| If anyone ever wants to know whether education | | | | part of our education technology tool set? Of |
| technology, specifically video, works in the | | | | course! A good educational video, whether |
| classroom, all one has to utter in response is: | | | | delivered via VHS, DVD, or from a website, when |
| "Conjunction junction, what's your function?" or | | | | used appropriately in the curriculum, still provides |
| "I'm just a bill on Capitol Hill." It's unlikely you'll find | | | | the following benefits:o Appeals to Multiple Learning |
| anyone born after 1955 that doesn't remember | | | | Styles - Different videos can explain a single |
| at least a concept or two from the Schoolhouse | | | | concept in completely different ways which |
| Rock series that was originally produced between | | | | increases the likelihood of the student learning |
| 1973 and 1986. | | | | what is being taught.o Appeals to Multiple Teaching |
| We've all had the experience when we hear a | | | | Styles - The use of videos as part of education |
| familiar song and immediately recall a moment | | | | technology allows teachers a variety of ways to |
| from our past connected to the song. It was | | | | cover the curriculum.o Connects Concepts to |
| proven long ago, and Schoolhouse Rock is an | | | | Applications - Teachers can use situations |
| additional testament to the fact, that when both | | | | portrayed in the video to inspire students to |
| audio and visual elements are added to educational | | | | come up with their own examples of the concept |
| concepts, students are engaged at a deeper level | | | | being taught.o Students Gain Deeper |
| and more likely to retain that information. | | | | Understanding - Students having difficulty with a |
| In the words of Hannah, a child interviewed during | | | | particular concept can repeat viewing a video, by |
| a research project on how video enhances | | | | themselves, at their own pace, until they develop |
| learning, "A lot of us watch TV, and we | | | | the necessary understanding.o Attention Leads to |
| remember TV," she said. "When the teacher tells | | | | Retention - Attentiveness increases when |
| us to read directions in a book or when she's | | | | students are presented with concrete, visual |
| trying to explain things, I don't always understand. | | | | images that are fast-paced and interesting. |
| But when she shows us, I understand it more." | | | | Naturally attentive students become more |
| The practice of using education technology and | | | | knowledgeable and perform better on |
| enhancing curriculum with audio-visual elements | | | | assessments. |
| grew rapidly during the last half of the 20th | | | | A year after the research project involving |
| century. In the last ten years or so, however, the | | | | Hannah, she could still remember the concepts |
| technology explosion has produced enhancements | | | | taught through video and the teachers were |
| in communication, entertainment, and information | | | | convinced student performance had improved. |
| retrieval and has sent children's education in | | | | And, if you can remember even one of the |
| different directions. | | | | concepts taught by Schoolhouse Rock, the case |
| In light of this, does video still have a place as | | | | for using video is made. |