Jane Abel
Standards: Standard IV

 


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Standard IV

Communicate Information

Communicate information in different formats and for diverse audiences.

Reflection:

We live in a multimedia world. I have long complained that our students expect school to be as entertaining and glamorous as the movies and TV. Our classrooms pale by comparison. Well, in the Tech Aps courses, our students are excited to be setting a foot into that multimedia world at school: cameras, scanners, sound and video, brochures that are a work of art, software that can be downloaded from the web. Presentations at school with a variety of media integrated into them can be more exciting and hold the attention of viewers far better. Multimedia can become a significant educational tool in all classrooms. Do you think a multimedia presentation will ever be allowed to replace a research paper?


Caption 11

When I think of communication, I typically think of conversation, and I typically think of communicating information. If I am pushed, I will concur that body language definitely sends a message. My studies with TATC have made me realize art and design communicate emotions to people even centuries after the work was created.

I have chosen to associate my Camera Techniques artifact with the TATC communication standard because it provides a means of communicating information, particularly in education, that is somewhat out of the ordinary. With some thought and planning, we can diversify the communication media used in our classrooms and bring experiences to our classrooms that enrich our students' educations. Many teachers ask, "What can I do with technology in my classroom?" My answer is, "What do you not teach because of the limitations of your classroom? Use technology to bring those experiences to your students."

Indicators: I, II, III, IV, V, 8.7, 8.9, 8.17, 8.20, 8.45, 9.8, 9.11, 9.16, 9.20, 9.24, 9.39, 9.42, 10.19, 10.20, 10.23, 11.9, 11.12, 11.16, 11.17, 11.18, 11.19, 11.21, 11.23, 11.24, 11.25, 11.26, 11.27, 11.28, 11.30, 11.35, 11.39

Artifact #11

Descriptors: Using a camera, contrasting good and bad camera techniques, choosing appropriate subject material for the task, and delivering the information in a web presentation


Title: Camera Technique

Course: TATC 105 Video Technology

Date Created: March, 2003

Source: Digital Photographs taken with a Sony Mavica Camera and pictures

taken with a 35 mm camera and scanned

Media: Digital Camera, Dreamweaver MX


Description: We were to use a camera to illustrate at least three of the concepts or techniques addressed in our reading, giving correct and incorrect examples of each. I demonstrated direction of light, balance of composition, appropriate foreground and background content, and leading space for motion.

Rationale: In spite of this multimedia world that we live in, I have always used lecture and printed or projected text as my primary vehicles for communication. The only facet of the five Tech Aps disciplines covered by TATC that is not visual is sound. Visual communication needs to be as integral a part of the TA classroom as verbal communication. This project illustrating camera techniques demonstrates perfectly that sometimes words alone "just don't cut it." I enjoyed doing this assignment because it sent me outdoors on a lovely spring afternoon, but it's real value was in prodding me to look critically at the view around me and to use it to communicate valuable information.

Implications for future: Examples, examples, examples. I have taught one Multimedia class this year, and a good repository of examples accumulated from prior experience has been sorely missed. Words are inadequate in many areas of our lives. Examples are needed to illustrate design principles. Projectors are wonderful! Even in learning new software, providing a visual image is immensely helpful. I find myself continually rethinking the way information is communicated in my instructional materials. There is good software available to capture screen shots easily. A picture really can be worth a thousand words when the products you are working with are perceived visually.


Reviewer's Comments: What beautiful pictures of azaleas! You did a great job with that picture. I also liked your examples. They are very clearly correct or incorrect. The geese are clever. I enjoyed looking at your project.

Reviewer's Name: Mary-Dawn Hudspeth

Title: TATC Colleague

Date Reviewed: April 1, 2003


Reviewer's Comments: I got a very good understanding of the concepts by viewing your technique shots. They were very nice and displayed a very good working knowledge of the ideas.

Reviewer's Name: Tanish Lee

Title: TATC Colleague

Date Reviewed: March 31, 2003


Reviewer's Comments: Great examples, this was a really good job. I liked the fact that you had more than one example of each. Just raise that bar a little higher!

Reviewer's Name: Ally Munteen

Title: TATC Colleague

Date Reviewed: March 31, 2003

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