Following the course introduction, I created a Module on using educational technology for creating learning resources for ESL students using technology. This is Module 4 in my course. The process was smoother than the process of creating the introduction module as I have already had the instructor feedback I could incorporate as well as learned how to deal with technical difficulties that LMS presented.
While creating the content, I considered my students, learning objectives, whether my course content and activities help students learn, apply their knowledge, practice their skills and complete their assignments.
Digital Story
I have created my digital story using Adobe Spark, a video tool.
My intention was to demonstrate how one of the major course assignments can be completed and, at the same time, engage learners, increase their motivation and enhance their experience. Multiple studies have shown that video can be a highly effective educational tool.
I considered my students, ease of use, cost (free), appropriate instructional approach (stripy), effective organization of the video (Adobe Spark provides templates), novelty ( not every instructor is using videos), speed ( the creation of the video was supposed to be fast based on my previous experience, but I encountered some technical difficulties after the tool upgrade (Boyes, Dowie, & Rumzan,2005)). I used Adobe Spark before in my pedagogical practice, and I felt it is a good tool for this digital story. My skill set, access to technology, budget and time all played a part in determining the multimedia I could use.
T. Bates (1985) suggests some criteria to make the video more effective:
– Good presenter, clear audio
Adobe Spark is an excellent tool that allows you to record your voice to each slide and makes your voice sound “ more professional”. That is why it was called Adobe Voice previously.
– It is short and to the point
Adobe Spark reminds you to makes your narration short after you have recorded about 8 seconds of audio for one slide. My total video duration is just under 2 minutes.
– It demonstrates clearly a particular topic and links to what the learner is intended to learn
My digital story is a part of Module 4 of my course. This module has been created to give students an opportunity to create learning resources for their ESL learners using an educational tool of their choice. It is a story about one of the technological tools I have used for my work: how I found it, used it, what its benefits and drawbacks are. I created an example/suggestion of how one of the major course assignments can be completed. It shows how I, the instructor, completed a similar assignment.
References:
Bates, A. (1985) Broadcasting in Education: An Evaluation London: Constables
Bates, A. (2005) Technology, e-Learning and Distance EducationLondon/New York: Routledges
Boyes, J., Dowie, S., & Rumzan, I. (2005). Using the SECTIONS framework to evaluate flash media. Using the SECTIONS framework to evaluate flash media, 2(1). Retrieved from http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.186.6505&rep=rep1&type=pdf