SP 2021-Zareen | ID Case Book

Title: Rich Media in a 6-8th Grade Reading Classroom

Author Name: Zareen Hasan

1. Introduction

The purpose of a Reading class is to provide skill based intervention in student understanding of questioning, inference and interpretation. In order to be referred to Reading classes in middle school (Grades 6-8), school administrators look at a multitude of results. These results may differ from state to state and county to county, but generally include scoring below 80% in Fastbridge (a competency efficiency formative assessment program), obtaining two failed summative assessments in English Language Arts, and functioning below grade level within the iReady skill based program, currently used in English Language Arts curriculum.

Members of this class are also students that require additional assistance to comprehend and make inferences of what they have read. They can struggle to make the necessary connections to fully grasp concepts of both the vocabulary and the main idea of the text. Since reading applies to every subject across the board, it is vital that students be provided with learning tools that assist and improve their educational goals.

At present, the Reading class is based on understanding of vocabulary and reading chapter books that the students select. Once the student completes the reading, they answer questions pertinent to the book and create a project to solidify comprehension. This class is very student centered with a lower student to teacher ratio. Providing rich media in this class certainly enhances and benefits learning outcomes.

2. Overview of the Case

While traditional media is mainly text based, ‘Rich Media’ is essentially a blend of text, audio, visual and interactive web features that are published online to appeal and engage the user with an activity. It is part of a learner’s real world environment.

Although the use of media has been in schools since the 1960’s, there appears to be an integration disconnect between using rich/interactive media to ensure the learning is student centered versus using a minimalist approach to what is required to fulfill a necessary K-12 curriculum standard: the ‘drill and kill’ scenario. Instructors should use a varied use of rich media to allow learners to explore social situations, language learning and other subjects, through immediate feedback methods. Video, for example, is able to deliver time-based information in situation based ways that text or image alone cannot. Each media medium, audio/video/interactive digital tools, works on our cognitive senses in different ways and provides learners the ability to interact within the situation presented.

‘Taking a learner-centered approach involves designing instruction that fosters learning’ (Reiser & Dempsey. 2018). Similarly, it also takes into consideration the limitations on the information being processed. ‘The human brain has evolved an architecture that is easily overloaded’ (Reiser & Dempsey. 2018); this alone should warrant that instruction should be strategic.

Rich media “appropriately streamlines cognitive effort, reduces cognitive load as well as supports sense making/sense giving in interpersonal communication” (Covello, 2019). The author continues to add that it “provides opportunities to practice communicating with learning tools that learners will encounter under authentic professional or scholarly conditions”.

Educational psychologists have determined human learning process is developed using the following pattern: the brain selects words and graphics to make up our sensory memory. The brain then organizes the material into rational verbal and visual representation in our working memory. These are then integrated using prior knowledge into acquiring new knowledge and skills into our long term memory.

“A benefit of multimedia learning is that it takes advantage of the brain’s ability to make connections between verbal and visual representations of content, leading to a deeper understanding, which in turn supports the transfer of learning to other situations” (Choiran,A. 2016). She continues to remind us how “All of this is important in today’s 21st century classrooms, as we are preparing students for a future where higher-level thinking, problem solving and collaborative skills will be required”.

“Our brains are built to quickly take in and process visual information. While the best learning will come from multiple sources, visuals are the first to trigger and process. This is because 40 percent of the nerve fibers in the brain connect to the eye and roughly half of our neural tissue is related to vision” (Jenkins, 2015). He proceeded to relate “why rich content is an integral part of any learning solution. The human brain makes quick connections through rich media and visual content that would take longer to make through another medium”.

The following diagram reflects the differences in the use of ‘lean’ media versus ‘rich media’; from just text based to ones that connect stimuli in complimentary ways.

There seems to be a large number of students that are disconnected from making direct connections with reading just text. Some subject matter experts claim that expectations for ‘reading for school’ have slackened. Vital skills, such as annotation (a first step in prewriting that saves time, builds confidence, prepares students for discussion) is not taught across disciplines. Therefore producing constructed responses in each class and having to answer beyond multiple choices, especially annotation, seems meaningless. One reason may be that stamina is required when it comes to reading, and since there are so many games and social media apps that provide instant gratification, students are less inclined to endure the time to read a lengthy book. There is also the perception that since there are so many ‘bells & whistles’ that come with technology, students often find books and just text to be dull, old fashioned, and boring. However, if a student is offered choice and ownership in what they are reading, it does help the learning and motivational process immensely.

Finding rich media that is in tune and appropriate for classroom use is no longer as difficult as it used to be. Skill-Up, a transformational learning company that provides digital-ready learning solutions, describes how online learning environments are constantly evolving and how “it falls on institutions to keep up with the changing times” since students absorb content outside of a classroom at a much higher rate. Keeping abreast of what rich media is the most appropriate for the learning outcome is a fine balance; it must be one that is constantly researched, refined and evaluated to remain in line with the needs of the learner.

3. Solutions Implemented

While being student centered, the lessons should combine rich media to demonstrate knowledge and understand concepts. Instruction with both words and graphics can assist students retain information to their sensory memory, working memory and transfer to their long term memory.

