Report of Visual Media

  According to the author’s perspective, visual media includes photosharing, slideshows, video and videosharing, animation, comic strips, infographics and other forms, they all could be used by teachers for educational purpose to enrich teaching practice, engage students and promote their social and individual skills. But I think photo and video sharing, slidershows, infographics are more effective on teaching than others because they could be utilized easily and impact students directly on behavior continually.

  Of course, teachers don’t need to be highly trained digital artists because they can use online relative services or dedicated downloaded software on computer to do essential or professional works.

  But before making a decision about using which visual media into class, I think teachers should make sure their teaching missions, investigate the real relative media literacy level of involved students and set the appropriate criteria for students if they would be asked to use visual media to complete teachers’ assignments.

 For example, if a junior Chemistry teacher decides to implement a video on explaining the concept of combination reaction to students, he should make sure that he just want students to understand what the combination reaction is and how it works, not others. So he should choose a fundamental chemistry video about combination reaction with several considerations such as comprehensive verbal introduction, acceptable frame, clear logical construction and memorable typical example for junior students. Otherwise there will be a chaos if he chooses a professional video which is indicated to senior students. And if he wants to consolidate what students have studied from video, he should arrange a slideshow competition instead of videosharing for students to motivate their behavior on explaining their comprehension on combination reaction because it’s easier for students to create a slideshow by converting a PowerPoint or Keynote presentation and he can recognize the mastery levels intuitively from that. Although it’s not so difficult to take short videos and editing them on downloaded software or online services for students, but it will take them a long time to do that and be influenced a lot by what they have watched in class. It’s not good for promoting their creativities.

  It does not mean that videosharing is not good for teaching, I just think it’s not suitable for junior and lower grades. To be honest, it’s a fabulous way for senior students to practice social and individual skills. Comparing to junior students, senior students have more impression on visual media like video and have capability on creating a short video. They have a dialectical and critical view of society and life towards to mature, individual thought structural characteristics and experience of social works, they have a desire to express themselves. So videosharing can motivate themselves to a greater extent on expressing their perspectives individually because they have to organize appropriate contents around a core topic and exhibit it clearly by arranging different episodes and integrate them to an entire video to a broad audience. Of course, teachers should give them a topic, recommend some Creative Commons websites for them to source, provide necessary guidance and support on their process of creating videos.

  In summary, teachers should choose appropriate visual media for different grades of students according to their real status to help them study better.