Making a Real world Connection & Defining and Planning a MM Learning Project

Hello All!
This week blog is about chapter 3 and 4 of our text book, and let me start saying Michael Simkins and collaborators suggest great ideas to create those real life connection that we need for the planning of a multimedia learning project.

Chapter 3:
It is so true that in order to motivate our students to participate in a multimedia learning project they must have a connection with the real world. The text book provides ten examples but that doesn't mean that those are the only one. The connection that as a teacher we choose to use depend on so many variables. Among those variables are, your curriculum, the audience, the purpose of the project and so on. We just have to keep in mind when designing the project the real life connections has to be meaningful to the students, therefore they can succeed in their performance. The type of connections that the author presents are good examples, because in some way or another it incorporates all types of learners. For example when using real connection that deals with relating to clients or interacting with assessors, those type of projects are very beneficial for those students that are social learners, those projects that focus on adult work and life skills are good for students that are visual, logical or for instance tactical learners.

Chapter 4:
Planning and designing a multimedia learning project can sometimes be a challenge. First is important that we make an inventory of the different tools that we will have to make such project available to our students. Although sometimes there is a situations that there are more students than computers, one idea that I will provide is don't panic there are many ways of getting a project done. If for instance there is a school in the need of computer for their students, perhaps they can go to the nearest public library and get them to collaborate with the project. Another idea could be talking to the local universities, they usually are interested in working in collaboration with school, specially when these have fraternities and sororities and they provide community services.
Another point I will like to discuss is the importance of selecting a good topic, one that will be useful for the learning experience. What I mean by this is that there is no point on selecting a topic that can be taught in the classroom, and the project is being use to substitute the teacher, my opinion, I don't believe in this.
When planning on we have to make sure that we keep in mind the following questions: How will I involve students in decision making? What forms of collaboration will I include? What resources will I need? These are some of the questions that will help defined the project. The objectives of the project should be reflected in the answers to these questions.

Conclusion: Designing a multimedia project base is not rocket science. Yes!, it's challenging but everything can be achieved with a little of creativity and perseverance.

Truly,

Wida