Many Reading subject matter experts have understand that poor readers utilize images more than good readers. The implications here are that images aid the text decoding and mental model building process. Instructors have sought to investigate rich media resources that can assist students draw real life connections.

The following listed digital tools are some that can be applied in the classroom and reflect an inherent connection to both the real world and achieving academic standard together with learning goals:

Wordly Wise, digital version, is an excellent way to teach vocabulary. Once a login is obtained, a password is set up with the student; instructors can create a class, upload vocabulary sets to the class and then assign lessons. The lessons range from matching games Kahoot games and various spelling activities. Quizlet is affiliated with Wordly Wise through their online platform, providing more a solid base. The instructor is also able to see what the students are working on in real-time and how well they are doing on those activities. YouTube can be integrated into the lesson plan to assist with the explanation of certain vocabulary words.

Blooket.com is another site that has fun interactive games that students can play independently or collaboratively. There are multiple review games pertaining to main idea, textual evidence, summarizing, comprehension etc. which relate to the standards taught in reading.

Commonlit.org is a resource containing interesting articles that can be paired with other reading passages to teach about conflicting texts. There are always conflicting text type questions on standardized tests since it is a major standard in language arts and reading. The site also contains videos that relate to the articles that serve as great activators to discussion.

Nearpod is a digital tool for quick written responses designed to enhance discussion and great for check-ins and quick write ups.

Depending on school funding and budgets, Audible and Mackinvia provide a plethora of titles to entice the student to read. Sora, in addition, has texts where students can listen to a professional read to them. This helps struggling readers and also offers tools designed for students with reading disabilities, including dyslexic font size.

Readwritethink.org has reading comprehension quizzes for all grade levels containing interesting passages to read. There are ones that relate to trending movies and celebrity stars.

While there are a multitude of very valuable resources to be used, instructors/subject matter experts have to continuously analyze whether these resources provide authentic representations of the real world before they decide to implement them within their classroom.

4. Outcomes

Using rich media centered on the student in the classrooms, encourages teachers to consider the world of the students – their media, their popular culture – as the hook to gain their attention and get them engaged, while also meeting essential teaching standards. Today’s students spend much of their waking time connected to media in some manner or another. Among young people age 8-18, the average amount time spent with all media (TV, music, computers, video games, print, and movies) is far more than that spent in a classroom.

If young people are enamored with media, it seems only obvious that educators take advantage of their love of media and tap into it. When instructors are able to recognize the types of media and popular culture that interests the students and incorporate it into instruction, they demonstrate that they value their media and its connections with learning. Individual reading conferences with students helps hold learners accountable for what they are reading and builds a relationship to discover what media learners hold valuable. Using media such as book trailers from YouTube to reinforce instructor ‘book talks’ can encourage a struggling reader to actually read for pleasure.

Centered on student constructed learning, students should produce daily, even in introductory lessons. The lesson, using rich media, should contain elements of discussion, analysis, construction and practice; even if they are collaborative in nature. Results from these lessons will show a stark improvement in learner cognitive understanding and even improve motivation for the struggling reader.

5. Implications

Rich media is communication that presents learning content with multimedia, social media and web based tools. Appropriate use of media in a classroom can enhance the activities, assignments and assessments in the classroom to be cognitively advantageous.

Upon examining whether digital tools improved learning outcomes, Michael Lynch wrote “By implementing technology in a way that improves reading outcomes, students can rise to the challenge and meet or exceed grade-level standards” (Lynch. 2018)

Debra Rook, an instructor at Chowan Middle School in North Virginia was interviewed for Gates Foundation in 2015. She specifically named Newsela as a viable digital tool in her classroom saying “A lot of the reading they do, its blogs, social media, online stories,” Fine says, “so we’re meeting them where they are and using something they already like.”

Taken from a podcast in 2012, allowing students to contribute their findings of rich media articles, images, sounds or video clips increases both motivation and brings “authentic voices into the classroom” according to Anne Charity-Hudley, a professor of English Language Arts. The podcast continues to reveal how “These examples show how students make connections between the concepts they learn in class and the media they consume”. The podcast did warn instructors to be wary of the time spent teaching how to use a tool over actual instruction; it resembled a “cost-benefit analysis.”

In summary, when designing Reading lessons for the 6-8 grade classroom, instructors should consider the ability of the brain, learning, and the research of appropriate rich media tools that would enhance cognitive learning. It would be prudent to survey the learner and provide rich media applications that serve their environment to ensure a successful learning outcome.

References

Covello, S. 2019. Teaching with rich media

https://granite.pressbooks.pub/rich-media/chapter/what-is-rich-media/

Chioran, A. 2016. 5 benefits of multi-media learning

https://www.nuiteq.com/company/blog/5-benefits-of-multimedia-learning

Jenkins, J. 2015. Why rich media matters for learning and development

https://elearningindustry.com/rich-media-matters-learning-development

Skill-up blog

https://skillup.tech/rich-media-success-hybrid-learning/

Common Sense Education

https://www.commonsense.org/education/top-picks/best-digital-library-and-reading-apps-and-websites

AdLit.org