October 2002 — News/In Brief
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DVDs Poised to Become Future Teaching Tool
Claiming DVD technology is the future of teaching, a nonprofit research organization and a DVD/CD-ROM production and marketing services company are working together to promote the use of the DVD format for educational and training applications.
Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning (McREL) and Comchoice Corp. say DVDs offer unmatched storage capacity, portability, image quality and flexibility compared to traditional videotapes and CD-ROMs. "Today's world requires teaching methods that keep up with students' active lives, stimulate their intellect in an increasingly distracted society, and accomplish all this within exemplary instructional design that addresses standards-based education," says Tim Waters, