How to Use Free Multimedia in the High School Classroom

Statistics show that online tools, when used efficiently and effectively, engage a higher ratio of students in the classroom because they cast a wider net, grabbing different learners in multiple ways that a simple lecture or discussion may not.
Following best practices for educational technology will help to allay any fears as well as provide a better experience for your learners. Consider that you already employ many best practices in your teaching; educational technology follows similar principles.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• A computer (500Mhz processor/512 KB RAM is adequate) Internet access Course content

Easy Multimedia Tips for High School Teachers

1. The first and foremost recommendation for classroom technology use is simple but significant: always use technology with a purpose and goal.

2. Choose your technology. Will you get the most use from a wiki? Blog? Website? Group? Whatever you choose, understand that you are creating a virtual bookshelf for all of that information---grading notes, extra-credit announcements, links to excellent articles---you would normally print off and send home in the form of handouts. Technology will keep your hard work organized and accessible from virtually anywhere.

3. A wiki is the most open media, allowing students to fully engage by providing them an online forum where they can add agenda items and comments, attach documents, create work flows and more.

4. A blog also allows students to participate directly, but in the form of comments they can attach to particular blog entries. You may lock down a blog, allowing only students in a particular class to comment, and can also use a variety of custom settings to dictate who has certain permissions to add entries from week to week.

5. A website can sometimes seem like the least hands-on form of multimedia, unless students are creating and uploading to a site. Generally, websites are excellent for innovative demonstrations and presentations. Creating a custom website for a class couldn't be simpler with the many low-cost template options that allow you to name, add content and publish a site in minutes.

6. A user group is a way to manage assignments and data. Creating user groups takes little experience and requires only the email addresses of those you'd like to invite or add to the group. A user group will allow you to make an email announcement once rather then sending the same email to your students one by one.

Tips & Warnings

• Much in the same way you wouldn't assign homework just to give students something to do, always employ technology in the classroom with a purpose and goal in mind. Will an animated computer version of mitosis provide a better idea of the concept than, say, a drawing? Will students benefit from hearing a play read aloud on screen rather than enacting it themselves in the classroom? Only you can answer these questions based on your class' makeup and their personal learning needs. Resist the dazzle of technology just because it looks snazzy and instead choose judiciously so that neither you nor your students will be disappointed.
• Free multimedia is only useful if all users have access. Based on your school's resources, the neighborhood where your school resides and general knowledge, you will likely have some idea of your students' socioeconomic status and, consequently, the likelihood of whether or not they have Internet access and a computer at home. If you're uncertain, use multimedia for in-class assignments, avoiding the assumption that all students are wired at home.

Resources

• Create a free blog at Blogger
• At wikispaces you can create your own classroom wiki
• Join or create groups at Yahoo! Groups

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