Concept mapping with Coggle

Concept maps and mind maps are a way to organize questions, ideas, information, and multimedia into a visual map that makes it easy to convey information and important concepts. There are several online services that you can use to create concept maps and mind maps. In this post I will give you an example of one way to use concept maps collaborative in the classroom. 

The Crossover by Kwame Alexander is a young adult novel that I like to share with students in my English classes. The book, notable for being written entirely in verse, tells the story of twin brothers who are going through major changes in their lives. Basketball and jazz music have significant roles in the story, and I want to introduce students to some background knowledge before we read the book. 

For this cooperative learning assignment, I partner students in groups of three or four and ask them to work together on a concept map. Students will use Coggle.it, an online service that enables real time collaboration on concept maps and mind maps. 

Each student in the group will be responsible for their own branch of the concept map. Each branch begins with a question or concept that the student will research, and then answer within the shared concept map on Coggle. 

Here is the start of a concept map for one group of three students. 

Objective: After contributing to a collaborative concept map on Coggle, students will be able to explain important characters and concepts relevant to The Crossover.

Students are instructed to expand the concept map as follows:

• Define the term or answer the question in your own words
• Link to at least one relevant video that helps further our understanding
• Use at least one relevant image

This is an example of content that a student would contribute to his portion of the concept map. 

In this example, students will gain knowledge that leads to a deeper appreciation and understanding of the book as we proceed to read it. The teacher can extend this lesson by having groups present their finished concept maps to the class. (Be sure to preview the information and links first!)

Here is the finished concept map. Blue text indicates links to additional content.

After reading the novel, the concept maps can be revisited for post-reading reflection. The original groups can reconvene, and the branches of the map can be rotated among members of the group so that each student is expanding on the contributions of their peers. As the teacher, I can add additional questions to the concept map for students to consider. 

Multimedia Design Principles

The pre-reading activity above is an example of how concept maps can be used to apply the pre-training principle. Students learn better when the names and characteristics of concepts in advance of seeing new multimedia messages. Completed concept maps can be shared and browsed at a student's own pace, an example of applying the segmenting principle that says that learners learn better when messages are digested at the learner's own pace. 

Augmented Reality for Education with Aurasma

Aurasma is a technology company that lets you create augmented reality (AR) artifacts that display additional content when viewed through their application.

Auras are created through Aurasma studio, which is free to use on their website. First you select the trigger image, then you upload images, videos, or 3D animations that overlay when viewed with the Aurasma app. The Aurasma app is available for both iOS or Android.

I've created several examples for this blog that you can view with Aurasma. To view the examples, you need to install the Aurasma app and then follow my account.

1. Go to the 'Discover Auras' search box in Aurasma app
2. Type in the account name: mrbarranco
3. Press 'follow'. My public Auras will now be available to your device.

Examples 1 & 2:

In my English class, to generate interest in a book we are reading, I like to share trailers of the movie versions. Movies can also be used for contrast and compare assignments after the book has been read. In the first two examples, I used Aurasma to add AR effects to posters that play the movie trailer when viewed with Aurasma.

Sample Objective: After viewing the AR-enhanced film advertisements, students will compare and contrast the videos with elements of the novel.

Click to enlarge image

Click to enlarge image

Example #3:

Teachers can also use this technology to provide additional instructions or examples to students. In this example, I made the entire worksheet a trigger image. Students are being asked to annotate a passage from the novel. When you use Aurasma to view the worksheet, you can see examples of annotations.

Sample objective: After reading a passage from Chapter 1 of Of Mice And Men, students will annotate the text with thoughts and ideas they have while reading. 

Click to enlarge image

Example #4:

In the next example, using the blank police report form, students are asked to write a police report about an incident that takes place in the novel. 

Sample objective: After reading Of Mice And Men, students will create a police report based off an incident that occurred in the novel. 

Click to enlarge image

Viewing the blank template with Aurasma lets students see an example of a completed police report.

