Description of tools
The integration of CamStudio and Windows Movie Maker into the education programs could be beneficial for enhancing the students’ involvement into the curriculum as well as improving their computer literacy in general. CamStudio is a tool which records all screen and audio activities displayed on the personal computer, creating standard video files in AVI format.
This program can be used for demonstrating the teaching videos for any software program as well as creating the videos for answering the frequently asked questions. Windows Movie Maker is a tool which allows creating and editing videos which can be used for the educational purposes.
It enables users to combine several fragments from various videos as well as changing the original sound of the video, replacing it with the desired sound effects if necessary.
The choice of these tools can be explained with the benefits of integrating the multimedia assignments into the course as an effective alternative to lecturing and traditional tasks. The multimedia visual aids are helpful for generating the learners’ interest, capturing their attention and involving their visual memory for memorizing the materials.
Introduction
The context for the implementation of these tools is teaching English lessons for international students. It is possible to use the products of the tools for learners of various grade levels, ranging from primary to high school. This project is aimed at high school students. The videos created using these two programs can be used for teaching new words and word combinations.
It is possible to use the products of the programs as demonstrations for explaining the meaning of words in the context without using the translation into the students’ mother tongue.
The demonstration of the videos from the computer screen created by using CamStudio will capture the learners’ attention and focus it on the course materials. It is possible to remove the mouse cursor for pointing at the objects under analysis, enter the text and then make corrections or underline it if necessary, selecting synonyms or emphasizing the peculiarities of the spelling of the words.
Windows Movie Maker can be used for processing movies and songs in English for adapting them for the international students by adding the necessary inscriptions and changing the structure of the video. This tool would enable the educator to add some special effects and change the original sounds for making the videos more appealing for learners.
Implementation
The goals for the project include enhancing the students’ involvement into the program and developing their computer literacy. At the end of the period, the students will learn some of the options of the tools and will be able to work with the programs by themselves. The assignments created by using the multimedia devices will meet the general requirements of the curriculum concerning the language materials used in them.
The students will be only partially involved into the project by teaching them only the basic options of the program so that to avoid overloading them. The main focus remains on teaching English and the tools are only methods for achieving this primary goal.
Students will be encouraged with new methods and interesting assignments and it will have a positive impact on their learning achievements. Communication of the plans to parents and administration is not compulsory because the tools can be downloaded for free and their implementation does not require any changes in the curriculum.
Outcomes
The students’ involvement into the project would be only partial so that to avoid overloading them and balance the existing curriculum and the new types of assignments. Student will learn only the basic options for working with the tools, and it would be useful for them but not too difficult.
Contributing their ideas for the use of new tools in the classroom activities, students would feel that they are involved into the development of the curriculum and become more critical thinkers.
The main hurdles for the implementation of the project include the technical problems and the organization of the class for working on the new types of assignments. These difficulties can be overcome by checking the equipment several times and developing detailed instructions for students.
Samples
The two samples of the assignments created by using CamStudio include the lesson for learning 100 common English words and the lesson explaining the meaning of the idioms to beat around the bush and to string somebody alone. In the first sample, a teacher uses the mouse cursor for pointing at the pronounced words, while in the second one the discussed words are marked and replaced with their synonyms.
The two samples created by using Windows Movie Maker include excerpts from a movie and ABBA’s song with subtitles. Using the subtitles and inscriptions is helpful for adaptation of the videos and enhancing the learners’ understanding of the materials.
Windows Movie Maker allows also changing the structure of the video and selecting only particular fragments from it for concentrating the learners’ attention and deleting the complicated fragments which would be not understandable for students.
Reference List
CamStudio Open Source. Web.
Windows Movie Maker. Web.