Generations of students have created presentations using a series of programs that combine text, images, audio, and video (thus the “multi” in multimedia). Many trace the beginnings of this type of educational software to HyperCard and HyperStudio, programs that available were for Apple computers marketed in schools in the early 1990’s. Interest in multimedia grew when video cards, color displays, audio cards, and speakers along with the computing capacity to play video became widely available in the middle of the 1990’s. These activities continue to be popular in schools, so anyone interested in working as an IT professional in a school should be aware of the current trends in the field.
Because schools are public institutions, they are compelled to follow the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. This means teachers who create multimedia for use in their classrooms must ensure the materials are accessible.
Slide Shows
Slide shows created with PowerPoint, Google Slides, or any of the popular web-based tools are very widely used in schools. Teachers create them to support instruction, and students create them as projects. While these were originally stored on local drives, students and teachers in the 21st century have adopted the practice of sharing and embedding web-based presentations in virtual classrooms.
Given the ubiquity of cameras and microphones on digital devices, it is easy to forget that the capacity to capture high resolution images, video, and audio is a relatively recent addition to the computing capacity of devices in schools. The web cameras integrated into Chromebooks and laptops are used to capture audio and video that is integrated into slides shows, and these presentations are created, edited, shared, and embedded by students in every school.
IT professionals can expect to be asked to support accessibility checkers in the productivity suites they deploy. These tools (which may be built into the applications or may require add-ons to be installed) will identify parts of the presentations that are not compliant with ADA requirements. For example, they will identify missing metadata, missing navigation aids, missing alternative text on images, and other aspects of the files. Some aspects of the files (for example color contrast) cannot be checked via accessibility checkers, and IT professionals will be asked to support other tools.
Video Editing
The many uses of multimedia in schools have also increased the demand for video editing. Whether teachers are creating video to supplement instruction or students are creating video to demonstrate learning or student performances are captured on video, there are situations in which the original footage needs to be edited. Many approach video editing with an underestimate of the time needed to produce acceptable video, and many also overestimate the need for professional-quality editing.
There are multiple web-based options for editing video. For example, YouTube provides some capacity to edit video that has already been uploaded to the platform. Two challenges that arise from using web-based video editing platforms are the limitations imposed by the applications and the need to transmit video to the platform for editing.
On devices with full operating systems, video editing software can be installed. iMovie is a video editing application that is installed by default on Macintosh computers, and it is widely used by that community of computer users. Especially in high schools, there is often interest in teaching students how to use professional video editing software. This software allows for sophisticated editing and can incorporate multiple video and audio tracks.
IT professionals in schools must be prepared to support whatever video editing capacity is necessitated by the curricular goals of the school. Considering the range of instructional goals and the needs of educators, a single video editing tool is unlikely to meet the needs of all users in a school. Middle school students, for example may be able to meet their video editing needs through a web-based platform that is managed by their teachers and the IT professionals. Their teachers may need a consumer application, but the theatre department in the school may need a professional application.
Video Conferencing
Web cameras are also used for video conferencing. During the pandemic of 2020, video conferencing became a vital platform for remote teaching. The long-term use of video conferencing in schools is difficult to predict. Even if teaching via video conferencing does not continue to be widely used for instruction, there are purposes such as some professional development training and meetings that can be as effective when done remotely as when they are done in-person. Educators have also discovered that video conferences can be used to enhance in-person classes. For example, students can record a video conference in which they discuss cases studies or make presentations, then share recordings of those meetings to share with the class or for the instructor to assess.
One of the important considerations when using video conferencing is the privacy of students and their caregivers. While educators may want students to appear on screen during the video conferences and they may have good reasons to ask for that, it can pose a threat to their privacy.