Blog Post 2 - Designing Instructional Media

There are many concepts to consider when designing instructional media. The most important to remember is the acronym "CRAP," which stands for contrast, repetition, alignment, and proximity. Contrast is the idea of using a different background color than the color of the text in order to make the text easy to see and read. Repetition means reiterating ideas in different ways to help convey the message of the instructional media. Alignment is important so that students can clearly see all parts of the slide and not miss any key elements. Proximity means making sure that the placement of the text makes sense and follows a well-developed pattern. Also important to consider when designing instructional media is the size of the font (28 or larger is ideal) and the use of graphics and animation. Graphics should be similar to each other and relate to the text; they should not be used simply for decoration. Animations should be used sparingly and should be simple transitions from one slide to the next rather than complex flying and zooming animations which can be distracting.

This is incredibly important in the field of education because it directly affects teaching and learning. Teachers must plan their classes and teach in a way that is most effective. Knowing how to correctly create Power Point slides and other media is a key to helping students learn. I will without a doubt keep these notes and remember these pointers for when I have a classroom and am required to design instructional media. It helps teachers to know how to correctly communicate ideas in a way that students will learn without being distracted.

Instructional Media

I chose this article because it lists several types of instructional media and gives tips and advice on how to effectively use each one.
Found on google, searched for "Designing instructional media PDF." Retrieved from the website "learningforlife.fsu.edu"

Blog Post 1 - Issues in Educational Technology

There are many aspects of schools that educational technology has been able to help with. For example, the No Child Left Behind Act, which provided general guidelines for each state to implement, was supplemented by the use of E-learning. E-learning is a program that provides access to every student and allows for parental involvement. It also helps communication between students and teachers easier and faster. With the Educational Technology Plan, schools were to utilize technology from the office to the classroom; this was to help support student learning. However, the problem with this mode of learning is the digital divide. The digital divide is the gap between students who have access to technology and those who do not. Students without technology are at an extreme disadvantage when E-learning and technology are involved.

This information applies to my intended major, elementary education, by teaching me about the pros and cons of E-learning and technology. Teachers must constantly keep the digital divide in mind and there must be access to technology for the students who do not have access to it at home. Also, it helps to understand the No Child Left Behind Act and the ways that schools are trying to use technology to implement the act. E-learning is an up and coming tool that needs to be learned by future teachers.



I chose this video because it demonstrates the digital divide and what is being done to bridge the gap. Found on Youtube.com, I searched for "digital divide."

Creative Commons Licensing

Here is a video promoting Creative Copyright Licensing: