19 Oct 2009: Debate - "Does Media Influence Learning?"

Round 1: Opening Statements
Persuasive
Logical
Clear
Examples

Does Media Influence Learning?

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Pro-media
Media is as an instrument for learning
Human beings learn more from experience
kinesthetic, audio, visual, sensory, even physical opportunities
connect to the real world - transcend the classroom
addresses many types of learners
cost-benefit
media has certain attributes and allows for expansion beyond talking or a book

Kozma (1993):
media is effective
- thinker tools (computer simulation) - significantly higher scores
- Jasper Woodbury series (video series) - modeled operations & learners performed better

Clarks's rebuttal (1994):
refers to meta-analysis of the 1960s without regard to what has evolved
text media vs. visual media

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Pro-Method
1922: Thomas Edison
Replacing textbooks (tv, radio)
ability to switch media out - instruction supports it
The spirit is what really teaches

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Spoiler Group
The focus of this debate is to identify what is best for learning
We need to focus on teachers to determine in any given situation what is best for students
It's not about method or media that is right; it's about what to apply at what time?
National Schoolboard Association: students watch 9 hrs tv, 8.5 hrs internet per week
What motivates a child?
Identify what is needed for the specific case of that student?
Both are applicable to the needs of students - content dependent and media dependent
How to approach the media learning debate is about agreeing on how students learn & what it is
Ideal is to embrace media and method in a synergistic way
What is method? Pedagogy.
We are wasting time in a debate when, instead, we should develop what works best for students
You're both right and you're both wrong
Media can influence learning - it might or it might not help depending on given situation
It's an important question for each teach to ask for a case-by-case class basis
Can media influence learning for the students in this class and how?


Round 2: The Rebuttal
Questions that poke holes

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Pro-Media
Is text-based media as good as integrated computer simulation media?
BY Academy Night Live
Media affords a blended learning environment that transcends

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Spoilers
28 students - some advanced, some failing (mixed-bag of students)
used film on Julius Caeser - relationships of Caeser and students around him, good/bad labels
some students turned in amazing projects afterward
What was it about the media that caused learning? attributes appealed to other ability levels
text only appealed to certain learners, but video took it to a new level
Is the teacher the best one to use the method and media or could other learners decide too?

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Method
cognitive processing is what creates learning
method of modeling is what empowered the students
could you have them act out Julius Caeser and still get same results
What media is there without method?
Method is behind media but certain media lend themselves to reaching more learners
many kinds of media can be effective (modeling, simulation)
reading Julius Caeser, acting it out, wasn't enough to get all students to participate
it's instructional theories and methods that are more important than instrucitonal design


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Media
- does media influence learning?
- what takes place without media
- there is no learning without media
- I can haul vegetables across the country on a motorcycle or on a refrigerated truck
- does media influence learning?
- keep the method the same and vary the media
- impacts = time, cost, quality, scalable
- you can't teach anything - method only - without media
- writing on a clay and putting it in the tabernacle
- hauling vegetables across the country
- Clark: media makes it more efficient, but not
- learning method remains constant



Round 3: Closing Arguments

Spoiler
behind every media there is a method
media can compliment methods
they are both key components of learning
idea of a variable in math - how do we see these work together to make an impact on learning

Methods
Clark: evidence shows that instructional methods influence learning, not the medium
Without the method, there is no learning
medicine: active ingredient in a medicine (pills, IV, syrup) - so many media

Judge and Jury will provide a briefing to everyone before class next time.