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Beyond the Entertainment Factor When Using Media

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Media in Classroom More than EntertainmentHow easy it can be for teachers to fall into the trap of using media or technology for Bible lessons in order to compete with the world to get students’ attention. When they do, teaching can become more about entertaining than learning.  Help teachers get beyond the entertainment factor by encouraging the following:

Diversification to awaken

Using a variety of methods and audiovisuals to teach, not always technological, taps into different learning styles and challenges the senses in ways that can help them see truths differently.

Direction to prep

Prefacing the experience with the purpose for watching it and/or expectations of what they are to watch or listen for will help prepare students for learning and understand that it is about more than entertainment.

Discussion to engage

Getting students to think and talk about what they have watched or heard helps them see the implications and application of it for their lives and keeps the lesson relational.

Debriefing to clarify

Exploring the feelings of students about what they just saw or heard identifies misunderstandings, further needs about the issues, and lets you know where to go from there.

Development to involve

Allowing students to be producers of classroom media takes them to higher levels of learning than merely watching or listening and builds ownership into the learning process.

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One Reply to “Beyond the Entertainment Factor When Using Media”

  1. I agree with this principle. Many times, if a teacher begins a lesson with, say, a video clip, students would prefer to watch the remainder of the video than listen to the lesson. However, that doesn’t mean you can never use media. I believe the principle is this: Use media if it raises a question, builds curiosity, reveals a problem, identifies a need, etc. that the remainder of the lesson is going to deal with. In other words, don’t use media simply to entertain or get everyones attention; instead, use media if it creates a problem the rest of the lesson is going to solve; if it asks a question the rest of the lesson is going to answer; if it creates a need, the rest of the lesson is going to fill. If it does this, once you turn off the video clip, everyone is filled with questions that need answers. Now, as you begin the lesson, you have everyones undivided attention.

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