Customer Reviews

Increasing Student Learning Through Multimedia Projects

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I purchased this book for a class I was taking and it has proved to be a great book for teachers just starting out in PBL (Project Based Learning). It gives you examples of students work via websites and a how-to if you want to start incorporating this type of learning into your classroom. It was an easy read and very informative.

The textbook "Increasing Student Learning Through Multimedia Projects" explains how to incorporate Project Based Learning in the classroom. This book prepares teachers to work with students on multimedia projects by breaking down each part of the process in detail. In fact, the Planning section is very thorough. Since this book was published in 2002, there have been some technological innovations. Therefore, a few changes need to be made. For example, the reference to video usage and storage devices such as floppy disk need to be updated. However, the majority of the book stands the test of time. Because the procedures in the book are so direct, readers will be equipped with strategies to troubleshoot unsuccessful projects as well as prepare for successful ones. This book has been very informative and it will be a great resource to have in the classroom.

After reading the book, "Increasing Student Learning Through Multimedia Projects", I feel more comfortable with implementing project based learning in my classroom. This is a great book for teachers who want to learn more about the process of implementing PBL. This book is a great tool because it gives step by step instructions on how to plan and implement PBL in the classroom.
There was a lot of information in this book that will not change with time. Although, there are several things that could be updated in this book. Technology is constantly changing and this book refers to floppy disks, which are no longer used. This book could be updated to discuss saving projects using flash drives. Another area that could be updated is the video projects. This book discusses using a video, which is outdated. Now teachers and students are more likely to use a video camera that can be plugged into the computer. Overall, the information in this book is up to date.
The projects that I have attempted to implement in the past haven't been as successful as the ones discussed in the book because I didn't have the entire process. This book explains that to have a successful project, you have to have all the parts. This book discusses each process in detail, which makes it easy to see how to change or update the projects to make sure that they are effective. This book also shows how to use the technology for the projects, which is very important for students in our classrooms today.
The process that is discussed in this book helps me better understand PBL because it gives examples and testimonies of how it has worked. This book gives step by step directions on what is needed to integrate PBL into the classroom. The steps and strategies that the authors suggest make it easy for teachers to add this to their assessments throughout the year. We are constantly being asked to integrate subjects and PBL is a great way to do this. After reading this book I feel more comfortable with implementing these projects using the multimedia tools that we have available at my school.

This book was very easy to read and understand. It really broke down exactly what mutlimedia projects are and gave many examples of ways to implement it into the classroom. This book helped me a lot because it really broke everything down to a level that I could understand. It described five basic media objects and that was very helpful because they are all things that every teacher should have in their school if not in their classroom. Just simply using a camera is a way to incorporate multimedia projects into the classroom. I was glad to see a section that helps with planning and using multimedia. I think that is one of the most challenging parts for most teachers.

I felt that all of the information was valid in this book and I was not able to point out anything that specifically needed to be update but with technology, things are always changing.

This book helped me realize that it's okay to allow my students to pick what types of technology they want to use and to let students work with peers of their choice and to sometimes randomly pick their partners.

In the future, I will definitely use this book to help me incorporate multimedia into my classroom, with this book I can plan and have a good format for how my students will be graded on their assignment.

Just a side note, I really enjoyed the quotes on the sides of many of the pages in the book. It was nice to see comments from real teachers and it helped me feel more confident in my ability to implement this is my classroom this coming year.

Increasing Students Learning Through Multimedia Projects by Simkins, Cole, Tavalin, and Means is a comprehensive step by step guide for educators that are interested in incorporating project based learning into the classroom. For those that are not sure what project-based multimedia learning is, the book opens with an excellent description which not only defines project-based multimedia learning, but also describes what the classroom incorporation looks like. One aspect of the book that I particularly like is the planning guide which provides a detailed step by step process of creating your students project from planning the equipment that would be needed, to resources, to real world connections and assessments. The guide is filled with hints and tips to help the project run smoothly and ensure student success.
Technology changes rapidly and many may overlook this resource as it was published in 2002. This would be unfortunate as the concepts and ideas presented are definitely relevant in today's classroom. Due to the ever changing world of technology there are areas that could be updated for current use. For example, floppy disks are mentioned as a way of saving/backing up student work. More current means such as flash drives or online storage could be mentioned. There are also many new Web 2.0 tools available today that could be mentioned as tools for students to use as they develop multimedia projects.
In planning future multimedia projects, this resource will be my guide from start to finish. An area that the book discusses that I have not tried in the past is that of involving students in the planning process. Allowing students to become a part of the planning process and decision makers will give them more ownership of their work. This is an excellent way to increase student interest and engagement in the project. I would recommend this book for in-service teachers, classroom teachers, and anyone that is interested in integrating multimedia project-based learning into the classroom.

After reading the book "Increasing Student Learning Through Multimedia Projects" by Simkins, Cole, Tavalin, and Means, I have a greater understanding of the project-based learning method. This book provides teachers with a thorough understanding of how multimedia project-based learning successfully enhances student learning and increases student motivation to learn. The authors thoughtfully include multiple testimonials from teachers about how their students benefitted from project-based learning. This book is a great resource for teachers who have never used multimedia and/or the project-based teaching/learning strategy. It provides a step-by-step guide for the novice teacher in how to plan, implement, and assess a multimedia learning project. The section on planning was quite detailed and informative. I wish that I had read this book before I tried project-based learning for the first time with my students. The section on planning would have been a great help to me at that time. The first time I tried project-based learning with my students I quickly became overwhelmed and exhausted. This book does a great job in helping novice teachers know to 1-plan well, 2-organize, and 3-keep your first project simple!

