Multimedia, possibly one of the most direct expressions of creativity, involves the creation of something using more than one type of media. These multimedia creations often include graphical and auditorial medias and can also include video with certain technologies.
Multimedia can appear in many ways and when presented in schools will vary depending on year group. A generally universal method for multimedia creation is website design. Many different websites and applications exist that aid in the creation of websites and many of these present the tools in an easily understandable way, which is crucial in maintaining viewers (Trust, 2019). One such technology is Adobe Express (Adobe Express) which allows the creation of simple website like sites which can be formatted in different ways. I created a small slideshow using Express (https://express.adobe.com/video/7WdH2ZiDzb9nh) which highlighted the different media usable as well as including a small example of possible teaching uses (shown in the video below). The design of sites would allow students to creatively understand the versatility of the technology and would allow them to be creative with the assets used when given a specific task. The Adobe Education Exchange (2022) recommends the design of a value poster with provides an alternative view on creative expression, and that is in the creativity of thought. By creating posters that reflect on personal opinion, such as a value poster, students are able to express their own creative views in an easily digestible form.
Contrastingly, many technologies are not designed for students and as such may be difficult to introduce to classes, particularly in primary school. The technical capabilities in multimedia creation in technologies such as Photoshop (Official Adobe Photoshop - Photo & design software) are often overlooked if the interface used is too complex, or the learning curve is too steep. This provides challenges for students who may find it difficult to express their ideas clearly, however, if students take the time to learn the technology, they will possibly be able to be more expressive and creative. This challenge in determining the appropriateness of technologies in completing multimedia tasks would vary depending on the students, however, the understanding of available resources is beneficial for creating the best environments for creative expression.
References:
Adobe for Education. (2022). Creative challenge: Value poster. Adobe Education Exchange. Creative challenge: Value poster | Adobe Education Exchange
Trust, T. (2019). Web-design basics for educators. EdTech Books. Introduction (edtechbooks.org)
Comments