / Prep Time: 30 min / Costs: free
4. File name: Phone/ Type of media: photo / Purpose: visually appealing and easy to understand / Sources: self made / Copyright Clearance: NA / Technologies Required: digital camera and Moodle to upload photo / Prep Time: 30 min / Costs: free
5. File name: Resources/ Type of media: photo / Purpose: visually appealing and easy to understand / Sources: self made / Copyright Clearance: NA / Technologies Required: digital camera and Moodle to upload photo / Prep Time: 30 min / Costs: free
6. File name: Pens/ Type of media: photo / Purpose: visually appealing and easy to understand / Sources: self made / Copyright Clearance: NA / Technologies Required: digital camera and Moodle to upload photo / Prep Time: 30 min / Costs: free
7. File name: Levels/ Type of media: photo / Purpose: visually appealing and easy to understand / Sources: self made / Copyright Clearance: NA / Technologies Required: digital camera and Moodle to upload photo / Prep Time: 30 min / Costs: free
8. File name: ABC/ Type of media: photo / Purpose: visually appealing and easy to understand / Sources: self made / Copyright Clearance: NA / Technologies Required: digital camera and Moodle to upload photo / Prep Time: 30 min / Costs: free
9. File name: Lesson/ Type of media: photo / Purpose: visually appealing and easy to understand / Sources: self made / Copyright Clearance: NA / Technologies Required: digital camera and Moodle to upload photo / Prep Time: 30 min / Costs: free
10. File name: End/ Type of media: photo / Purpose: visually appealing and easy to understand / Sources: self made / Copyright Clearance: NA / Technologies Required: digital camera and Moodle to upload photo / Prep Time: 30 min / Costs: free
Media in Modules
1. Welcome Module: File name: Welcome / Type of media: photo / Purpose: visually appealing and easy to understand / Sources: self made / Copyright Clearance: NA / Technologies Required: digital camera and Moodle to upload photo / Prep Time: 30 min / Costs: free
File name: Text Welcome message/ Type of media: text / Purpose: provides information for student / Sources: self made in Moodle / Copyright Clearance: NA / Technologies Required: web browser and Moodle / Prep Time: 60 min / Costs: free
File name: News Forum/ Type of media: text discussion forum / Purpose: communication and collaboration / Sources: self created in Moodle / Copyright Clearance: NA / Technologies Required: Web browser and Moodle / Prep Time: 60 min / Costs: free
File name: Text Introduction page/ Type of media: text / Purpose: provides information for student / Sources: self made in Moodle / Copyright Clearance: NA / Technologies Required: web browser and Moodle / Prep Time: 60 min / Costs: free
File name: Chat Nice to meet you/ Type of media: text chat html Moodle page / Purpose: synchronous communication tool for students / Sources: self created in Moodle / Copyright Clearance: NA / Technologies Required: Moodle / Prep Time: 60 min / Costs: free
File name: Text Course Objectives / Type of media: text / Purpose: provides information for student / Sources: self made in Moodle / Copyright Clearance: NA / Technologies Required: web browser and Moodle / Prep Time: 60 min / Costs: free
2. Module One: File name: Literacy Classroom/ Type of media: photo / Purpose: visually appealing and easy to understand / Sources: self made / Copyright Clearance: NA / Technologies Required: digital camera and Moodle to upload photo / Prep Time: 30 min / Costs: free
File name: Text the Literacy Classroom / Type of media: text / Purpose: provides information for student / Sources: self made in Moodle / Copyright Clearance: NA / Technologies Required: web browser and Moodle / Prep Time: 60 min / Costs: free
File name: Forum Icebreaker/ Type of media: text discussion forum / Purpose: communication and collaboration / Sources: self created in Moodle / Copyright Clearance: NA / Technologies Required: Web browser and Moodle / Prep Time: 60 min / Costs: free
File name: Text Pre-test/ Type of media: text html page / Purpose: assess students at beginning of course / Sources: self made with Moodle / Copyright Clearance: NA / Technologies Required: Web browser and Moodle / Prep Time: 3 hours / Costs: free
File name: Text Literacy Components Type of media: text / Purpose: provides information for student / Sources: self made in Moodle / Copyright Clearance: NA / Technologies Required: web browser and Moodle / Prep Time: 60 min / Costs: free
3. Module Two: File name: Sandbox/ Type of media: photo / Purpose: visually appealing and easy to understand / Sources: self made / Copyright Clearance: NA / Technologies Required: digital camera and Moodle to upload photo / Prep Time: 30 min / Costs: free
