Amanda's+Interest

=**Rich Media **=

Clark and Mayer “define rich media as learning products that incorporate high-end media such as video, animation, sound, and simulation” and includes a combination of still and moving visuals, audio, games, and simulations (2007, pp. 312-314). The learning process varies from person to person; therefore, many have researched the best ways to educate students. Using rich media is one such way. However, simply using rich media will not produce great results. The visuals, audio, games, and simulations must be used in ways that promote learning. For example, visuals must be functional and communicate the intended message correctly while research proves that audio in the form of narration yields better results than background music and environmental sounds (Clark and Mayer, 2007, pp 316-319).
 * Definition **

Since beginning my teaching career 4 years ago, I have used rich media as a teaching tool as I feel it can engage students from all ethnicities, ages, genders, and abilities within the classroom. Using rich media in the classroom can promote learning in ways that teacher lectures and paper and pencil cannot. Students in classrooms today are considered [|“digital natives”] and learn differently than the educators that are teaching them did years ago; therefore, we must adapt our teaching to educate our students in a way that they can learn more effectively. There are many advantages to using rich media; however, a disadvantage includes access to rich media outside of the classroom for various students. The low socioeconomic class students often have less access to computers and the internet at home which is an [|obstacle] many educators must cope with and overcome. While this is an obstacle outside of the classroom, use of rich media in my classroom engages boys and girls, all ethnicities, and all ability levels. Within my mixed gender classroom, several ethnicities are represented (Caucasian, African American, Mexican-American, and Indian-American) as well as learners with various abilities. However, all of them are interested and engaged more when they are able to use [|Education City], SMART Notebook Multimedia and Interactive tools, narrated PowerPoints, and more; therefore, I incorporate each in my teaching and allow students access during class and outside of class to use such tools. Additionally, because students today are "digital natives," students are using technologies and learning with rich media at a much younger age. College and high school students are therefore advanced users of technology and learning through rich media.
 * Rich Media and Me **

Clark, Ruth Colvin and Mayer, Richard E. (2007). //Using Rich Media Wisely.// In R. A. Reiser & J. V. Dempsey (Eds.), Trends and issues in instructional design and technology (2nd ed., pp. 311-321). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.

Education City (2010). Retrieved from [|http://www.educationcity.com]

Prensky, Marc. (2001, October). //Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants//. On the Horizon: MCB University Press, 9(5). Retrieved from []

Thomas, Diane. (2008, Summer). //The Digital Divide: What Schools in Low Socioeconomic Areas Must Teach.// The Delta Kappa Gamma Bulletin, Retreived from []