Meet Mrs. Johns

Audio and Video Presentations

Audio and video text are useful tools in education. Students can create audio and video presentations to illustrate ideas. Video creation tools are common with students just as word processing tools were in the past. Students have so many options to create digital videos from programs that come installed with computers to the wide variety of online tools available. When creating audio and video text the creator must answer many questions. The MAPS heuristic will help the creator determine the why and how to create their text (Hicks, 2013) Mode or genre, media, audience, purpose, and situation make up MAPS (Turner, Hicks, 2017). An author must consider multiple things before creating any type of text.

Students in 21st-century classrooms have so many options for presenting themselves. Teachers can give student assignments based on audio and video text writing. Students can give video presentations on book reports, projects, or just introductions. They can use audio text to add information to existing lessons. Teachers can use tools like Screencastify to instruct students. By taking a prepared lesson, a teacher can use this tool to actually teach the lesson while recording the entire lesson. This can be used for students who need extra help or may have missed the lesson. Nearpod is another great audio and video tool for teachers. They can use the sample lessons with audio or create their own to teach students or give students additional help on a topic or lesson.

During the creation of my original introduction video, I wanted to give my peers information about me. I included personal information as well as professional. I used a basic video with no additional effects. This video’s purpose was to generally introduce myself to others in my same professional circle. I did not consider any other forms of media. The process of remaking my introduction video was different. I looked at different media types, I considered my audience, and evaluated my purpose. After choosing my audience of parents and students, I decided to use an informal media tool. If my audience had been more professional I would have used a more formal media tool. Because I would be presenting this to my students and their parents, I decided a fun and engaging video was the best choice.

Powtoon is a great video tool for many modes, audiences, and purposes. This tool has various options for video types. I chose to create an animated video. I used transitions and timing to keep the viewer interested. The music in the background adds to the content and keeps the viewer engaged. I chose simple effects to keep with an informal format.


Troy, H. (2013). Crafting digital writing: composing texts across media and genres. Portsmouth,   
            NH: Heinemann.

Turner, K. H., & Hicks, T. (2017). Argument in the real world: teaching adolescents to read and write
           digital texts. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Infographic Presentations in 21st Century Classroom

The 21^st Century has brought about the age of digital arguments. One form of digital argument is an infographic presentation. Using a combination of words and images makes a powerful argument tool. The use of infographics in presentations allows the presenter to tell a story through the graphics. As a classroom teacher I built many lessons around presentations that either I made or were available online. These presentations add something extra to the lessons to keep the students engaged. With any type of presentation, simple is best. Too much information will kill the meaning.

Presentation tools have changed throughout the years to keep up with technology advancements. Long gone are the days of traditional PowerPoint presentations. Today a presentation tool uses graphics, animations, transitions, and videos to get the messages across. Tools like Powtoon and Prezi are just a few examples of web-based tools that allow the user to incorporate many different elements into their presentations.

The history of technology in the classroom has evolved dramatically throughout the years. This technology presented itself in the 1800s with the introduction of the slate blackboard. Today, most classrooms utilize a myriad of digital devices. Students’ learning methods and teachers’ presentation methods have evolved. Teachers in the past presented their lessons using nothing but a blackboard and a piece of chalk. Now a teachers’ lessons can be as advanced as the teacher would like them to be. Devices like iPads and interactive whiteboards have revolutionized the way teacher and students interact.

The use of infographic interactive lessons have changed the way teachers teach and students learn. In the 21^st century classroom it is not the teachers’ sole responsibility to stand at the front of the room and present the information and the students sit in their desk and listen. Now the teachers present and the students present. The lessons are interactive and both parties are involved in the lessons. The students in this video are demonstrating how they use iPads in the classroom.

F. (2011, January 27). Retrieved March 09, 2018, from

            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BbHXuuuDBM

History of Technology in the Classroom