File name: Text Sandbox page/ Type of media: text / Purpose: provides information for student / Sources: self made in Moodle / Copyright Clearance: NA / Technologies Required: web browser and Moodle / Prep Time: 60 min / Costs: free
File name: Text quiz 1/ Type of media: text html page / Purpose: students self assess without being marked but receive feedback / Sources: self made with Moodle / Copyright Clearance: NA / Technologies Required: Web browser and Moodle / Prep Time: 1 hour / Costs: free
File name: Forum looking at your Moodle page/ Type of media: text discussion forum / Purpose: communication and collaboration / Sources: self created in Moodle / Copyright Clearance: NA / Technologies Required: Web browser and Moodle / Prep Time: 60 min / Costs: free
File name: Website Moodle help/ Type of media: photo / Purpose: visually appealing and easy to understand / Sources: self made / Copyright Clearance: NA / Technologies Required: digital camera and Moodle to upload photo / Prep Time: 30 min / Costs: free
File name: Text Assignment Describing Your Moodle Page/ Type of media: text html page / Purpose: students practice writing skills / Sources: self made with Moodle / Copyright Clearance: NA / Technologies Required: Web browser and Moodle / Prep Time: 1 hour / Costs: free
4. Module Three: File name: Communication/ Type of media: photo / Purpose: visually appealing and easy to understand / Sources: self made / Copyright Clearance: NA / Technologies Required: digital camera and Moodle to upload photo / Prep Time: 30 min / Costs: free
File name: Text Communication Tools/ Type of media: text / Purpose: provides information for student / Sources: self made in Moodle / Copyright Clearance: NA / Technologies Required: web browser and Moodle / Prep Time: 60 min / Costs: free
File name: Chat Engaging literacy learners/ Type of media: text html Moodle page / Purpose: synchronous communication tool for students / Sources: self created in Moodle / Copyright Clearance: NA / Technologies Required: Moodle / Prep Time: 60 min / Costs: free
File name: Text Graded Test 1/ Type of media: text html page / Purpose: assess students for a grade part way through course / Sources: self made with Moodle / Copyright Clearance: NA / Technologies Required: Web browser and Moodle / Prep Time: 3 hours / Costs: free
File name: Forum Communication Tools/ Type of media: text discussion forum / Purpose: communication and collaboration / Sources: self created in Moodle / Copyright Clearance: NA / Technologies Required: Web browser and Moodle / Prep Time: 60 min / Costs: free
File name: Chat Choosing a Communication Tools/ Type of media: text html Moodle page / Purpose: synchronous communication tool for students / Sources: self created in Moodle / Copyright Clearance: NA / Technologies Required: Moodle / Prep Time: 60 min / Costs: free
5. Module Four: File name: Resources/ Type of media: photo / Purpose: visually appealing and easy to understand / Sources: self made / Copyright Clearance: NA / Technologies Required: digital camera and Moodle to upload photo / Prep Time: 30 min / Costs: free
File name: Text Resources for the Literacy Instructor/ Type of media: text / Purpose: provides information for student / Sources: self made in Moodle / Copyright Clearance: NA / Technologies Required: web browser and Moodle / Prep Time: 60 min / Costs: free
File name: Chat Literacy Resources/ Type of media: text html Moodle page / Purpose: synchronous communication tool for students / Sources: self created in Moodle / Copyright Clearance: NA / Technologies Required: Moodle / Prep Time: 60 min / Costs: free
I chose these tools to use in my LMS because they are engaging for students, easy to create and user friendly. However, I would like to add the following to my later modules:
File name: Audio Chat/ Type of media: audio / Purpose: synchronous communication tool for auditory students / Sources: self created in Moodle / Copyright Clearance: NA / Technologies Required: Moodle, audio software, speakers, sound card and microphone / Prep Time: 60 min / Costs: free
File name: Basic Writing Tips/ Type of media: video / Purpose: educate and engage learners in a writing lesson/ Sources: http://www.ehow.com / Copyright Clearance: NA just add link / Technologies Required: Moodle, Internet, web browser, media player, speakers, sound card / Prep Time: 30 in / Costs: free
LMS Reflection Media Inventory
In order to choose the right media for my learning management system (LMS), I first had to define the term media to determine which information to include. According to Siemans (2003), media formats include video, audio, text, visuals, software, collaborative, integrated and liveF2F.
