The Possibilities for Student Created Content to Play a Powerful Role in Education have Never Been Greater
This last Friday and Saturday at the Teaching and Learning with the iPad Conference, I had the distinct pleasure of watching students at different grade levels present multiple types of media that they created. It was one of the most enjoyable and inspiring activities that I have had the pleasure of experiencing in my time as a professional working in the field of education.
On Friday I watched professional quality newscasts, and short movies, created by Franklin Academy high school students. Several of these well spoken students demonstrate some of the equipment and tools that they used to create this content in this video. That same day I also thoroughly enjoyed having several elementary school students from Fuquay Varina Elementary School play movies they made in iMovie, and explain how they created them (here’s one of these movies, from students Sekou, Camren, and Colin).
On Saturday, Anthony DeLaura gave this great session on “Unleashing Creativity with iBooks Author”, and during this presentation, he showed this wonderful YouTube video:
How cool is that? When students create content like this they are learning so much more than just the technical skills – they are developing literacy skills, communications skills, presentations skills, and more. They are also building confidence and having fun learning!
I have no doubt that one of the many powerful uses and benefits of the integration of technology into teaching and learning is having students create their own content and get inspired while learning and inspiring others. This is the kind of thing that helps me believe that the future of education has never been brighter … thanks to motivated teachers, engaged students, and the power and potential of instructional uses of technology.
Related Posts (if the above topic is of interest, you might want to check these out):
Instructional Technologies CAN Improve Learning Outcomes and Help Address the Challenges Education Faces
Salman Khan’s Inspiring One World Schoolhouse
21st Century Technology Skills Are a Core Competency for Today’s Graduates