Digital Video

The digital age is providing a whole new dimension to the realm of education. Digital video is changing the way teachers teach. It's no longer just black and white, the flat, cold blackboard, and the white, dusty chalk. Teachers can turn to so many different technological advances. It's truly astounding to me, and I'm not even that old. Back in my day...blah, blah, blah...

Well, it's not back then. It's now, and this is my day. Let's start having fun with this whole school thing. Video is a very powerful tool in the classroom and I would have, I could have used it, especially in cosmetology school. Hello! The entire course is one big demonstration. What better way to have things make more sense, than by demonstrations on video? And, what about if we could have seen ourselves in action? We would have instantly been able to figure out what we had done wrong by watching a video of ourselves in the process of "creating." Why did that woman's hair turn green?...I know she only wanted an inch off. I swear, that's what I thought I was doing!

I am currently preparing a lesson to teach 4th graders about Hawaiian Humpback Whales. In this lesson, I will show video of a mother whale and calf swimming together and interacting with one another. It is so powerful to actually see these magnificent creatures. I could talk about them forever, but until the students can actually see them, I don't think they will be able to truly have an appreciation for them. In the same lesson, I am planning on incorporating a recording of whale song which is truly awe-inspiring.

In a science lesson, I could use time-lapsed video to show a seed germinating, and growing into a plant, and producing a flower or vegetable all in a very brief period of time. This would allow me to show my class the miracles of nature without waiting for the natural process to take place. I'm not saying I'm not a fan of the natural process. In fact, I would prefer it. But, if there is a time crunch, this would be a quick way to slip in another lesson for the day.

No matter what you're teaching or learning, video can enhance it, even make it fun. Multi-dimensional is WAY better than just white-on-black.

Achieving Success With the Net Generation

Unfortunately, information technology, though readily available to most students, is not being used to it's full potential, if at all. Internet resources are not yet fully integrated into the day-to-day classroom setting. There is a large gap between the educational technology that is available and the amount that it is being used. This gap impacts interactive technology, what faculty incorporate into their teaching, and the design of the curriculum.

There are many goals of education. These include forming a good connection between a learner and the social context in which learning will take place. Also, making the curriculum and instruction relevant to adolescents' experiences, cultures, and long-term goals, so that students see some value in the high school curriculum is important.

The Net Gen is constantly connected with a strong need for interactivity. However, it can be exhausting for teachers who have grown up with a traditional view of faculty roles to no longer control the subject matter the students will use. Educators of today need to let go of the control factor and, instead, realize the teaching and learning potential information technology can unleash. Knowing the subject matter is no longer sufficient in reaching one's full potential as an instructor in the classroom. People who innovate and create in cyberspace likely will not sit still for a lecture.

In order to be a successful educator of the Net Gen, I will have to relinquish control and let the world be my students' teacher. The world truly is at the fingertips of those who choose to access the infinite supply of information out in cyberspace. I can guide my students and encourage them in their learning experience on the Internet. I can help them have a truly liberating experience via the World Wide Web and we will all grow in a much more immediate and authentic experience of inquiry.