Week3--Ron Smith Interview Q and A's

 

Questions:

1. Ron Smith is the lead teacher of the New Media Academy for ______________________High School.
2. What is the focus of the New Media Academy? 
3. What is the media that interests students the most?
4. Explain one problem being identified of the media being utilized by many teachers.
5. Ron Smith mentions three hot new technologies, what are they?
6. Describe a little about the second new technology Ron Smith mentioned.
7. What is the common feature Ron Smith mentioned about these three technologies?
8. What do you think Ron Smith’s way of teaching through independent exploration, does for his students?
9. What does Ron Smith see as a recent and upcoming trend in education?
10. Describe what media your teachers use in your classrooms.  How does that media work for you?  Is there something you’d rather be using or you think is better?  If so, please explain.

Answers:

1. Hollywood
2. Career-centered/focused for students interested in media related careers/business.
3. Animation, Flash animation, Video
4. Many teachers still use PowerPoint as their sole technology piece and students are being required to use PowerPoint for their presentations instead of allowing them to branch out and select their own media.
5. Scratch, Sketch-Up, and Blender
6. Sketch-Up is from Google and is a 3D modeling software that can be used in conjunction with imports from Google Earth.  Ron Smith used this for an assignment in which he had his students rebuild a city block after Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. 
7. They are all free.
8. His students are given little information about new software and they are expected to explore on their own which enhances their creativity and doesn’t place limitations on their growth or expansion of new media.
9. Virtual/Online education/curriculum design
10. Answers will vary.