Tech3
- 1. Multimedia/Interactive Learning - podcasts, screencasts, multimedia For my English class we were able to pick our own subject that we would like write about weekly. I chose criminal justice. I was only aware of cases that were publicized throughout the media and I soon ran out of things to write about. I used podcasts to broaden my horizons, even though I did not specifically subscribe to any, it was an easy way for me to gain information on an unknown subject. A lot of the podcasts I listened to came from professors at UC Berkeley, all I had to do was search the subject “criminal justice”. It was effective because I was able to pause it at any given time and take note of what I wanted to write about. This would be best for those who have a verbal learning preference; it is easy access to find exactly what they need and allows comprehension at their own pace. I was able to gain knowledge with screencasts because I was able to go back to a specific part of a screencast as much as I needed to. Just like podcasts, when listening to an online lecture I paused and pressed rewind just so I could process information. It was an easier way to learn because sometimes listening to things I get sidetracked and drift off, so this way I did not miss much at all. I was also able to stop lectures and look up something that I did not understand and then return to the lecture. This method would be best for those with a reflective preference. . It allows them to “think it through first" with note taking and other study methods. In my opinion, multimedia is one of the easiest ways to learn. I have used this method of learning for quite a while. The only downfall would be the lack of detail, especially on power points. If lack of detail is the problem I would use a book that consists of images, they tend to go into depth about a subject. Having things explained and a visual are totally different. Visualsthat were labeled were easier to memorize. The visuals would reappear in my mind when taking tests. Multimedia would be best for visual learners. It allows a picture to connect to text since they “remember best what they see”. I would have to say that the podcasts interested me the most as far as learning tools. They were so easily accessible and contained a lot of information. I did not have to sit there and read a boring book all night. What surprised me the most was the use of screencasts. It was my first time using them in both of my online classes. I did not think I would actually pay attention and gain information from them. All of the technologies in the multimedia learning were pretty useful as learning tools. I would like to further explore podcasts. I always heard of them before, but I never put them to use, so I think it would be very effective in the future. Multimedia worked best for my visual preference. In a lot of my difficult classes it was hard to understand the material but once I actually went into the book to study graphs and the visuals listed I had a better understanding. The screencasts helped with my sequential and reflective preference. As far as being sequential I was able to fill my steps in by “consulting references” and referring to the screencasts. It was an easier way to reflect what I learned. Once
- 2. I heard information, I was able to stop and think about what I just heard. Afterwards, I was able to put it into my own words or look it up further if I did not understand it. I will continue to use the strategies that work best for reflective learners. I do not often pay attention in class because I cannot always process the new information. I want to “try to compensate for that lack when I study”. I am not too good at studying either, I expect to remember everything once I read it and I know that it is not helping, so I will take it part by part analyzing each piece of information. This can be applied to a job when I am given a difficult task. Instead of just trying to push through and get it over with I can effectively analyze each step I am taking. I will continue to use podcasts, screencasts, and multimedia for learning after this class. I will use podcasts because it was a new discovery of information that is sometimes not listed anywhere else. I will use screencasts because this was my first time using them and I really liked how I had the power to control the information I was receiving. I will continue to use multimedia to learn because it is sort of required in school; it is already a big part of school, starting in elementary. I can use podcasts to learn more about a company I am applying for. I can use screencasts when learning how to build and prepare for a job. I can use multimedia to learn about jobs also, through the web and newspapers. I will probably only use multimedia for non-learning purposes, such as exploring the web and reading entertainment books. I will not avoid any technologies.