Once I decided which media might work in a literacy classroom, I evaluated the media to see which types of media would work best to engage my particular students. I wanted media that was engaging, easy to use, free and would improve learning for visual, auditory and kinaesthetic learners. Pedagogy before technology would be my mantra.
First, I determined the outcomes or goals that I needed for each module. In other words, I defined what I wanted the students to learn in each lesson. I kept in mind that I would have visual, auditory and kinaesthetic learners. Media needed to engage students yet be simple enough that students would not feel overwhelmed. Second, I looked at the advantages and disadvantages of each type of media and then chose the media that would fulfill the needs of the students and instructor. Some of my considerations were cost, ease of use, time, technology and student visibility (Siemans, 2002).
Types of Media Suited for the Literacy Classroom
1. Text
Literacy learners are familiar with text based material like workbooks, manuals and writing pages. Therefore, I chose to use text based learning pages, chats, discussion forums and a weblog. Literacy students benefit from simple clear text based pages but they will become overwhelmed and bored it there is too much text. Therefore, I chose text based communication tools because they are interactive and hands on. Students can use a blog to practice their writing skills in an interactive way. Instructors find text pages easy to create and user friendly.
2. Visuals
Literacy instructors can use visuals like graphics, photos and diagrams in literacy units to make text based material more interesting. Visuals are engaging, cheap, easy to find and easy to create (Siemens, 2002). Instructors can use images to portray meaning to students without the use of words and instructors can combine images with words in order to help students learn reading skills. Therefore, I chose to use several simple photo images that I created myself to guide students through the modules. I only used a few because too many images can clutter messages. I did not use animated images because these can be distracting and they can take too long to load on a page (Siemans, 2002).
In the final units of the LMS, I will add collaborative and audio media to the site. Collaborative media like a wiki would help me pull students together while creating new knowledge. Literacy instructors can use wikis to teach communication, creation and collaboration skills to literacy learners. Students can help each other create knowledge and edit content. Audio media like synchronous chat tools allow literacy learners to communicate without text; however, it is difficult to get everyone together for a chat. I might set up a chat so that students can speak together and ask questions once at the beginning of the course.
Overall, I chose media that engages all auditory, visual and kinaesthetic literacy learners in a simple intuitive way. Also, I wanted media that was easy to use and free because funding and IT help are minimal in many literacy classrooms that I have encountered. I also followed the guidelines in the course notes that suggest educators should consider why they have chosen particular media, what technology is available and whether there is a better choice (Module 5, p.1).
My Experience
Finally, looking at my own experience will help me choose the most appropriate media when creating literacy material in a learning management system. Recently, I created a report writing course for a literacy class using Moodle in which I used text, audio chats, discussion forums and images to engage literacy learners. I needed simple media that would enhance learning without becoming distractive. Before creating this course, I used Chickering and Gamson’s Seven Principles which include active learning and interaction. Also, I chose media I could easily reproduce in another Moodle literacy course and I used my own photos to avoid copyright issues. In the future, I plan to develop a collection of creative common images and buy two programs that will simplify my LMS creation: Dreamweaver and Photoshop.
I found creating this inventory useful because I can see the technology and the pedagogy in a gathered format which makes it easier to evaluate my choices of media in the literacy classroom.
References
Chickering, A.W. & Gamson, Z.F. (1987). Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education. American Association for Higher Education Bulletin, 39(7), 3-7. Retrieved online 1 July 2009 from http://www.aahea.org/bulletins/articles/sevenprinciples1987.htm
Siemens, G. (2003). Evaluating Media Characteristics: Using multimedia to achieve learning outcomes. Elearnspace. Retrieved July 2009 from http://www.elearnspace.org/Articles/mediacharacteristics.htm