Digital Media in the Classroom
By Gigi Carlson     Illustrations by Amyel Oliveros Curriculum & Instruction for 21st Century K-12 Learning Environments
Gigi Carlson New media education embodies the product, the artwork, and the process: the way and means by which the product is created. The multimedia product is the creative articulation of minds and hearts, and the creative process, the integration of tools, skills, talents, content, and visions, and the dynamics of articulation.

Learn to use digital media tools and engage students in active learning. Lesson strategies include step-by-step instructions successfuly tested in real classroom situations.

Explore different media-- writing, design, & publishing for print; feature moviemaking; documentary moviemaking; interactive games; and web designing.

The Digital Generation and the Rapidly Changing Global Community The 21st Century Context
Helical Learning The Learning Paradigm
Purple Frog Introduction to Multimedia Applications
Creating Interactive Games Card stock, & MS PowerPoint Games
Documentary Movie: 21st Century Research Essay Integrating Research & Learning the Scientific Method
Fiction Writing and Moviemaking Elements of Fiction & Feature Movies
Building & Designing Teacher Websites Using the tools of the Internet to Enhance the Learning Environment
Non-Fiction Writing The Five-Paragraph Essay & Other Genres
In the 21st century learning environment the primary role of teachers shift from knowledge-bearers to educational media producers. As learning facilitators, teachers enable students to conduct research, formulate conclusions and concepts, and articulate insights and proposals through multimedia activities.

Transform your K-12 classroom into a 21st century learning center with cutting-edge, standards-based, and easy-to-use digital media projects.

In this learning environment, students will be able to learn as professionals and use state-of-the-art digital media tools and techniques to formulate and articulate insights and knowledge in multimedia languages. Education here will be delivered through real-world applications. Learning will be connected to workplace realities. 21st century classrooms enable learning as students perform their work as authors, researchers, inventors, scientists, mathematicians, designers, entrepreneurs, and all other types of relevant professions.

Digital Media in the Classroom offers dynamic lesson strategies for the 21st century classroom that are anchored to national education standards. These educational strategies are composed of exciting and rigorous lessons geared to raise students engagement in academic projects while acquiring 21st century skills. Additionally, the lesson plans provide teachers with successfully tested applications integrating technology with subject matter and skills learning,differentiated instruction, and Howard Gardner’s “multiple intelligences theory.” Inspired by the theory of Constructivism and the most recent findings on how the human brain works and learns, these activities are research-oriented, hands-on and are designed to facilitate students as they construct and give meaning to and value knowledge and learning.

Helical Learning
Digital Media in the Classroom should be in the hands of every teacher in every subject K-12. We are in the 21st century and to connect with students today it is critical we engage students with digital tools. Technology should not exist in isolation from the core courses and Gigi Carlson clearly outlines how we can bring content "alive" in every subject. The book provides a wealth of examples which can be easily implemented in any classroom. Digital Media in the Classroom will bring a bit of magic into any class by taking any static national or state standard and making it "interactive" for you and your students.

Dina A Kraemer, Los Angeles CA,
Charter School Director

Digital Media in the Classroom is a breath of fresh air in this world of techno-babble and deliberately dense teaching materials. Taking the students (and their instructor!) on a step by step journey through the world of digital tools and applications, Ms. Carlson has provided the classroom teacher with a clear, concise, and easy to follow map through the maze that has come to be known as Technology Education. Without making the reader feel like a complete techno-idiot, concepts are clarified, techniques demonstrated, and student efforts are validated in a relaxed yet efficent manner.

Landis Martin, New Mexico,
English Teacher