Week 3 Blog 4 - Ron Smith Interview Interactive Q&As

Mac GL Ron Smith


The following questions should be answered during the video.

1. Who is Mr. Ron Smith?
Lead Teach at New Media Academy at Hollywood High School, Hollywood, CA

2. What is the goal of the Academy?
Give students an opportunity to use the media that is being used in the entertainment business.

3. Mr. Smith mentions how students have a hard time learning the tools to create animation. Do you think you would be willing to learn first and create your vision second?
This is a yes/no type of answer purposely placed here so students have a second exposure to the information that was stated in the video. I often see students frustrated because they can’t automatically jump to the final project and I think hearing this from another source is valuable.

4. What technology has Mr. Smith integrated into his classroom? (List at least three)
Podcasting, Texting, Videos, Flash Animation, Photoshop, and Illustrator

5. Why does Mr. Smith say, “Teachers are part of the problem?”
Teachers are using old technologies such as PowerPoint and thus are not exposing nor teaching the next wave of cool technology. Further teachers don’t necessarily want to front load their teaching in other words they don’t want to work weeks or even months ahead of what they are currently teaching.

6. What are the following open-source software used for Scratch, Sketch Up, & Blender?
Scratch (Building Games), Sketch Up (3D modeling), Blender (3D animation)

7. Which “trended in education” are you as a student most excited about? Why?
Curriculum Design, Course Content, or Online Curriculum. Reasoning will vary.

Post Video Reflection Questions

1. Would you like to attend the New Media Academy? Why or why not? (This is an opportunity to think about our own future career.)

2. How is our current classroom similar to the New Media Academy?

3. How could I make our class more like the New Media Academy?

4. Look back at your answer for #4. Pick one of the three answers you wrote and explain why we should try integrating this technology into our classroom. Who would we need to convince to make your idea become a reality? Where do we start?


Resources

“MAC GL Ron Smith” posted by EDM613 on May 27, 2009 to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0e3YlOFPcQ&feature=player_embedded Retrieved October 16, 2009