Traditional Media Media are means of communication that relay a message from a source to a receiver. In a learning environment there are six categories of media. Text is one of the most common categories. It can be displayed in many different ways including books and posters. Audio is another common category that involves anything the learner can hear. Visuals also are a good category of media that stimulates learning through posters or drawings. Another type of media is video. Video is a type of media that shows motion such as a videotape or computer animation.

Manipulatives also known as objects are the fifth category of media. These include objects that can be touched or handle by the learner. The final category of media are people. People such as teachers, students, and subject experts all play a key role in learning. Media format is another aspect of traditional media. Media format is the actual physical form in which media is conveyed. Some of these physical forms include markerboards, Powerpoint slides, CDs, DVDs, and computer multimedia.

When deciding which format is suitable for a particular lesson many variables need to be accounted for. These variables include instructional setting, learner variables, nature of the objective, and presentational capabilities of the media format. Summarization of Traditional Media and Looking Ahead Traditional media in the classroom plays a crucial role in the instruction of students today. The instructor uses traditional media to engage learners and enhance their learning experience. The instructor can achieve this through the use of visuals, audio, and video.

Projected and non-projected are two types of visuals utilized in the classroom. Projected visuals can be introduced to the learners through presentation software, digital images, document camera projections, and overhead projections. Non-projected visuals are those that do not require equipment to view. These visuals include still pictures or drawings for example. Audio in the classroom adds a different dimension to the learning experience. Instead of having students read about a particular event, they can listen to a recording of the actual event.

This will give students more information to relate to a particular event. Digital audio formats and analog audio formats are the two types of audio used in the classroom. Digital audio format is that heard from CDs, MP3s, WAVs, and so on. Analog audio format is not as common today but is heard from cassette tapes. These two formats are both useful in enhancing the learning environment for students. Video in the classroom is also a good way to broaden the learning experience for students. Videos are a useful tool for adding key information to a particular subject matter.

Also, videos can help the instructor educate the learner on a subject matter that he or she is not that familiar with. With video the instructor has to keep in mind things such as propaganda, censorship, and main stream media bias. Video in the classroom will always be a useful tool in the education of students. Looking ahead towards the future, technology and media seem to have an increasing role in the classroom. The digital teacher will utilize technology to aid in the organization of student records as well as the education of the learners.

The digital student will use technology with ease to further expand their knowledge base and enhance their capabilities as students. Distance education will help bridge the gap between schools and homes. Things such as mobile computing, innovative software, and electronic books will further the role of technology and media in the classroom. Technology and media is an ever changing concept and will continue to expand and evolve in future years. Benefits, Relevance, and Application of Traditional Media In the classroom traditional media can be used in a variety of ways.

The use of technology in the classroom is gaining momentum as the years pass. As an instructor, I would use technology in the classroom to aid in my instruction and add a new and exciting change to classroom activities. Also, technology can benefit me as an instructor by helping me organize student grades which will save me time. This extra time will allow me as an instructor to devote more of my personal guidance to students. Another relevance of technology in the classroom would be the increase in the student’s ability to learn how to use technology.

Technology is growing in day to day life and exposing students to this material will benefit them in the future. Furthermore, technology in the classroom can be used for things ranging from instructional aids to programs designed to log student progress. All of these examples benefit both the instructor and the learners. Educational Technology Education Technology vs. Technology Technology is tools or other implements produced to make civilized life easier. Education technology is tools used in the classroom to enhance the learning environment and make things easier for students and instructors.

These things differ in the fact that education technology is primarily used to benefit learners and enhance the learning environment. Commercial TV Programming Commercial TV programming can be used in the classroom for a variety of reasons. It can assist teachers in subjects that are difficult to the instructor, supplement classroom instruction in which limited resources are available, and bring outside stimulation to subject areas. The right programs depend on what lesson is being taught and the environment in which the lesson is being taught.

In my classroom I would use commercial TV programming to instruct students on a topic that I might be weak on in terms of instruction. The program might give students more insight on the topic than I would be able to. For example if there was going to be a space shuttle launch. Students would be able to learn more by watching the actual launch than hearing me explain the situation to them. Mainstream Media Bias Mainstream media bias is a perceived tendency of news to be reported with an unbalanced perspective. This poses a problem for the use of television in the classroom.

Instructors need to be aware of the bias of the media and educate students to take a neutral position and allow them to for their own opinion on a particular subject matter. For example, if I were to show a news broadcast from the war in Iraq, I would need to show broadcasts from several different news stations to get the whole story and eliminate any bias shown to the students. Censorship Censorship in the classroom is very important for many reasons. Censorship is the act of eliminating or hiding material that is unwanted or inappropriate for classroom use.

In my classroom, censorship will be important because I do not want my students viewing inappropriate material. In today’s society, television and internet in the classroom make censorship an extremely important aspect of classroom preparation. Things such as blocks on particular websites and edited video and audio clips are examples of censorship that takes place in the learning environment. Indoctrination Indoctrination means to preach a particular doctrine with a bias ideology. In the classroom, indoctrination is troubling because it gives the learners a bias view.

I believe learners should be taught both sides of a particular subject and allow them to form their own personal opinion of the subject. Examples of indoctrination may be seen in situations such as the teaching of religious views. Often an instructor will teach religion with a bias towards his or her particular beliefs. This type of instruction needs to be eliminated in the modern day classroom. Propaganda Propaganda is a deliberate action to spread rumors, information, or ideas with the intention to harm or help a particular person or group.

As an instructor, I would eliminate propaganda by selecting instruction materials with caution and extreme diligence. Propaganda is often seen in times of political or military conflict. During these times, information is spread with the intent of swaying an opinion on a matter one way or another. Learners need to understand both sides of a conflict and form their own personal views based on their knowledge. Worldviews Worldviews play a key role in the classroom and the learning environment as a whole. Worldviews are the fundamental cognitive orientation of an individual that encompasses values, emotions, and ethics.

Worldviews of the students are important to the instructor because it gives him or her the knowledge of how to approach a particular subject. For example, If there is a student in class that is from a different culture, they might understand or need more of an explanation on a particular subject. Worldviews are a sensitive subject and need to be approached cautiously by the instructor. Final Summarizing Comments Technology and media will have a place in the classroom for a number of years to come. Ranging from student use to instructional aids, technology and media can be used for a variety of reasons in the classroom.

It is the instructors responsibility to account for commercial TV programming, mainstream media bias, censorship, indoctrination, propaganda, and worldviews. These things all have an impact on the ethics and values of the learners. Improper use of technology and media can also result in legal issues which is also the instructors responsibility. Technology and media use in the classroom not only is a useful tool but also it is helping the learners build character and responsibility traits by adhering to the guidelines of the proper use of technology and media.