Final Course Reflection Jeremy Armstrong UWG Instructional Technology Master’s Program
Abstract The course MEDT 7490, Visual Media Literacy for Teaching and Learning was both complex and instructional. What follows is the summary of what I learned during this semester, some of the challenges I encountered and overcame, and a couple of suggestions that are intended to make it a bit better.
Final Course Reflection The concept of Visual Literacy is a large and challenging topic, one that educators and administrators need to address to bring education into the twenty-first century. The information in MEDT 7490 covers everything from how color affects retention to what happens when we use more than one sensory channel during instruction. The concept is complex enough to be the basis of a graduate degree, so attempting mastery in just one semester is not just daunting, it is essentially impossible. Only through sustained perseverance and pervasive use of the techniques will mastery come to educators.
Reflection Possibly the single most significant knowledge I gained from this course is that even after 15 years of teaching, I am just beginning to get an idea of how to teach effectively. This class shook my confidence in a good way, forcing me to critically evaluate not only what I have done, but what I am currently doing and what I plan to do in the future.
What I learned I learned several things, most of which were enumerated in the modules. However, the ones that will stick are the ones about the proper use of text and images, and how the channel driven presentation of information can either facilitate learning or obstruct it by causing confusion, raising the affective filter in students by causing cognitive overload.
Issues I discovered about visual and media literacy One of the most pertinent issues is the one on copyright violation, how it is different from simple plagiarism, and even how to avoid it. It was edifying to know that most of the times I took intellectual property, I was covered by the fair use rules; it was also mortifying to know that sometimes it was just theft by ignorance.
How I plan to apply what I learned By using the principles of visual and media literacy on a daily basis, not only to facilitate instructional planning, but to make my classroom more transparent, I hope to create and foster an atmosphere of careful attention to not only instruction but for the learner as well. If students are aware of this information and these techniques, they will become better lifelong learners, something that is explicitly stated in our school’s Mission Statement as a goal.
How have I changed? My initial perspective was a bit too critical, looking not for the rules but the exceptions. As the class progressed I rapidly understood that this was a much deeper subject, and that I needed to pay very careful attention to what was being said and what I was being asked to do. I have spent seventeen years in six colleges and thought I had seen it all, but that was not the case. By the final reflection paper, I came to realize that there is much to learn about my profession, and that my greatest achievements will begin when my excuses end.
The challenges The most challenging issue about this course was not the material, the online setting (which, while challenging, was not the most challenging aspect), or the format. It was the unexpected health issue I faced in February which is having many unexpected long-term consequences including an unwelcome difficulty transferring short-term learning into long-term memory. I have had to teach myself new techniques, some electronic, some mnemonic, just to get to the end of the course without forgetting too many important deadlines.
The fun The most enjoyable part of this course was seeing how well an effectively planned lesson could work. After a decade of countless lesson plans, they had gone from inventive to formulaic, and my instruction lacked polish. In truth, I had gotten worse at teaching, not better. The concepts and principles used in this course brought the joy of teaching back, at least for a little while, and it showed in my presentations, my plans and the students feedback.
The suggestions The problem about this course was that there was just too much important material handled to allow me to feel like I had mastered any aspect of it. In fact, I am struggling just to maintain a feeling of competency in visual and media literacy. What I am doing is trying to organize my thoughts and techniques into a simple set of guidelines that I can put into outline form so that I can easily refer to it when I struggle. A guided summary in which we map the concepts and vocabulary would help me do just that, and might help others as well. Other than that, I cannot think of a single thing that might make this a better course. I really liked the feedback on the assignments; the timeliness of your grading was inspirational and in some ways, helped me get caught up at work. And your compassion during my ongoing struggles helped more than you will ever know.