“Mac Smashing! Using Multiple Mac Apps for Creating Innovative Media”, presented by Tad Douce and Matt Lanzoff, took the powerful concept of App Smashing and applied it to Mac computers using a few basic apps. By doing so, teachers can create engaging media to use in the classroom. Before the the presenters delved into the “How” of creating digital media for the classrooms, they introduced the topic by discussing the “Why”. Their response to this question was threefold:
- Design Matters: In any setting, how things are presented creates a feeling. How one feels will determine how they will initially engage with with whatever he/she is presented with. The way information is delivered in the classroom will directly impact a student’s feeling, therefore their engagement. Design is everywhere and students expect it.
- The Power of the Pause Button: When students learn through well-designed media, they have the power to interact with it at their own pace. Everyone knows that all students learn differently and media allows students to approach content in their own way.
- It Can Take Them Anywhere: Media allows students to experience the world in a way that more traditional approaches simply don’t allow.
So, food for thought.
The “How” part of the presentation focused on a few simple Mac Apps: Keynote, IMovie, Numbers, PhotoBooth, and Pages. By combining as few as two of these apps, teachers or students can create custom graphics, video capture, or animated videos. While it would take some time and practice to efficiently create some cool media for the classroom, it’s fun to imagine the possibilities. The following link provides more information about Mac Smashing and some examples of the results:
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