Comments on I-Movie Experience

Personally, I did not have a particularly fun or exciting I-movie creating experience. However, in comparison to the amount of time others placed in the assignment, I must say I got off fairly easy. I think total I was in the Media Library for about 4 hours working on the assignment. I completed the assignment with much aid from Daniel and Katie White, who were both working on the project at the same time. In the conclusion I was fairly happy with my end result, which is also a good sign. I think the process could have run much more smoothly if there was an instructional document or a list of Do's and Don'ts to ensure people don't get muddled up in the program. I had to learn the hard way in some respects, as I forgot certain specific instructions Professor Kajder gave in the introductory lecture.
I am more hesistant as to using this software in comparison with other technological programs we have experimented with in the class. This is not so much for time reasons, as I understand the idea that the process becomes quicker every time. This is of course an issue, because I know many teachers of mine from high school are always on time constraints. However, the main issue would simply be I would not want my students simply watching a screen with pictures and my voice, when they can simply look at me and hear my voice. PowerPoint can certainly serve the function of providing media and pictures on a screen to work off of in a lesson. I don't think the novelty of a voice-over is enough to bring this into the classroom. If there were professionally done movie documentaries for historical lessons I would be much more attracted in using the program in the classroom. That way I would not need to expend much time, and be able to give an added "punch" to the lesson plan. I think an easy example of this would be the Ken Burns documentaries. I'm sure the History Channel is now churning out similar things on a regular basis. I do think one reason why such a multimedia would be good and successful is because it breaks the monotony of the classroom setting and lures in bored students.

Comments on Digital Images in the Classroom

The introductory statements of the article on the implementation of digital images in the classroom reveals many of the same beliefs I hold concerning the fundamental nature of social studies education. Digital images that appear in various forms in classroom settings are very valuable for students, bringing an otherwise intangible history to life. Whenever digital images can be used to make a connection to a local community this is also helpful, as it can create a previously unrealized relationship between students and the historical and current nature of their home. Interpreting images in a fashion modeled after historical inquiry can also provide a doorway into understanding the various methods through which one should understand and analyze historical events. I have found that many who find history boring and lifeless oftentimes never learn the fundamentals of "context, motives, and circumstances" which makes history a series important events that have immediate and significant effects and applications on contemporary life. I would enjoy participating or teaching the assignment the educators have created for using digital imagery, and believe it could be useful in approaching learning history from a different angle which may induce new interest and comprehension. I also believe as the authors believe that short vignettes would be best suited for these activies, as the thematic concepts of learning are more important than trying to teach large amounts of necessary information. The memorization of history would fit into more pratical, straightforward, traditional teaching methods. In conclusion, I am not surprised by the innovative and knowledgeable proposals given in this article, as 2 of the 3 authors were conducting research through the University of Virginia. Only the best and the brightest right?