Topic 2: Justyn’s Blog Post Feedback

Justyn, your blog post on multimedia and interactive learning was very well-written and insightful.  I wholeheartedly agree with your idea of using technology as a tool “to aid learning in a more organic and useful way.”  I think that by doing so, it will remove some of the anxiety that people (myself included) feel when required to use technology.  I also believe that using technology in a learner-centered approach will be more likely to actively engage learners in their own learning and therefore, “allow for better results.”  I enjoyed watching the video you attached on multimedia learning and I feel that it provides readers with a more detailed explanation of how to students can benefit from this style of teaching and the steps necessary for teachers to take in order to avoid overloading their students with information.  I liked the images you chose to include in your post as they look to be very useful, but they are a little too small for me to clearly see them and I would love to take a closer look!  Where did you find them?  Visuals and diagrams always help to extend my learning.

Topic 2: Taylor’s Blog Post Feedback

Taylor, I enjoyed reading your blog post on multimedia and interactive learning as well as getting the opportunity to learn more about you.  I like that you point about how “multimedia does not simply mean technology” because I thought exactly the opposite prior to taking EDC 337.  I am glad you were able to reflect back on your high school experience and realize that learning was most effective for you when your teachers involved storytelling when teaching various material.  I liked the video you attached on multimedia learning.  The video was very informative and it gave great tips on how to use multimedia in teaching to make lessons as effective as possible such as how to fix your PowerPoint slides, optimize how you learn with instructional media and use multimedia in diverse ways.  I also have a history of needing multiple different explanations of the same topic to fully understand what was being taught.  Since everyone learns in their own unique way, it makes sense for teachers to use various methods of teaching in order to reach all of their students.  I definitely plan on doing so in my future teaching practice!

Topic 2: Olivia’s Blog Post Feedback

Olivia, as I read your blog post on multimedia and interactive learning, I found myself relating to many of your ideas.  I have never taken an online class before and I am also unsure about taking an online course.  I would say that I learn best through “doing” and through hands-on learning experiences as well.  I liked reading about your biology teacher and how his excitement for the subject was infectious.  His obvious goal to make the material more relatable and relevant for his students seems to have been successful and effective.  I especially loved reading that when your teacher did not have the answer to a question, you “would watch videos as a class and try to uncover the answer.” I can imagine this having a positive effect on student learning because trying to uncover new knowledge alongside your teacher sounds like a powerful experience.  I am sure that this also strengthened bonds between your teacher and his students as well as the overall classroom environment.  I am glad you have such great memories of school that involve multimedia and interactive learning.  He sounds like a wonderful teacher.  Thank you for sharing additional resources!  I found the “5 Tips for Multimedia Enhanced Teaching and Learning” to be very insightful and I liked the connection to Bloom’s Taxonomy.

Topic 2: Kayla’s Blog Post Feedback

Kayla, while reading your blog post on multimedia and interactive learning, I connected with several of the points that you made. I am also someone who finds technology slightly frustrating sometimes and I really like the idea of using technology as a tool to help people learn. When I think of using technology like this, it does not seem so intimidating or confusing. I struggle with thinking of the most effective ways in which to implement technology in the classroom as well. I try to remember my own elementary school experiences with technology in order to think of when technology was used and how it made learning more effective for me. Since we are both people who may not be entirely comfortable with the use/navigation of various technologies, the tools that helped us in our own learning process may be beneficial in helping to extend the learning of our own future students who may feel the same way. I loved reading about your memory of participating in a multimedia and interactive unit when you were in elementary school. I am glad that learning about the salmon life cycle was such a positive and impactful learning experience for you. This is a perfect example of the benefits of this type of learning and the positive long-term effects that it has on its learners.