The Teaching Box

When I was in my Post Secondary program I had a short discussion with my friend Brent at a seminar class. He told me about the awesome multimedia video clip that he made for his class he was helping to teach. The class was a freshman communication class.  He proceeded to tell me how proud he was of his video, and the time that he put into the creation of this WORK OF ART.

He said that when he played it for the class, they watched it, and shrugged their shoulders. Not terribly exciting to them it seemed. Just like watching a cartoon on the Television. Brent said that he wasn’t drummed out of the classroom with a chorus of boos or throwing of vegetables, but they weren’t nearly as excited about it as he was.

As he told me this story I was mortified, because I was planning to do a similar project.

After thinking and discussing it a bit more. Brent said that he seems to get better interaction and response from the students when he teaches Face to Face in a classroom environment.  (i.e. he actually stands in front of the class and teaches).

This is an interesting observation. I belive that in as Online Course Brent’s video clip would probably have been better received by students, but in the f2f (face to face) classroom environment students seem to prefer real people.

I am saving this story for future use (If Brent allows me to tell it, and of course embellish a bit).  It can be filed under technology is an aid to teaching, and not THE Teaching. As an educational professional I need to know that MY PHYSICAL PRESENCE in the classroom is the best teaching tool. Don’t rely on the technology as a crutch in face to face classes.

I think that the students come there to see the professor, not video clips.
What do you think about how to best utilize multimedia in a f2f (traditional) classroom?
How about in an online (virtual) classroom?

-Loren
http://theteachingbox.today.com
http://www.theteachingbox.com