Media Non-Print Project: Overview and Supporting Information, Essay Example

Teachers face significant challengesin contemporary classrooms. Students are expected to meet rigorous educational benchmarks as measured by standardized testing, while teachers are expected to provide a rich, vital education in a positive classroom setting that encourages the development of a broad set of cognitive skills. It is not enough that students perform well on standardized tests; they must also learn problem-solving skills and critical thinking skills that will serve them in the real world. Adding to the challenges teachers face is the increasing cultural and social diversity of classroom populations. Teachers must understand and meet the needs of diverse classroom populations, which often means implementing flexible and innovative strategies. Project-based learning offers teachers and students to engage in an active educational process that combines learning facts with the cultivation and development of cognitive skills. Multimedia projects and presentations can be particularly well-suited for utilizing project-based approaches to teaching in diverse classroom settings. This paper provides a brief overview of a non-print project that emphasizes several key educational standards.

The process of learning a language involves several different elements, including, hearing, speaking, and reading and writing (Zhu, 2010).  Language arts instruction, both for native language and foreign language students, often disengages these elements from each other, and renders classroom language instruction as largely passive exercise. Among the advantages of using multimedia in foreign language instruction is that students can engage in exercises that incorporate all of these important elements into a set of activities. Through visual and audio presentations, interactive software, and other forms of multimedia instruction, students can see and hear native speakers of foreign languages using those foreign languages in real-world settings, and can engage with and respond to the material in real time.

The New Jersey World Class Standards for World Languages instruction include the following:

7.1.AL.A.1  Analyze and critique the validity of culturally authentic materials using electronic information sources related to targeted themes.

7.1.NH.B.1 Use digital tools to exchange basic information by recombining memorized words, phrases, and sentences on topics related to self and targeted themes. Based on these standards, the following set of exercises prompt students to watch and hear Spanish speakers in a variety of settings using video and audio embedded in the following links:

http://audiria.com/capitulos-detalle.php?id=700&tipo=txt

http://audiria.com/capitulos-detalle.php?id=886

http://audiria.com/capitulos-detalle.php?id=884

The linked pages contain interactive exercises that are conducted online. By clicking on highlighted words students can access an embedded dictionary for the definitions of unfamiliar words. By engaging with the visual and audio material, completing the exercises, and learning the vocabulary words, students are developing speaking, reading, and writing skills at the same time.

An additional exercise for students to develop foreign language literacy and speaking skills is described in the Power Point presentation. Students follow along to the performance of a song sung in Spanish, using a provided lyric sheet. By singing along with the song and reading the lyrics as they go, students learn to differentiate between the words and to develop their understanding of what those words mean in context.  Through the use of a Spanish language dictionary, students can learn the definitions of the words in the song, which allows them to contextualize the meanings of the words in a real-world setting.

The song used in this exercise can be accessed here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXFbjmcdhwM

The song lyrics are printed below:

Que mis ojos se despierten?Con la luz de tu mirada yo?A Dios le pido?Que mi madre no se muera?Y que mi padre me recuerde?A Dios le pido

Que te quedes a mi lado?Y que mas nunca te me vayas mi vida?A Dios le pido?Que mi alma no descanse cuando?De amarte se trate mi cielo?A Dios le pido

Por los dias que me quedan?Y las noches que an no llegan yo?A Dios le pido?Por los hijos de mis hijos?Y los hijos de tus hijos?A Dios le pido

Que mi pueblo no derrame tanta sangre?Y se levante mi gente?A Dios le pido?Que mi alma no descanse cuando?De amarte se trate mi cielo?A Dios le pido

Article Summaries

Omeri, A. (2014). Teaching a Foreign Language in a Multicultural Context. Journal Of Educational And Social Research, 4(2), 254.

This article provides an overview of a study on strategies for teaching foreign languages in multicultural classrooms. It begins with an introduction to the concept of “culture,” and continues by discussing a number of factors and issues that contribute to changes in the cultural makeup and background of students in classrooms across the country. After establishing the primary concepts and issues that provide context for the discussion, the study examines a number of specific classroom strategies. It concludes with a number of recommendations for teachers about effective classroom strategies for teaching foreign languages to diverse student populations.

Omeri notes that the demographic makeup of student populations in both urban and rural settings has changed markedly in recent years. Increased mobility and the movement of people of different ethnic and cultural backgrounds means that classrooms are more diverse than ever, and this diversity has significant implications for teachers. According to Omeri, “cultural socialization and sense of ethnic identity influence the teaching and learning process” (2014); with this in mind, teachers must adapt teaching strategies to best meet the needs of diverse classroom populations.

