Audacity & iMovie

​I enjoyed learning how to use Audacity. It is a tool that I have never used before. I can see how it can be used in a junior classroom more for grades 5 and 6. This could be creative way to teach the content for media literacy, reading and writing. The students would learn how to use the technology to bring their short stories to life. Also, this could be used as a drama mark where the students can create their own drama skits as a group. This tool allows for the students to expand their creativity as it is a very open- ended tool. This tool supports 21st century learning as it challenges the students to use technology in another aspect of their lives. With regards to TPACK, this relates to substitution as it takes the basic concept of short stories and revolutionizes the assignment to add a creative technology aspect to it.

Teachers would need training or practise with this tool before introducing it to the students as it is quite confusing. Students would need multiple classes to practise using this tool to get accustomed to the variety of features that is encompassed. Creating a criteria to evaluate a project using Audacity would be split into two parts. First it would be the short story piece to make sure the writing and content portion is there. Second, is the technology piece to challenge themselves to use as much of the technology as possible.

iMovie

This program was more familiar to me but, I still had some challenges. There are more possibilities with this tool as there are pictures and videos that can be added. I would use this tool to make book trailers. The students could read a book, make a trailer of it on the application and present it to their peers. This project could assist students with choosing a book to read. Reading is very important at a young age and so it is crucial that students are reading good fit books that are appropriate for their age and grade level.

A question that I am still wondering about is: How often might a teacher use these in their classrooms? Is there a more interactive or engaging way to use these tools other than those mentioned above?