Module+VII+Evaluating+Educational+Technology+and+Integration+Strategies+Digital+Media

Module VII Evaluating Educational Technology and Integration Strategies Digital Media 1. Edutainment in Action in Education A key component to the effectiveness of using digital media is the term edutainment, more specifically, using the attractive qualities and aesthetics of entertainment media for learning purposes. The essence of edutainment as well as entertainment and traditional literature is, was, and always will be identifying with the story. This book highlights how, why, and where implementing the benefits of digital storytelling can benefit your students' education and your lesson planning - everybody wins! If you need more information on edutainment, click the Edutainment in Action in Education link to learn more. After all, educating the youth of today about the invaluable information of the past by using the technologies of tomorrow and beyond is the future of education. 2. Game Maker Game Maker, currently being distributed by Yo-Yo Games, is a dynamic game development program that allows non-programmers the ability to make fairly robust computer games without the need to know how to be a programmer. You or your students can create professional looking games using drag-and-drop to place user-friendly actions in your game. The game software contains backgrounds, animated graphics, music, and sound effects. There is a built-in programming language for more advanced users that provides full functionality for creating a full array of game types and 3-D graphics. The basic package is free but requires registration for access to full functionality of the programs. Game Maker comes pre-loaded with a collection of freeware images and sounds, making this a super media product for digital learners. 3. Digital Media in the Classroom As you have learned throughout this textbook, digital media is everything from QuickTime movies to graphic design software applications. With so much information and technology out there, choosing the appropriate form of digital media to integrate in your curriculum can be intimidating. Evaluating digital media for appropriateness and usability is just like evaluating software, Web sites, and other technologies. The textbook presents guidelines for evaluating Web sites that include examining authority, affiliation, purpose and objectivity, content and learning process, audience and currency, and design of the digital media material encountered online, at a conference, or from peer educators. These guidelines are excellent for establishing the credibility of the digital media as well. The tools you use to conduct an evaluation of a Web site, a software application, or a digital media piece can be very similar; including the elements you evaluate! 4. Peer Evaluation of Student Projects Many teachers believe that their main form of motivating students to participate in projects and activities is to use a project grade. An alternative assessment technique is to let student peers evaluate each other’s projects. Digital media lends itself to the shared experience, in which all students can easily participate in the viewing of final projects. Teachers should develop a rubric for students to complete, including an area where peers can write constructive comments. After the students get the chance to review the peer evaluation, ask them to write a reflection about their project, discussing what they liked about it, what they might do differently, and what they learned from the peer evaluations.