Notice how I included the Aurasma "A" logo on the document itself to indicate that it contains AR content to be viewed with the Aurasma app.

This software opens up a range of possibilities. Teachers can encourage students to use Aurasma to get additional help on their assignment by overlaying videos or images that enhance learning. The segmenting principle of multimedia design says that learners perform better when they are able to learn at their own pace. Using Aurasma, students can access the augmented content when they are ready for it.

Resources for creating educational videos

My focus this week is on creating educational videos for use in the classroom. 

I explored the following resources to find one I could use to create a series of short videos about literary devices for my high school English class. 

Create animated videos:

Adobe Spark Video is free graphic and video production program from Adobe.

Animaker is an easy-to-use animation program for creating videos.

Creaza Cartoonist lets students create comic strip style videos.

GoAnimate is another option for creating animated movies. It is easy enough for middle school and high school students to use for projects.

Create slideshow and whiteboard videos:

Explain Everything A paid application that works for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, and Chrome, lets you create interactive whiteboard videos. (30 day free trial available)

Stupeflix and Sharalike are two online applications that let you create slideshow videos by adding pictures and music.

Create videos by screencasting your screen:

There are many different applications for capturing what's on your screen and making a video out of it. Visit the screencasting resources page at Kathy Schrock's Guide to Everything for a breakdown of what options are available for each technology platform.

Screencast-o-matic is a popular screen recording program that works on Windows or Mac.

Video editing tools:

WeVideo A robust digital video creation and editing tool with features for use in schools

YouTube's Video Editor offers video editing tools

VoiceThread lets you create rich, multimedia presentation videos. 

I created the following video using Explain Everything entirely from my Android-based mobile phone:

When making the video, I tried to adhere to the multimedia design principles I discussed in a previous post.  My original script included a segment about anthropomorphism and how it differs from personification, but then I remembered the coherence principle says that unnecessary material should be excluded rather than included. I also tried to apply the spatial contiguity principle that says that graphics and text should be in close proximity to each other. 

Overall, the process of creating a video, even on my mobile device, was not extremely difficult. One thing I like about creating videos for use in the classroom is that once the video has been created, it can be reused forever (as long as the concepts and ideas remain current.) 

Evaluating videos for the classroom

Videos can be extremely useful for enhancing your lessons and reinforcing concepts you are teaching. Even a subject like grammar can be made more interesting with the right video. Here is a video by Scholastic that could be used in a 6th grade English class:

Source: Scholastic on YouTube (standard YouTube license)

There are multiple ways a teacher could use a video like this. If a projector is available, it can be played for the class as part of a larger lesson on grammar. Another option, since it is on YouTube, the link could shared with students to watch on their own time, either in class or as homework. The teacher could supplement the video with a worksheet or quiz to assess student comprehension.

YouTube and Vimeo have millions of videos available at the click of a mouse. How do you find one that works for your class? 

In his Educator's Podcast Guide, Bard Williams of ISTE suggests answering 10 specific questions to guide the selection of podcasts for education. With slight adjustments (mostly replacing the word "podcast" with "video,") you can use the same 10 questions for evaluating videos that you are considering for your classroom. 

Let's go through all 10 questions and see how this video holds up!

Is the content appropriate for your current area of study?

Yes! The content of the video covers the eight parts of speech which is commonly covered in a middle school English classroom. 

Does the [video] add to or enhance your current lesson plan?

Yes! The video provides audio and visual elements that complement my in-class lectures and assignments. 

Does the content and production of the [video] meet school and community standards for acceptable use in your school?

Yes! The content is school appropriate. The video uses language and visuals that are acceptable for broadcast in my classroom.

Is the content of the [video] well organized and easy to follow?

Yes! The video focuses on the essential definitions of each part of speech and provides several examples for each. It follows Richard Mayer's coherence principle by avoiding the inclusion of unnecessary additional content. 

Is the content of the [video] compelling enough to hold the attention of your audience?

