Journal #2: Finding Students Who Learn Through Media

Bull, G, Alexander, C, & Ferster, B. (2010). Finding students who learn through media. Learning and Leading with Technology, 37(5), Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/AM/Template.cfm


In previous classes we have learned that students learn in all different ways and as educators we need to find out what way that is. There can be some students that will learn with technology as a tool. The students who are interested in computers and technology can use that to learn in class can better grasp the topic. The use of technology to create videos and power points is a great learning tool and can help the student better learn the topic. I can appreciate that some students learn more from creating a digital storyboard than from writing an essay because I feel the same way. I would much rather create a storyboard and tend to learn more from it than I do an essay. I believe that when kids can learn in a way they enjoy they will learn more. However, there are some students that will take advantage of it and spend so much time on the fun part of the project that they will not actually learn the necessary material.

What percentage of kids didn't learn from the storyboard or essay?
The article says that 15% of the students were not interested in either assignment. That number is to be expected because you are always going to have those students that just aren't engaged in the topic at hand. I think the number of students that learned from using just the storyboard would be an interesting number to know.

Does doing this change the amount of instruction time significantly?

Using storyboards to teach history can not always be the way we teach because it would take too long to teach. The idea of using technology to instruct is something that should only be used occasionally unless it is a technology class. The idea is a good one on a once in a while basis.