Student-Made Video Projects in a Computer Technology Course

Abstract

Abstract Student Made Video Projects in a Computer Technology CourseAbstract:Communications skills are universally recognized as important within the education ofengineers, however these skills are often underemphasized in engineering and technologycourses. One new approach to emphasizing professional communications skills is the assignmentof student made video projects. Some scholars argue that video has become the currentvernacular of our culture. Video engages an audience in ways unique to the medium. Becomingfluent in communicating with video technology expands the versatility of future engineers andengineering technologists.Advances in digital video technologies have made these video projects within the reach of mostundergraduate students, however many students have surprisingly little experience in this area.Outside of traditional media-making degree programs, few college students are required to createan edited video during their undergraduate experience.This paper explores the implementation of a student-made video project in a computertechnology course. The action research described is grounded in a media literacy framework thatuses a mixed methods approach. The video project explored has similar goals as does atraditional undergraduate written research paper, only having a video replacing the paper as thefinished product. Students must do research on a topic related to Internet and computernetworking technologies and present their findings in a video format.