Open Digital Media Resources for Project-Based Learning with Technology

Open licenses such as creative commons have led to the proliferation of sites that offer free and open digital media resources. These websites offer music, audio, video, clip art, and pictures under open licenses that allow you to edit remix and mash up media files for project-based learning experiences. See a quick and dirty guide to copyright on my blog here. Media files on these websites can be downloaded and incorporated into educational projects. Using open-licensed media in project-based learning can save students and teachers a lot of time and difficulty. This post is an excerpt from my book, Educational Technology for Teachers. In a master's project, we used open digital media resources of the Nixon Kennedy debates to create a video about blogs and wikis. This video shows that students can use these resources to show their learning in many different and creative ways. Here is a list of my favorite websites that offer open digital media resources for project-based learning:

MULTIPLE MEDIA FORMATS
• Creative Commons Search - Search for open-licensed media
• Wikimedia Commons - Open photographs, videos and sounds
• The Internet Archive - Open photographs, videos and sounds
• The Library of Congress - Public domain media

PHOTOGRAPHS AND CLIPART
• WP Clipart - Public domain clip art for education
• Open Clipart - Public domain clip art
• Morguefile - Free and open photographs
• Pixabay - Public domain photographs and clip art

VIDEO
• YouTube - A vast collection of videos, some of which are open licensed
• The Open Video Project - A repository of digitized videos, some of which are open licensed
• Bottled Video - A collection of free stock video clips

AUDIO
• Freesound - Open-licensed sound effects
• CC Mixter - Open-licensed music
• Musopen - Classical public domain music

When students and teachers download a media file from one of these sites, they must pay close attention to the license under which the media file is released and be sure to meet license requirements. Usually this means attributing the original author by mentioning them in a credits or citations section. Another way to attribute the original author could be to link online to the location of the original media file or to the profile page for the author.

Camera and Video Shots for Project-Based Learning

Lately my mind has been on video. Maybe it's because Digital Media Camp - a fantastic example of project-based learning in action - is coming up again next year. Or maybe it's because we just discussed the importance of project-based learning in a meeting with a local school superintendent. Whatever the reason, when students embark on a project that includes video, they should know about some basic shots and when to use them. As I mentioned in a previous post on video composition, almost anyone has access to some kind of video camera in our modern age. The following is an excerpt from my book, Educational Technology for Teachers.

In order to put forth a clear message in video, different types of camera shots should be used. There are three main types of camera shots that can be used in a video production; wide, medium and close up (Spannaus, 2012). The wide shot – sometimes called the long shot – is used to show an entire object or human body, along with some of the setting or background. This shot shows the relationship between the object or body and the scene in which they are placed. Wide shots are often shown at the beginning of a scene to give the audience a sense of the spatial relationship between important aspects of the scene. They establish a sense of place and orient the viewer to the setting of the video.

The next type of camera shot is the medium shot. This shot is closer in than a wide shot and shows part of a subject in more detail. A medium shot would show about half of a human body but may show more or less than this. Medium shots are used to show more detail than a wide shot but still include hand gestures, movement, and other important actions.

Another important camera shot is the close up. In a close-up shot, only a certain feature of the subject takes up most of the frame. Details of the included feature are clear in a close up shot. The most common element featured in a close up shot is a person's face. Such close ups can show feelings, so close ups are vital for dramatic sequences. Close ups are also used to highlight steps or methods in educational and training videos.

Using a variety of different types of shots can enhance the quality of a video production in project-based learning because the different shots help to put forth a clear message. Wide shots can establish a sense of location, close up shots can provide detail on procedures or concepts and medium shots can capture everything in between.

Composition for Project-Based Learning Videos

Few could have predicted a day like the present in which almost everyone owns a device that can capture video. Many of us have smart phones in our pockets right now that allow us to capture video of anything happening around us. If you don't own a smart phone, you may have a video camera, iPad or other devices that can capture video. Because of the proliferation of such devices, many teachers are turning to project based learning experiences in which students create videos. In a previous post, I have discussed what project based learning is.

The best videos, however, are the ones that follow the rules of good video composition. In my book, Educational Technology for Teachers, I discuss some of these rules as follows. Students and teachers who create video can practice good composition even with the most rudimentary video equipment. Composition refers to the way that items are placed in the video shot in order to make meaning. Some important guidelines with regard to composition will be presented here.

The Rule of Thirds

The rule of thirds is a video composition guideline that states that the image being recorded should be divided into nine equal parts using two equally spaced vertical lines and two equally spaced horizontal lines. Then the main subjects in a scene should be placed on one of these “1⁄3 lines” for a more interesting composition (Spannaus, 2012). For instance, a landscape shot should not place the horizon line (one of the main subjects of the shot) right in the center of the image, but should instead place the horizon line on or near one of the horizontal 1⁄3 lines. A person standing in a shot should be placed on one of the vertical 1⁄3 lines. Following the rule of thirds leads to more interesting and satisfying video and photo compositions.

Nose Room

Nose room (or lead room) should be considered for video shots that feature a person or moving object. Nose room means giving adequate on-camera space in front of a person’s nose or in front of a moving object. For an on-camera person, the space in front of the person’s nose should be more than the space behind their head (Spannaus, 2012). For a moving object, the space in front of the moving object should be more than the space behind it. Adequate nose room in a shot gives the viewer a sense of satisfaction or direction, while a lack of nose room may make the viewer feel uneasy. The rule of thirds can help guide the placement of a person or object in a shot so that it has the right amount of nose room.