Most likely. The video includes eye catching graphics, entertaining music to accompany the lesson, and the speaker uses an informal conversational style that I believe would appeal to students at the middle school level. It follow's Richard Mayer's temporal contiguity principle by presenting graphics and narration simultaneously. 

Is the [video] in a digital format that works for your classroom?

Yes! YouTube videos are easily accessible through a web browser without the need to download files or install additional software. They are ideal for broadcasting in classrooms that have a projector attached to the teacher's computer. Alternatively, teachers can provide students with a link to the video so that they can watch it individually on their own devices. 

Was the [video] produced by a source you consider credible?

Yes! Scholastic is a credible publisher of educational materials and the man in this video, Marvin Terban, is a well-respected educator with over 40 years of teaching experience.

Is [watching the video] the best method of learning about this topic for your students?

It depends. This video moves rather quickly through the eight parts of speech. I believe this video can be an effective learning method for many students, but some students may learn these concepts better with one-on-one tutoring, or by reading about the parts of speech, at their own pace, from a book or teacher-generated worksheets. 

Is the [video] supported by additional online content (a Web site with further resources or archives, for example)?

Yes! Scholastic does offer additional videos with Marvin Terben covering other grammar topics. There is also a link to purchase a printed workbook by Terben that contains plans for expanding on these concepts through worksheets and exams. 

Does the [video] include any usage rights that limit the broadcast or distribution of content?

This video is licensed under standard YouTube copyright, which does have some limitations. I would be unable to download, distribute, or make modifications to the video. It must be viewed "as-is" through the YouTube website. Sharing the video with students, or playing it in the classroom, would be acceptable uses of the video.

Questions excerpted from from "Choosing the Right Podcasts for Your Classroom" Copyright 2007, ISTE ® (International Society for Technology in Education), Educator’s Podcast Guide, Bard Williams. www.iste.org

As we can see, this video meets nearly all of the criteria that Williams suggests in his article.

In my next post I am going to explore some of the resources available for teachers to create their own videos. 

Creating Infographics

Infographics combine information with images and graphics to present information about a topic in a visually appealing way.

I created the following infographic using Piktochart (www.piktochart.com). This is an example of how an infographic can be used as part of a pre-reading activity for literature, as in this case, to introduce students to background information prior to reading Of Mice And Men or The Grapes of Wrath.

Click to view larger

You can create free infographics at Easelly, Picktochart, or Infogr.am, These services make the infographic creation process simple enough to be accessible for most tech savvy high school students. While teaching students to incorporate images into their project, it can be a good opportunity to reinforce their knowledge of copyrights and encourage them to seek out images licensed under Creative Commons copyright. (Images in my example above were sourced from Wikipedia under a Creative Commons attribution license that allows republication.)

As a lesson and assignment idea, teachers can assign the creation of infographics as an alternative to a traditional report. For example, in a social studies classroom: After researching the 13 original American colonies, students will demonstrate knowledge by creating an infographic combining key dates, statistics, and facts with relevant images, maps, and graphics. Students can then share their infographics with each other on a class website or wiki to expand their learning on a subject.

Using Pixlr

Pixlr (www.pixlr.com) is a robust image manipulation tool that runs completely through your web browser, offering a free online alternative to Photoshop. 

source: Wikimedia Commons (Creative Commons attribution license)

The collage above was made entirely within Pixlr. I started with an original image from Wikimedia Commons and used Pixlr's online tools to add text, modify colors, isolate certain elements, change the contrast and brightness of the image, and arrange them into a collage.

Pixlr can be a helpful tool for students to have access to in the classroom.

Memes and Animated Gifs

Memes and animated gifs can be a fun way to enhance your lessons and get your students' attention.

ImgFlip's Meme Generator is a free online image creation tool specifically designed to make meme images quickly and easily. You can browse through their collection of images or upload your own. Adding text is easy.  

image source: imgflip MemeGenerator

I would be super excited if my school gave ChromeBooks to every student!

