Digital Media in Today's Classrooms - by Dawn Wilson & Katie Alaniz & Joshua Sikora (Paperback)

About the Book

The purpose of this book is to help guide teachers and students in benefiting from the vast potential of educationally-driven digital media as a tool for meaningful teaching, learning, and assessment.

Book Synopsis

The purpose of this book is to help guide teachers and students in benefiting from the vast potential of educationally-driven digital media as a tool for meaningful teaching, learning, and assessment.

Review Quotes

Digital Media in Today's Classrooms offers a complete look at the use of multimedia and technology in the classroom. Educators at any comfort level will walk away from this book with new ideas on how to use technology with their students. From the current research backing the use of technology in the classroom, to real application of technology, readers will find what they need to implement better technology usage at their school. Not only does the book offer specific technology tools to use in the classroom, but the thought process behind using technology appropriately and effectively.
Where ever you are in your journey with technology, this book can meet you there and guide you further!

This book offers a compelling argument for multimedia as a tool that teachers and students can use to support instruction and learning. The authors provide a strong theoretical base to support their ideas. Important considerations such as guiding students in media literacy, safety and privacy concerns, and copyright are addressed. Several curriculum design frameworks are discussed, along with the role of multimedia to enhance instruction. The authors pose many helpful questions to be asked by teachers as they plan for the effective use of multimedia and emphasize that desired learning outcomes are paramount. This practical guide describes many pre-existing resources, as well as ways that student-centered multimedia use can help students acquire complex thinking skills. The authors offer many things to consider when assessing students' multimedia products and include examples of rubrics for assessing both individual and group projects.

We often hear that we need to "meet students where they are". With the ever growing world of technology and the understanding that the minds of the digital natives are developing differently than the digital immigrants, this statement is more true than ever! This book addresses the all facets of multimedia in the classroom by first answering the "whys" and then giving educators ideas to address the "hows". The research presented is undeniable and really drives home the importance of both teacher centered and student centered technology. Multimedia as a "hook" or pre-assessment gives teachers the opportunity to quickly engage students, bring the new content to life while also helping to drive future instruction. As part of a lesson, it can enhance the learning through interactive media that touches on all styles of learning and, finally, when students create their own multimedia projects, their learning comes to life as they construct using their knowledge along with their own creativity.
In my experiences as a classroom teacher, former graduate student and now Digital Learning Specialist, when you allow students to assess their learning through creating their own products you are enhancing their critical thinking skills and letting them take ownership of their learning. More importantly, students become a consumer of what they learn which ultimately leads toward real life application and understanding. Isn't that what we all want for our students? I highly recommend you read this book and really immerse yourself in the ideas presented for you as a teacher and the creations presented for your students. I think you will be thrilled you did!

About the Author

Dawn Wilson taught middle school math for 16 years before becoming a full time faculty member and professor of educational technology at Houston Baptist University for the last 16 years. In this position, Dr. Wilson has mentored university and K-12 teachers as they learn how to integrate instructional technology in the classroom across a variety of disciplines. Her research and writing interests include coaching for technology integration, teaching online, and flipping classroom instruction.

Katie Alaniz is an instructor of graduate education courses at Houston Baptist University, where she works with undergraduate and graduate students seeking to make a positive impact in schools and society. As an instructional technologist and elementary teacher for over a decade in both public and private school settings, Dr. Alaniz developed an abiding passion for guiding and supporting fellow educators as they seek to meaningfully incorporate enriching and engaging digital tools within their classroom learning environments.

Joshua Sikora is the director of Cinema & New Media Arts at Houston Baptist University, where he teaches about cinematic theory, multimedia production, and developing technologies. An award-winning filmmaker and new media entrepreneur, Sikora is also the founder of New Renaissance Pictures, an independent production company through which he has produced a variety of feature films, TV series, and documentaries.