The 180 Degree Rule

Video professionals follow the 180 degree rule when shooting video of a conversation or other interaction between two people. If two people are in a scene, there is an imaginary line that connects and continues beyond them. The 180 degree rule tells us that the cameras that are shooting video of the two people must not cross this imaginary line. As long as the cameras stay on one side of the line the resulting shots will make the characters look like they are talking to each other and not away from each other. If the camera shoots elements of the scene from opposite sides of the imaginary line, then the result is disorienting for a viewer. The people look as if they are looking away from each other as they hold a conversation.

Head Room

Head room refers to the amount of room above a person’s head in a shot. Good video compositions leave little room above the head of people and other subjects. Amateur video producers often make the mistake of leaving a lot of room above people’s heads, which results in uninteresting compositions.

Camera Handling

Students and teachers who create video should also practice good camera handling techniques. Good camera handling means making sure that the camera is still or that it only moves in smooth, even motions. Placing the camera on a tripod will help to make sure it stays still or that its movement is even and smooth. Handheld shooting should be avoided because this type of camera handling produces unnecessarily shaky shots that can disorient viewers. These techniques also should be used even if the camera is a smartphone or tablet computer. When using a smartphone or tablet computer to shoot video, students and teachers should also hold the device “sideways” in a landscape direction rather than in a portrait direction for better composition.

Conclusion

Devices that can capture video are everywhere, but most people who shoot video don't do a good job of composing shots to make meaning. Most student-created videos are low quality and do a poor job of putting forth a clear message. These elements of video composition should be taught to students who create video so that they know how to make quality video projects.

References

Spannaus, T. (2012). Creating video for trainers and teachers: Producing professional video with amateur equipment. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

What is Project-Based Learning?

Project-based learning means that students create projects as part of their learning experience (Bender, 2012; Vega, 2012). As mentioned in chapter one, this type of learning fits well within constructivist and constructionist ways of thinking and is an important learning method for the Information Age. This post is an excerpt from my book, Educational Technology for Teachers.

In project-based learning, students develop a project from start to finish, making decisions on how to proceed, incorporating subject matter into the project and producing a product that represents their knowledge. This type of learning has resulted in better student attitudes toward learning and increased knowledge retention among students, along with other positive learning outcomes (Bender, 2012; Vega, 2012). Project-based learning is also linked to high 21st century skill development among students (Vega, 2012).

Educational technology and project-based learning go well together. Information technologies can help students seek out answers to project questions, and visual presentation applications can help students efficiently create products in differing formats. Project-based learning is a great way to integrate technological tools and resources into learning.

So what is it that defines project-based learning? The most important defining characteristics of project-based learning include authenticity, longer project time lengths and quality finished products that students complete.

Authenticity

Authenticity in project-based learning means that the projects students complete have value or relevance outside of the classroom and that the activities that students perform in order to finish a project are similar to the activities that a person may do outside of school (Herrington & Kervin, 2007). Finding an authentic project is not easy. Many teachers mistakenly suppose that learning activities like math word problems are authentic because they incorporate real-world elements. An example word problem might ask students to use their knowledge of speed and distance to determine when two trains will pass each other as they travel from neighboring cities. This type of problem is not authentic because it doesn't simulate activities that a person might actually do in real life. There is little reason to perform such a calculation in the world outside of school. In contrast, an authentic activity might involve students in using building code documents to calculate the number of exits needed in a large building as part of a building design process. This is the type of activity that might actually be completed by an architect.

Longer Project Time Lengths

Longer project time lengths means that more than just one class period is needed for students to work on projects. Projects may span several days or weeks in time length and may require many different steps or activities. Students could also use knowledge from more than just a single subject area to complete a project. It takes more than just one or two class periods to navigate the many choices, steps, subjects and activities in a project (Bender, 2012; Herrington & Kervin, 2007).

Quality Finished Products

Another important aspect of project-based learning is that students create quality finished products. These products are an excellent way to show students' knowledge of the subject areas featured in the project. Some examples of quality finished products that could be completed include:

• A poster about how to avoid plaque and gingivitis by brushing teeth properly
• A video that shows how to prepare and cook cholula bread
• A recorded lesson telling how to calculate a monthly budget for food after bills have been deducted
• A proposal document explaining the pros and cons of various purchase options for a particular business

Notice that no two of the above product examples are in the same format, but all of them include a quality finished product that students create to show their knowledge. More project-based learning ideas and the steps for a project based learning experience are included in my book, Educational Technology for Teachers. 

References:

• Bender, W. N. (2012). Project-based learning: differentiating instruction for the 21st century. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
• Herrington, J., & Kervin, L. (2007). Authentic learning supported by technology: Ten suggestions and cases of integration in classrooms. Educational Media International, 44(3), 219–236. doi:10.1080/09523980701491666
• Vega, V. (2012). Project-based learning research review. Edutopia. Retrieved January 8, 2014, from http://www.edutopia.org/pbl-research-learning-outcomes

EdTech for SD Teachers Podcast - Episode 11: Thankful for Project-Based Learning

This week, I continue a previous podcast on project-based learning technologies and discuss the 9 elements of project-based learning and give some example projects that might work for different subject areas.  Here are the nine elements of project based learning:

• Anchor 

• Task 

• Directions 

• Student choices 

• Student inquiry 

• Collaboration and teamwork 

• Teacher coaching and feedback 

• Student reflection 

• Public presentation 

More information in my book - Educational Technology for Teachers - including how to create a project-based learning experience and how to use technology in project-based learning.