Another easy image creation tool is MakeAGif which lets you create animated gifs from videos or images. I made this short animated gif of a baby sloth yawning using a YouTube video that was licensed under Creative Commons copyright allowing reuse. 

original video source: People Laugh At / YouTube (Creative Commons attribution license)

Teaching with Padlet

Padlet (www.padlet.com) is an online service that lets you create virtual bulletin boards on which you can post text, pictures, videos, presentations, web pages and other online resources.

Use in the classroom or educational setting:

Teachers can create a padlet to compile resources for their units (as I will demonstrate below) to allow students to explore topics and concepts related to in-class learning. Another option is to create an empty padlet and give students permission to post their own work or resources to it.

Example lesson using Padlet:

In my 10th grade English classroom, I teach a unit of study focused on literary archetypes. I want to get my students thinking about characters and situations in books and movies that follow commonly used templates. I created a padlet to give students online resources that they can browse at their own pace to learn more about archetypes. Each item in the padlet has specific instructions to follow and questions that check for understanding.

After exploring all 10 online resources contained in the padlet, students will demonstrate knowledge and understanding of literary archetypes by writing a children's story that uses common character and situational archetypes.

Copyright considerations:

Using Padlet in the classroom can be a great opportunity for teachers to discuss the issue of copyright with their students. For each item posted in the padlet above, I made an effort to identify the copyright owner and list the type of license it is published under. I would introduce students to Creative Commons copyright licenses and explain how they differ from standard copyright protections by allowing you to republish and, in some cases, modify an author's original work.

Application:

Last week I discussed three design principles for enhancing learning with instructional multimedia--pre-training, personalization, and segmentation--that have proven beneficial for student learning. I have attempted to implement all three principles into the lesson above.

• Pre-training: Before giving students the padlet assignment above I would provide pre-training through classroom discussions and a short presentation that define very clearly what an archetype is, and provide examples of common archetypes that they are already familiar with, like heros, villians, and mentors. 
• Personalization: Using conversational language in Padlet is another practice that I would recommend. I use words like "you" and "your" so that students can relate to the material more readily. 
• Segmentation: Padlet is an excellent method to segment a lesson into chunks that learners can work through at their own pace.

Reflection:

When searching for lesson materials to include in this padlet, my goal was to use as many resources as possible that are licensed under Creative Commons copyright licenses. This turned out to be more difficult than expected. It was helpful that Google, YouTube, and Vimeo each offer advanced search options that let you filter results to show only content licensed under Creative Commons, and there is also a Creative Commons search engine available online to find additional resources. Still, there seems to be a lack of educational materials available that utilize these licenses, which resulted in me including resources that are under standard copyright terms. This process has encouraged me to license my own creative products under Creative Commons in the future so that others can benefit from them as well. 

Padlet is an educational technology tool that I plan to use more in my classroom. It provides an easier alternative to creating a website or webpage to share resources with students. It can be customized further by changing the layout and sorting options of posts, and an option to turn on or off the ability for viewers to leave comments on posts. It is embeddable into existing websites (as you can see here) or viewers can launch a padlet through a unique link that you provide them. 

Enhancing Learning With Multimedia

Multimedia can be used to facilitate learning through the use of words and graphics together. The body of scientific research supports the claim that lessons that incorporate multimedia can be more effective than lessons that use spoken words alone. The presence of multimedia can cause learners to be more motivated to learn and enable teachers to reach a wide range of learning styles (Wikibooks, 2017).

In the article “Research-Based Principles for Designing Multimedia Instruction,” Richard Mayer (2014) shares a number of research-based principles that can help educators make informed decisions about how to most effectively use multimedia in their instruction. The principles of pre-training, personalization, and segmentation, in particular, made me stop and consider how I have received and delivered instruction in the past, and has given me reason to be more deliberate in creating multimedia in the future.

