In reading the article “The Media Debate” I lean more towards agreeing with Richard Clark. He makes the statement, “…media are mere vehicles that deliver instruction but do not influence student achievement any more than the truck that delivers our groceries causes change in our nutrition.” (Clark 83: 445) I think that you can have the same information presented in different ways to accomplish the same learning. If I have a Prezi presentation of the information I am teaching for one group of students I may then decide to provide the same information through a video to another group. They may both learn the same concepts but have a different means of presentation.
I also think of it this way. I am a visual learner primarily. My students in my reading workshop classes are typically auditory learners. If all I do is show them pictures or have them read silently then they are really not learning their best. Therefore, I know that teaching in different modalities (visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and tactile) make for the best teaching and learning. However, because I am a visual learner I have to really work at making sure I try to hit all the other learning modalities to make sure I am helping all my students.
I think today’s learners are surrounded by media and we should use it to help our students as long as it is relevant and useful. I don’t think we should just throw media in the mix just to say we are using technology, it needs to be relevant, but I do think our students are so immersed in media today that it does play a big part in how they learn. I don’ think they media should replace face-to-face learning, because I also think our students need to have social skills and the ability to work together. Media is just one aspect of how students can learn today.
Clark, Richard E. (1983). "Reconsidering Research on Learning from Media," Review of Educational Research 53 (Winter 1983): 445-59.
Hi Jennifer,
ReplyDeleteI see lots of merit in your post and agree fully with your statement that "technology for technology's sake" is a poor, often counterproductive use of the tool. I also support that technology does not replace the value of face-to-face instruction.
One of many reasons why I chose to stand in support of Robert Kozma's argument instead of that of Richard Clark was Clark's all or nothing assertion that "Media will never influence learning". "Never" is a mighty long time and 22 years later, I'd like to imagine that maybe Clark is rethinking his original position as well.
Good work!
-Johtell
It all depends on what definition we go with here in terms of "influence." Jennifer, your argument here is a good one. Clark is not dismissing media, but he is saying that good pedagogy needs to be present. Nice essay!
ReplyDeleteJennifer,
ReplyDeleteI think we should use technology when learning can take place. I agree that we need not include technology to just be including it. There needs to be purpose and learning going on. Great statement!
Buffie Smith