Among the key strategies described in the study are “distancing” (a strategy that focuses on ideas and de-emphasizes culture); “adapting” (which focuses on ideas in a more flexible manner); “clarifying” (which contextualizes ideas for students based on their needs and backgrounds), and “relating” (which emphasizes the needs and backgrounds of students). Other strategies discusses in this article include the selection of multicultural literature based on the specific needs and background of the classroom population, and the importance of considering the influence of ESL students’ native languages in shaping how they learn. Omerti concludes with a reminder that in the age of globalization, diverse and multicultural classrooms are going to be a significant consideration for teachers, especially in the areas of language arts and language instruction.

Liu, M. (2003). Enhancing learners’ cognitive skills through multimedia design. Interactive Learning Environments, 11(1), 23–39.

Min’s article is built on the theoretical framework of project-based learning, and this article discusses several ways that multimedia projects can be incorporated into the classroom environment to enhance the development of cognitive skills. Min begins with an overview of the concept of cognitive skills, describing them as “skills that require the working of the human mind” (2003). Min then moves on to a more specific discussion about multimedia projects and how they can enhance cognitive skills, specifically higher-order skills such as problem solving and decision making.

Min focuses on a multimedia project developed on a computer, with the project broken up into three main phases. In the Phase I students learn to use multimedia tools such as specific software and hardware. In the Phase II students develop projects using the tools and skills acquired in Phase I; these projects are designed to focus on a specific topic or subject. In Phase II the students develop new projects with a new focus, building on both the general and specific skills developed in the first two phases. Each phase is further broken down into stages; in Phase II, for example, the stages include brainstorming and discussion sessions, design sessions that can include storyboarding and scripting, budgeting for time and materials, and other specific steps in the process.

As Min demonstrates, the development and implementation of multimedia projects and presentations is a multi-part process that involves a wide range of activities. The diversity of these activities works to develop a number of different cognitive skills, and engages students in an active and participatory manner. This active approach can provide opportunities for cognitive development that exceed those offered from passive approaches and enhance problem-solving skills and other cognitive skills.

Zhu, Z. (2010). Applying innovative spirit to multimedia foreign language teaching. English Language Teaching, 3(3), 67.

Zhu addresses the subject of using multimedia in the classroom as a strategy for teaching for teaching foreign languages. According to Zhu, “people have become increasingly aware of the importance of learners themselves for the final result of learning” (2010), a perspective that emphasizes the importance of engaging students in the learning process. As technology is incorporated into classrooms to a greater extent, students have more opportunities to engage in self-directed learning through the use of various multimedia tools.  Zhu addresses some of the advantages and drawbacks of using multimedia as a basis for self-learning in foreign language classes.

Zhu asserts that Constructivism provides a theoretical framework for the use of multimedia in teaching foreign languages; this approach involves process-oriented learning in which students work with tools that allow them to interact with the material and information they are learning. Multimedia platforms such as Power Point can be used to offer instruction in which audio and visual information is linked, while other instructional contexts can allow students to interact with educational presentations at their own individual pace. Teachers can provide feedback using multimedia as a conduit, with such feedback offered in real time in some settings and applications. Multimedia presentations and projects allow teachers to utilize educational strategies that incorporate listening, reading, and speaking into lessons, and allow students to develop foreign language skills in settings that mirror real world implementation and use of language.

Zhu notes that there are some limitations to multimedia presentations; if they are simply used as a more colorful means of presenting information, they may not take full advantage of the inherent possibilities. What multimedia offers teachers and students are opportunities for innovation, interactive learning, and self-teaching. As with any teaching tools, the technology is merely the starting point; how teachers and students utilize the tools will determine their efficacy in the classroom.

Daisey, P. (1996). Promoting literacy in secondary content area classrooms with biography projects. Journal Of Adolescent \& Adult Literacy, 40(4), 270–278.

As described by Daisey, “there is much to admire in biographies” (1997). Stories about the lives of real people can offer insight into a variety of subjects, such as history, geography, social and economic issues, and myriad other subjects. In this article Daisey provides a rationale for teachers to incorporate biography projects in the classroom and offers suggestions about several specific strategies for developing and implementing such projects.

Daisey discusses several subjects in which biographies can be useful; one example is in the field of chemistry, where the emphasis is often on facts and figures. By encouraging students to learn about the men and women who have made notable advances in the field, teachers can cultivate a more personal connection to the related idea and concepts for students who might otherwise be less engaged with the material. Similarly, biographies about historical figures may offer students a broader understanding of important historical events by learning the ways that those events affected or were driven by real people.

Daisey suggests a number of practical ways that biography projects can be incorporated into the classroom. These strategies include having students assume the role of the biographical subject and make a class presentation with a speech or an interview in character. Other projects include having students wrote a short story either about the biographical subject, or from the subject’s point of view. Students can develop timelines, bulletin boards, and other visual presentations about the subject of the biography. Along with these ideas, Daisey offers dozens of other activities and strategies that teachers can use to incorporate biographies into the classroom. The main thrust of Daisey’s argument is that biography projects can take many different forms, and can underpin broader understanding of a variety of subject