According to the pre-training principle, learners can benefit by learning the names and characteristics of key concepts prior to viewing a multimedia presentation. This principle reminded me of multimedia presentations I have watched where information was not presented clearly beforehand, and as a result, I probably got less out of the presentation than I should have because my mind was playing catch-up with the information I was being given. Using the pre-training principle as a teacher I can make an effort to define, and teach student the names of, key concepts before jumping directly into a multimedia presentation. The pre-training provides a foundation for students to learn new information from the multimedia by allowing them to focus on the more advanced information in the presentation rather than basic terms and definitions.

I was also intrigued by the personalization principle that purports that using a conversational style, rather than formal language, helped learners retain more essential information and perform better on assessment tests. The conversational style, according to Mayer, promotes a sense of social presence to the learner. This is not something I have given much thought to before, but the results make sense. Through personalization, the teacher can help the learner relate to the material more easily and readily, whereas formal language might alienate or disinterest some learners. I often use a conversational approach in my own teaching practice when lecturing, but I usually take a more formal approach when creating multimedia materials for instruction. In retrospect, this is the wrong way to go about it. Learning about the personalization principle has encouraged me to adopt more personalized language in my future multimedia presentations.

The segmenting principle says that learners may perform better on assessments when the lesson is divided into shorter segments that they can advance when they are ready to continue the lesson. By this principle, it can be better to split a 30 minute presentation up into multiple segments of three to five minutes each, allowing the learner to decide when to advance, rather than to show the entire 30 minute presentation at once, because it allows for student-centered learning to take place.  I have taken online courses where lessons are segmented in this fashion, and they often will include a short assessment after each segment to make sure that key concepts are learned before progressing. This method has the advantage of the learner being able to review a particular segment when essential information was missed, which can be highly beneficial for learners with short attention spans or trouble focusing.

These three principles: pre-training, personalization, and segmentation, can work in conjunction within one lesson. For example, if I am preparing a multimedia presentation to teach rhetorical devices, I can utilize pre-training by reviewing key terms and definitions with the entire class before introducing multimedia elements. This way students will be ready for new concepts and examples during the lesson. I can break up the presentation into several portions and allow students to use their own electronic devices to view the segments at their own pace. My narration would include personalized language such as “you” and “your” while discussing rhetorical devices in order to connect with the learners on a deeper level.

The research-based principles of multimedia I learned at the outset of this course have encouraged me to put more thought into the finer details of lessons that I create in the future. According to Mayer, “research shows that multimedia instruction has the potential to greatly improve student understanding of how things work” (2014). My own experiences with multimedia in the classroom, as both a learner and educator, reinforce to me this positive view of multimedia-enhanced learning because I have seen how multimedia can improve the quality and depth of learning of my students. It is partially what has influenced me to choose to pursue a master’s degree in educational technology.

References

Mayer, R. E. (2014). Research-based principles for designing multimedia instruction. In V. A. Benassi, C. E. Overson, & C. M. Hakala (Eds.), Applying science of learning in education: Infusing psychological science into the curriculum. Retrieved from http://hilt.harvard.edu/files/hilt/files/background_reading.pdf

Wikibooks. (2017). Instructional Technology/Technology Information Literacy. Retrieved May 06, 2017, from https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Instructional_Technology/Technology_Information_Literacy#Multimedia_Instruction

A Brief Introduction

 Hello there!

My name is Ronald Barranco. Welcome to my educational technology blog.

About me:

I currently teach high school English in Clark County, Nevada while working on earning my master's degree in educational technology from Central Michigan University.

I am a graduate of the University of Nevada - Las Vegas, where I earned my Bachelor of Science degree in Secondary Education with an emphasis in English education. Prior to attending college, I worked in the information technology industry for over a decade. As a teacher I strive to use technology to engage my students in the learning experience and help them develop 21st century skills of their own.

Thank you for visiting. I am looking forward to exploring the use of instructional multimedia with you on this blog over the next eight weeks.