Chapter 5: Composing with media across the curriculum

When students create messages, they gain new knowledge while strengthening communication and problem-solving skills. They put knowledge into practice.

Whether students are creating multimedia or simply visual or audio messages, they must rely on effective communication skills that involve persuasion techniques to engage their audiences. When students create multimedia videos or even one-dimensional posters, they are engaging in metacognition and reflecting on everything they have learned to this point.

Some of the best project-based learning assignments using media and technology give students a combination of structure and freedom, where they can develop communication skills and exercise their creativity but have some constraints that limit and shape their work. 

I'm a firm believer that students need some form of structure in their school life. I my view, project-based learning that utilizes media and technology provides that much needed structure, while still allowing for creativity and student expression.


I've never been satisfied with those that simply use technology for technology's sake.

How many times have we been subjected to this or even seen it in action in a classroom? Too many times technology is used as a filler or an extra, and not used for its incredible potential.

And yes, we can gripe and complain about this all day long, but I think that there is a great solution in professional development and teacher workshops. Teachers need to be given the opportunity to learn to use these new and innovative gadgets, and they also need to see it modeled by other professionals. I've found that observing great lessons with technology tends to be most powerful for guiding my own teaching.

Media composition practices promote intellectual curiosity. As a learner myself, I was lucky enough to fall in love with learning. It's been the love of my life. 

This was one of my favorite quotes from this chapter! I, too have fallen in love with learning. My sister and I discuss how one of our biggest fears in life is that our learning will come to a halt. I certainly hope that day never comes.

When you are composing media, there are so many ideas and nuances that you have to consider. You're driven to the heart of the content or issue while producing something that will capture the similar interest of your audience.