ATT Internet and Education Scholarship Submission

Has the On Demand revolution and shift to consuming media online affected you positively or negatively as a student?  

Definitely positively.  Truthfully, I probably watch just as much TV for educational purposes (working on a project, presentation, or actually in class) as I watch for entertainment purposes.  

Media makes connections that textbooks cannot offer

In my historical foundations of education class, we studied the Trail of Tears, racial integration, immigration issues, and many other subjects through clips found on youtube and Netflix.  The images and experiences were told by people who experienced them firsthand.  

In my educational psychology class, I was able to hear different theories of learning straight from the mouths of Skinner, Gardner, and Kohlberg themselves through online media.  I could put a face to the names printed in my textbooks, and make connections that the textbooks cannot offer, such as the fact that Dr. Sternberg looks a lot like Adam Sandler with grey hair.

Robert Sternberg

In a classroom management class, I shed a few tears watching a video the teacher showed about bullying and the damage it does in the lives of some students.  

I have given multiple presentations in many classes and I’ve used online media to prepare and present the material every time.  I do research with video clips, youtube, articles, and studies.  I use images and videos to illustrate concepts.  My presentations would be less educational, less interesting, and more arduous to prepare without the aid of online media.

Education without media is usually much less interesting

I don’t know if it is possible to avoid media in today’s world.  Sometimes, I admit, it would be nice to have a break from it.  However, as a future high school math teacher, I realize I need to be familiar with the culture of my students in order to have an impact on them.  Much of that culture comes from the media.  If I can present material, yes, even math material, that is relevant and engaging, they will understand the concepts on a deeper level and get more out of their education.  Using media in the classroom is one way to teach in a relevant and engaging way.  There are many educational opportunities in media, and I hope to encourage students to find the good stuff out there.