Multimedia is interesting. This is an update on some of the cool things that we’re doing with it – but some context first. I only have to watch my 4 year old learning the alphabet by playing online Sesame St games, or online memory games with the Wiggles, to see that computer stops being a boring, if useful, calculating tool, and becomes an engaging medium.
His dad still likes spreadsheets and programming, but that’s not the normal entry point into computing any more – especially for four year olds. Games are more common starters for kids, and music downloads, chatting online with friends, web video etc are in the mix for older kids. So, in education, where to with all this?
Well, for one things, its less like this ("labs") :
or even this, rows down the edge:
:
and more like this - distributed use, anywhere: 
and anytime, including home (a "tablet pc" in this case, writing directly on the screen):
or even an office style, with some open spaces (that is a school!) :
even this (usage everywhere, wireless connection)
(doubt this is the future? – check the site for "One Laptiop per Child" (www.laptop.org)– it aims to put a rugged, wireless, laptop into the hands of every child in developing countries. They already have orders for entire countries. Can even be charged by a ripcord or pedal block.)
I didn’t think labs are totally out of date - just that the balance is moving more toward connected usage everywhere, anytime … not dominated by a specialist subjects, or special room.
And not dominated by analytical tasks like spreadsheets and programming- we now have ICT in the arts, even the drama classroom (see below)
Anyway, what are we doing, here?
Last year I heard of a way to do some interesting “blue screen” effects with Kahootz .
(translation – “blue screen” is a way to add special effects to video, and Kahootz is a piece of software that is used to give students an easy start in 3d animation, (and is free to State schools). It tends to be a bit restrictive in itself though.)
We started experimenting with the techniques to blur animation and video, and at the Kids Congress (an ICT conference for primary students) I met a Peter Maggs from Australian Children’s TV, who knows a bit about all this. He passed me some info from a school in NZ that is right into it.
So .. it got a little better as time went on
Its not enough to just play of course – needs a clear curriculum focus.
This asteroid field example is from a primary school that was interested in students demonstrating learning, by transferring it to new and negotiated contexts. In this case it they were writing a group play … each group writing part of a connected narrative which projected their study of Australian history (colonisation) Onto their study of the solar system in science, with a scenario of colonising a new planet. Hence the special effects had a purpose.
It was, in the end, a stack of work – 2 classes full of script writing, filming and special effects
(This bunny , though, was just fun – working out how to do it).
Anyway, we’re currently doing more of this in year 9 drama, and aiming to include some grade 6 students from a local school.
We also introduced some other special effects in drama last year; using the nice mac software to add some other special effects, rain, fog, sepia, lightning etc. – and wrapping the whole thing into a nice dvd format.
Would be nice to get the students to be the mentors for the IT aspects of this.
we're also looking at adding multimedia effects to the school production; backlighting two screens with changing media images
So, that’s a partial update on some of the multimedia work and ideas that are in progress,
comments welcome ..
(acknowledgement - some of the images are from the powerpoints used in planning for the bendigo education plan)