One of the concepts that is covered in the book that struck a nerve with me was the idea of having "class meetings" with your students and the encouragement of allowing students to be involved with the decision-making in regards to their project. This concept of involving students in making decisions about the project gives them a certain amount of control over their own learning and will result in higher motivation and student engagement or investment in the learning itself.

Although this book was originally published in 2002, the overall project-based learning concept that is presented stands the test of time and is relevant in today's classroom. Some minor updates could be made, such as the reference to using "floppy disks" in chapter 5 (p.68) to backup data. Technology is always changing and improving, so possibly a reference to using flash drives or even using on-line (in the cloud)storage would make it more current. Using online or web-based storage of student work would allow easier accessibility by all students in a particular group thereby enhancing their collaboration on the project. Overall this book is a definite must for teachers new to teaching, new to project-based learning, and new to using multimedia!

Increasing Student Learning through Multimedia Projects is a book that explains project based multimedia and the ways it can be implemented for school or personal use. This book is very informative, for teachers who are considering doing project based multimedia projects. This book can also be used as a reference book or a go to book to refresh on certain skills once forgotten. Being that this book has been out for a long time there are a few things that may need updated. The only thing I would really update is the section on sound, using a tape recorder. With technology constanly changing there really is no need for tape recorders. Many computers come with internal speakers and sound, where you are able to record and play back. The process helps you better understand because there are steps to help you plan for multimedia projects. When doing multimedia projects time is always a major issue, because there is really not enough time to do a multimedia project effectively. The one thing I really like about this book, is that it gives you a sample timeline on how you can set your time for projects which can be very helpful. This book can help prepare you for successful projects because it gives you steps to follow, it goes into details with somethings you may not now or remember and shows how you can do an assessment for projects.

I really like this book because it helped me with things about multimedia projects I needed help with. The book explains things and gives example of how you can implement these tools in your class.I really like the idea of having the opportunity to involve your students more with multimedia projects. This will encourage them to want to do more projects.Increasing Student Learning Through Multimedia Projects

Increasing Student Learning Through Multimedia Projects is a good book for any teachers either using or considering implementing the use of multimedia projects in their classroom. I think that it would be most useful for those who are new to using multimedia projects, or are looking at ways to improve their projects. It is most useful in providing an overview of the entire process, from planning to assessing projects. If you are one of those looking to improve or rework your projects, the overview of the process and the specifics it provides will help you to find where the deficiencies in your projects may lie. This book is a quick and easy read, and provides the reader with a lot of useful examples and ideas. One part that I enjoyed was the outline and discussion of key components, including the need to connect your project to the real world. Staying within these guidelines, or key components will help you plan multimedia projects that your students will become engaged with.

While this is a good overview, it is a bit dated in some areas, as we all know that technology moves quickly. The video editing and photography sections are both in need of updates to bring them current. There are some other areas that should be updated as well, such as the discussions of video editing and photography. However, since the authors focus on the process, rather than the technological specifics, the outdated areas really do not detract from the overall quality of the book.

Overall, this is a good book for teachers looking to implement or improve the use of multimedia projects in your classroom. Whichever category you fall into, the outline provided in this book, the examples provided, and the quotes from other users all combine to provide you with the framework to plan and incorporate high quality projects that your students will love to do.

Increasing Student Learning Through Multimedia Projects is a textbook that explains in much detail how project based multimedia learning can be implemented in the classroom. I found this book to be very informative. This textbook would be best for beginning teachers or teachers that are have difficulty implementing project based multimedia learning in their classrooms. This book breaks down each part of the process. Some parts are explained in more detail than others. The part I found most helpful was planning. The biggest part of the project is planning. If the project is not well planned, most likely the project will not have high expectation, rendering a poorly developed product. After reading this book, I have begun to think about projects I can complete with my students. I know my biggest problem is planning and turning responsibilities over to my students. Another issue this book addresses well is assessment, which I think is another reason why projects of this type fail. Too much or not enough assessments can be a huge problem during the project. Because this book was published in 2002, there are some things that need to be updated. The part in the book that explains how to use video, such as recording, labeling parts, and deleting clips, should be updated because there are more advanced ways to create video. Another issue I found while reading was the use of a floppy disks to backup information. Floppy disks are a thing of the past; therefore, the book should be updated to explain how to backup information using more up-to-date storage devices, such as flash drives or external hard drives.
Overall, the book provides very informative information to help teachers prepare and implement successful project based multimedia learning activities. I think the most important part is planning and assessment. This book provides step-by-step procedures for the planning and implementation process. Teachers who have had unsuccessful projects may be able to pinpoint the problem after reading this book.

Increasing Student Learning Through Multimedia Projects is an easy book to read that gives a different view on multimedia projects and how to implement them. This book explains why project based multimedia learning is important. Using multimedia in our classrooms should now be the norm. Making a real world connection is still a viable way to get student to connect to what is happening outside of the school walls. I found the planning piece of the book to be rather helpful in creating a plan for the students, teacher, and the classroom environment. Some parts of the book are outdated, such as creating video. There are so many ways to capture video now, that you may not use a "tape" to record it on. Programs have evolved in a way that help to create videos and edit pictures.
Overall, it is a book I would use as a reference when planning a multimedia project. In the past I have gone on my own instincts and never had a serious plan for projects. It was always an easy A+ for all who participated. This book has shown me how to improve my planning and assessment strategies and give the students ownership of their product.