Before reading the chapter on crafting video texts, I was unware of just how much thought and work goes into creating a successful video. I realized it takes a lot of awareness of presentation in order to covey points and catch the viewers attention. I often hear my students talk about videos they have seen on YouTube or some other type of video source. "Today, many forms of media surround us and, in various ways invite us to read, listen, view, click, as well-with the advent of smart phones and tablets- tap and touch" (Hicks, 2013, p.104). With the rise of technological devices, we have to be warry of the types of media we are exposed to. As educators, it is our responsibility to make sure our students are able to decipher effective and ineffective media by realizing "anything they watch, purposefully or incidentally, can be a mentor text" (Hicks, 2013, p. 107). Everything they watch can pave the way for how they interpret and construct their own video texts.
It is important for students to "effectively create multimodal texts for different purposes and audiences, with accuracy, fluency, and imagination"(Creating Multimodal Texts). Next year, we have to implement web based standards into our teaching. These standards require our students to perform different activities on computers and also craft some of their own activities. Before we can fully implement those standards, it is crucial for students to be able to view really good mentor texts before creating things on the internet.
After reading the chapter on crafting video texts, I went back and reviewed my first introduction video based on MAPS. Troy Hicks (2017) describes MAPS as an acronym for "mode, media, audience, purpose, and situation" (p. 90). In the first video I created, I attempted to create a professional background by filming in my classroom after teaching that day. I did not realize how distracting the things behind me in the video could have been for viewers. I am extremely uncomfortable in front of the camera. My voice was shaking at times, and although I had scripted out the things I wanted to mention, I still managed to insert "um" a ton of times. I did not know it was possible to be nervous for a video that only I was present for. This is why I chose to create my new introduction video as the narrator, instead of videoing myself and speaking. I have always thought of a video as someone being visible, but Hicks (2013) mentions a video can only include a "narrator: who is speaking and transitions" (p.111). I chose this form of video because it is something I am more comfortable with producing. Check out my revised video!
References
Creating Multimodal Text. Retrieved from www.education.vic.gov.au./school/teachers/teachingresour
sources/discipline/English/literacy/multimodal/Pages/createmultimodal.spx.
Hicks, T. (2013). Crafting digital writing: Composing text across media and genres. Portsmouth,
N.H.: Heinemann.
Turner, K., & Hicks, T. (2017). Teaching adolescents to read and write digital texts: Argument in the
real world. Portsmouth, N.H.: Heinemann.
I agree that as educators, we need to be mindful of the videos that we display for our students. Turner and Hicks (2017) state that "nearly everyone is familiar with the tropes of video" (p.84). To me, this means that most people know that videos are like pictures. They can be edited by the producer so that the viewer only sees what the producer wants them to see. However, students are still learning this. Although their interaction with digital videos is probably vaster than ours, it is our job to teach them how video arguments work. I know for me a simple rule of thumb I follow when showing my students videos is that if I have not watched it beforehand, then I most likely will not be showing it to my students. However, after reading about video arguments, I do think it would be beneficial for students to experience for themselves how to create the videos. What better way to learn all the "tricks" videos can use to influence their viewers?
ReplyDeleteReferences
Turner, K., & Hicks, T. (2017) Argument in the real world: Teaching adolescents to
read and write digital texts. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Your first paragraph, oh my gosh, is totally me! Give me a class full of elementary kids ALL DAY! I got this! Adults? neh. I loved your video. You sounded much more comfortable this time around. I also loved the transitions between each slide.
ReplyDeleteOur students are on technology devices a lot. Much of that time is spent on Youtube watching a little bit of everything. Hicks (2013) in Crafting Digital Writing mentions that "crafting a digital video ... could, quite easily, be left to those in media production and ignored in a writing classroom," (p.135) but where is the real world in that? We test skills cross-curriculum anyway. Let's do this generation a favor and become early experts together!
References
Hicks, T. (2013). Crafting digital writing. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
I completely agree with you on your point of what all goes into making a good video. In this digital era, we make videos all the time-whether it be on social media, on our phones, in schools, but I never took into consideration the different aspects that a GOOD video actually possesses until now!
ReplyDeleteAccording to Hicks, "...we want to choose carefully what we show our students as a model for them to emulate" (2013, pg. 107). Incorporating video education/texts in the classroom is great, but teachers should be cautious in showing students certain videos as well as teaching them how to compose their own videos in that we must always be aware of what we put out in the world for all to see. Digital literacy is such an important concept for our youth of today, so we must do our own part and become educated for ourselves.
References:
Hicks, T. (2013). Crafting digital writing: Composing texts across media and genres. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Jordan,
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you on the point that we must start showing our student good mentor text videos before we can truly teach the web based standards. The new DLCS standards are tough! We will have to integrate them into the other subject areas. I show videos in my classroom almost every day. I have never took the time to see if it has all three of Hicks (2013) "video text considerations: content, technique, and process." I am hopeful that this course will change a lot of the instruction strategies in my classroom. Miller and Bruce (2017) argue that Digital Video has a place in the ELA classroom.
Miller, S., & Bruce, D. (2017). Welcome to the 21st century: New
literacies stances to support student learning with digital video
composing. English Journal, 106(3), 14.
Turner, K., & Hicks, T. (2017) Argument in the real world: Teaching
adolescents to read and write digital texts Portsmouth,
NH:Heinemann.