Increasing Student Learning through Multimedia Projects

1. Increasing Student Learning through Multimedia Projects Michael Simkins Karen Cole Fern Tavalin Barbara Means

2. Definition of “Project-Based Learning” “…a teaching method in which students acquire new knowledge and skills in the course of designing, planning and producing some product or performance.”

3. Definition of “Multimedia” “…the integration of media objects such as text, graphics, video, animation, and sound to represent and convey information.”

4. Definition of “Project- Based Multimedia” “Project-based multimedia learning is a method of teaching in which students acquire new knowledge and skills in the course of designing, planning, and producing a multimedia project.”

5. How Do We Determine Success?

6. Dimensions of Project- Based Multimedia Learning • Core curriculum • Learning goals derived from curriculum standards • Real-world connection • Connect students’ work to the world in which they live • Extended time frame • Project extends over a longer period of time • Student decision making • Teacher can facilitate and guide, but students have flexibility in content and presentation

7. Dimensions of Project- Based Multimedia Learning • Collaboration • Each student involved makes a separate contribution to the project as a whole • The project itself is greater than the sum of it’s parts • Assessment • Has three different roles • Activities for developing expectations • Activities for improving media projects • Activities for compiling and disseminating evidence of learning • Multimedia • Students can create, rather than just use, multimedia

8. Why do it? • Three skill sets students need according to Richard Murnane and Frank Levy • Hard skills (high level skillset of math, reading and problem-solving • Soft skills (work together, present) • The ability to use a personal computer for tasks including the creation of multimedia presentations

9. Why do it? • According to Secretary of Labor’s Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (1991), required competencies of high school graduates will include: • Identifying, organizing, planning, and allocating time,money, materials and workers • Negotiating and exercising leadership, working with diversity, teaching others new skills, serving clients and customers, and participating as a team member • Selecting technology, applying technology to a task, and maintaining and troubleshooting technology