Journal #4 NETS 1,4, 5

Finding students who learn with media. Learning and Leading with Technology, 37(5),

Retrieved on March 4, from 

http://www.iste.org/A/Template.cfm?Section=February_No_5_4&Template=/MembersOnly.cfm&NavMenuID=4495&ContentID=25255&DirectListComboInd=D

Summary: In the article, “Finding Students Who Learn with Media” by Glen Bull, Curby Alexander and Bill Ferster, the authors discuss the benefits of a “student-created media” in the classroom.  According to the authors, students are engaged in their learning in classes where they can use web-based tools like “primary access.”  PrimaryAcesss is a moviemaker application, which is accessed online that allows students to create their own short documentary films about any social issue or study.  The students use their own text, primary source images and audio narration when creating the documentary film.  The website also provides primary source documents.  The authors also mention the storyboard tool provided on the PrimaryAccess website.  The storyboard is used to create a “visual historical narrative”, which also allows students to engage in their learning.  According to the authors teaching students to use these web tools are not time consuming.  The authors believe that providing these web tools to students can in return help teachers “provide instruction and assign task that best meet students individual needs.”  The authors believe that using an application like PrimaryAcesss in a classroom can help the teacher gather data about a student’s performance.

Question 1:  What occurs when students are not engaged in the moviemaker or storyboard activity? Not all students are engaged in media online tools. Differentiating instruction is always important.  Other students might want to write traditional essays or might need additional scaffolding to increase “content mastery and task management.”

 Question 2: How will I incorporate this into my classroom? The primary access tool is a wonderful tool that all teachers should incorporate in their classrooms.  I would probably use this tool when teaching something historic in my classroom like the Civil Rights Movement. I believe that it is a good experience when students are able to search and use their own primary sources to create their own documentary.