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What do we mean by Digital Media?

We are referring to

Sometimes called ‘digital assets’, they are files that you can download, save or manipulate on your computer. This gives you enormous flexibility over how and where you use them.

In the 80s and 90s, these might have been clipart. However, with broadband internet connections, you now have almost instant access to huge numbers of pictures, movies, animations, old TV programmes, classic radio programmes and much more.

Ideas for Using Digital Media

a. You can use a raw file as part of your teaching – directly in a lesson. Simply download it onto your computer and play it back in the lesson. You might use it, as

  • an introduction to topic
  • a stimulus for discussion
  • part of an Assessment for Learning exercise
  • a quiz

b. You can also edit movies and sound files into shorter sequences using Windows Movie Maker, QuickTime Pro or iMovie. This allows you to focus on just the part that you would like to use (without getting tangled up with fast forward and reverse keys).

c. Put together sequences of photographs using Photo Story (a free download) or iPhoto and iMovie.

d. Get your students to edit and reassemble movie clips, images and audio files into digital stories and reports. They can combine movies, images, add music and record  their own voice-overs. This is much more fun than a PowerPoint presentation (to make and to watch).

Copyright Issues

You will need to make sure that you are allowed to use any movies, sounds and images that you get from the web or other source. This is especially true if you or your students intend to use it in work that will be published on a website or blog. Unless otherwise stated, you should assume any images, sounds and movies on the internet are under copyright and should not be reused.

Resources that are ‘copyright free’ are rare. Somebody has created them and therefore they generally own the copyright.

creative commons logoHowever, more and more materials are being licensed under ‘Creative Commons.’ This allows the copyright holder to specify that certain uses are allowed, and these frequently include educational purposes. The copyright holder might specify, for example, that you can use the materials for non-profit making purposes as long as the author is credited. Usually materials that have a creative commons licence include information about the allowed uses and state that the resource has (cc) Some Rights Reserved as opposed to © All Rights Reserved.

For more information, see:

Even when a digital asset is copyright free, it is good form to acknowledge the source.

See also

FREE Images Updated

It is easy to find images through the Google Image search but be aware the majority of images it finds will be under copyright and you are not permitted to download and use them. Also be aware that general search engines can sometime display inappropriate images, even when ‘innocent’ search terms have been used. Therefore when looking for images to use in class you should use a source of royalty-free ‘safe’ images. You should always read the terms and conditions of any site you use for images to make sure your use does not infringe their terms.

Examples of sites that provide royalty-free images for education use are:

The NEN Gallery, provided by E2BN, is a good source of images to use in education. From September 2010 new arrangements for access to this and other E2BN resources come into place. Details here:

picsearch Picsearch: Search the web for images but bear in mind, these are not necessarily free or copyright free images.

FREE Movie Clips

FREE Sound & Music Clips Updated

You should always read the terms and conditions of any site you use for sounds to make sure your use does not infringe their terms.

FREE Programs

 

Macintosh

Any new Mac comes with the iLife collection of programs which include

  • iPhoto for photo editing and retouching
  • iMovie for making and editing movies
  • iDVD for creating DVDs and
  • Garage Band for making music.

How cool is that?!?