Creative T&L with digital media

technology: using Blogspot & Prezi.com

For those not yet familiar with Prezi.com it is an online presentation method that allows for 3-dimensional presentations with hyperlinks, video, slides etc all embedded. Students can open it at home, in an internet café or library or at school – and continue working where they last finished, access is free and if you choose the education option you get more for you (no)money.

It takes most people about 5 minutes to register and it is not blocked by county

What is expected by the Media & Photography Exam Boards?

• Independent learners• Digitally literate• Multi-tasking• High level of critical

theory• High quality production

values• Interactive• contemporary

• Global• Socially and culturally

aware• Individual and group

work from each student• Effective combinations

of theory and practical• Synoptic approaches

Candidates should be prepared to understand and discuss the processes of production, distribution, marketing and exchange as they relate to contemporary media institutions, as well as the nature of audience consumption and the relationships between audiences and institutions. In addition, candidates should be familiar with: • the issues raised by media ownership in contemporary media practice; • the importance of cross media convergence and synergy in production, distribution and marketing; • the technologies that have been introduced in recent years at the levels of production, distribution, marketing and exchange; • the significance of proliferation in hardware and content for institutions and audiences; • the importance of technological convergence for institutions and audiences; • the issues raised in the targeting of national and local audiences (specifically, British) by international or global institutions; • the ways in which the candidates’ own experiences of media consumption illustrate wider patterns and trends of audience behaviour.

In addition, of course, is the subject specific content.

?

PLAN &

COMMUNICATE

EVALUATE & ANALYSE

DECONSTRUCT &

UNDERSTAND Research

MARKET TEST

& COMPARE TO MEDIA TEXTS

ORGANISE &

CONSTRUCT

GENERATION OF IDEAS

ANALYSE

REFLECT &

REFINE

HOW DO I Provide evidence for the

best marks Ensure I have covered

ALL assessment objectives

Stretch my attainment Evidence independent

learning skills.

THEORY,

QUOTES & CONCEPTS

AS media; practical production 2010 / HY

We began with paper-based worksheets that drove discussion and essays but the specification is now far more virtual – we can post no coursework to the board it must all be online.

This has meant becoming more digitally literate and media ‘savvy’ but this has transformed the T&L in a very positive way.

In my prezi account I now have saved copies of all previous students prezi presentations, or evaluations – I share them with other prezi users (such as teachers or students) and in return I can access their teaching materials

Because you save the prezi as a copy you can then edit and add to it before saving with a rename – this one saved me hours – students love finding a good prezi to use – but must be taught about validity, reliability, and citing the work of other authors

Prezi has lots of new features – we have just begun to use ‘Prezi Meeting’ – it allows up to 10 people to present, create or edit one prezi, in real time; access is by invite only and time limited.

As usual with Prezi they have excellent tutorials that are succinct and to the pointThis one walks you through prezi meeting but Kieron Marchese, Lee Cooper and I worked it out online in 2 minutes.

Step 1I created the start page by giving it a title and some further structure.

Prezi now allows you to create a custom colour, font and (limited) shape palette.

I went for bold and creative

The Mutant Mickey Mouse on the left is the tools is the tool bar

Insert is to add images or pdf or audio, arrows, highlights etcFrame provides the boxes and framesPath allows control of what order the prezi is seen inColours lets you set up the page/font type and colour

When you are choosing the files to upload the programme will simply not see anything in the ‘wrong’ format – it must be image based so jpeg or pdf are fine

As a solo means of presentation Prezi is excellent and the students in media and photography are now ‘habitualised’ to creating a prezi which they then use to present their work to an audience AND they embed it in their blogs – as it is not blocked by county we can watch them in the classroom where we video the students doing a presentation – they can then upload that too and provide clear evidence of reflective Q&A sessions

Ten months on and we can now use Prezi Meeting – in lesson and out of classes.

The invite process is straightforward – it took me 10 minutes to set up and students to answer:

as I was working at home I had no access to student emails and so had to use the Facebook student page we created for sharing work and ideas;

in school the process would use school email addresses,

editing rights stay open for exactly one week – perfect for setting group presentation tasks.

What happened??

A number of students have begun to add comment – each time I look more is there – In a classroom based situation I would have more control BUT this way I can see who is prepared to explore and try – they all have little avatars with their names above them.

By using prezi students and I can upload and share videos and footage – YouTube is blocked in school – but I can see it later and Vimeo is allowed by County,

By being a member of the prezi meeting I can step in where needed and support or direct learning but equally one student could instigate and invite the meeting and group presentation; Students can be directed to suitable resources such as these excellent video examples of Film Noir

How could I effectively use a combination of prezi / blog and paper-based activities?

Create or choose a prezi that covers the topic you want to introduce analyse or review.In this case media theory: In this example mine is embedded in my blog – it makes lesson prep easier.

Using the whiteboard you can place a section in context or use it to introduce group tasks/activities

Students are gathered around the whiteboard enabling rigorous ‘no-hands-up’ questioning routines to engage and motivate

Create a template within prezi for one slide / image / statement.*Invite students to ‘edit’ using the meeting facility in prezi – max of 10 students allowed at once*allocate a timescale and ‘rules’ – e.g. is internet research and upload allowed?* Decide who sets the rules – it is an excellent way to promote student leadership and discussion – how will the group organise their time, how competitive are they…

Students can be effectively ‘paired’ to make best use of resources, established skill levels and time available; plus the meeting invite only lasts 7 days – no time allowed for slacking….

Using PREZI

What is being argued here?

Present a more balanced and evidenced argument

What impact do the images have?

Present evidence that I understand the way that concepts of ethics are used within this Is there

relevant information in the prezi that will contextualise this piece of writing – what am I the reader expected to understand?

What are the abstract and moral concepts here?

Who is the preferred reader?

Is ethical validity pre-determined?

KEY WORDS:ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:TIMESCALE:

Working from a paper copy

Or the whole process can become part of a blog

• good practice is modeled and shared• Lesson plans and outcomes are shared• Independent learning is guided only to the

level needed by the student• AFL in implicit and ongoing• Time management is evident• Work is interactive and students love it.

Thank you for watching

Any questions feel free to email Richard Willett orElaine Humpleby