Using Technology and Media to Engage Students

An Overview of Student-Centered Instructional Practices

Dr. Meg Tarafdar, Associate Director, CETL Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning

Queensborough Community College, CUNY mtarafdar@qcc.cuny.edu

Feb 16, 2012

Who we are…

Queensborough Community College

-one of 23 campuses of CUNY (City University of New York)

-located in Queens, the most diverse county in the most diverse city of the United States….

-open-admission access academic excellence within an environment of diversity

Queensborough provides a rich general education core

-enhancing critical thinking -decision making skills -effective learning strategies

Public

Urban

Diverse

Queensborough Community College City University New York

QCC-CUNY Facts [Fall 2011 data]

  Student Population - 15,000

  Student Diversity 23% White, 25% Black, 26% Hispanics, 23% Asians, .5% Native Americans, .5% Others

•  Students from 128 countries •  Speak over 45 languages

Tools and Techniques for Engaging Diverse Students

Presentation Tools Interaction Tools

Social Media Tools Assessment Tools

Using Technology and Media

Instructional Technology Seminar at QCC: Using technical tools to facilitate learning

Seminar Goals How will you take learning beyond the textbook? How will you select the “right” technology? How will you create learning experiences that effectively

utilize these tools and resources?

Using Technology and Media

Media: Derived from the Latin ‘medium’ (“between”)

–carries information between a source and a receiver

The purpose of media is to facilitate communication and learning

Media Formats:

The physical form in which a message is incorporated and displayed.

Six basic categories of media

Text Audio Visual Video Objects People

Book, poster, chalkboard, computer screen, etc.

Voice, music, mechanical sounds, etc.

Diagrams, photos, graphics, cartoons, etc. DVDs, computer animation, films,

Objects and models that can be touched and handled

Teachers, Students, Subject experts

Role of Media in Instruction

Media in the

Classroom

Motivate Learners

Wikis Blogs Social Networking

Media Sharing Examples: QCC

Presentation Tools

ePortfolio http://www.qcc.cuny.edu/eportfolio/index.html

Why should students create an ePortfolio?

Track your academic progress Share your achievement with friends/family Demonstrate your talents to future employers/schools

Digital Storytelling http://www.microsoft.com/education/enus/teachers/guides/Pages/digital_storytelling.aspx

Make learning personal Show creativity and talent Improve communication skills

Educational Uses of Digital Storytelling http://digitalstorytelling.coe.uh.edu

Digital Storytelling-QCC Student – tells her own story

Tools for student Interaction Why should students use a blog?

Post a response to the reading material Share your ideas with friends/family Write your comments to other classmates’ blog posts Communicate outside the classroom

Online Brainstorming

Creates a welcoming classroom community Provide a safe environment to express opinion Encourages creative thinking

Blogs in plain English http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NN2I1pWXjXIBlogs

https://bubbl.us/

Interaction Strategies

Online Journals

Improve interaction between students and faculty Promote active learning and critical reflections Focus on personal thoughts, beliefs, ideas, challenges

Micro lectures and Presentations:

Develop Listening skills, focus, attention to detail Practice oral communication, vocabulary, style Learn to present information for a specific audience Improve public speaking skills and confidence

My journal Diary http://www.my-diary.org

Levels of Measurement-QCC:

Assessment Strategies

Uses and benefits

Determine pre-existing knowledge of a topic Track growth over a period of time Students can conduct surveys as part of a project or assignment.

Media Presentation Oral presentations can be assessed with a rubric Students improve communication skills Encourages collaboration skills

Student Readiness Survey http://www.qcc.cuny.edu/qccOnline/ eLearningInstitute/eLearning_Readiness/index.html

The Ghetto (final multimedia essay) QCC

Integrating Technology and Media

Presentation Demonstration Cooperative Learning Gaming Simulation Problem-Solving Discussion Drill and practice Discovery Tutorial

Instructional Strategies

Ways of involving learners in a particular learning activity

Collaboration Creation Communication Comprehension

Communicate across boundaries of language and culture

Verbal Symbols

Description: A pale green pink tipped flower

Noun/Label: Hellebore flower (Helleborus x hybridus)

Graphic Symbols

Pictorial Symbols

Abstract Semi-Abstract Realistic

Write down three to five ideas on how to use technology and media in your classroom to enhance student engagement and effort.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

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Share one of your top ideas

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Hopefully you were inspired by this session and have a list of ideas you can implement in your classes!

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Visual Literacy

Here are some resources on visual literacy: Visual Literacy http://museumca.org/picturethis/visual.html Visual Literacy You Tube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-KFYatVgZk What is Visual Literacy? http://ribaulo.tripod.com/clubricci/poolside/ Journal of Visual Literacy http://www.ohio.edu/visualliteracy/ International Visual Literacy Association http://www.ivla.org/org_what_vis_lit.htm Visual Literacy Site (with lessons) http://www.educ.kent.edu/community/VLO/ Visual Literacy Exercises http://www.loc.gov/rr/print/tp/VisualLiteracyExercise.pdf Visual Literacy-Research by subject http://alacarte.pugetsound.edu/subject-guide/30 Teaching visual literacy through films http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/ALAN/spring94/Teasley.html Reading Images-An Introduction to Visual Literacy http://www.learnnc.org/lp/pages/675 Visual Literacy Resources on the web http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/acrl/publications/crlnews/2007/sep/Visual_literacy_resources_on_the_Web1.cfm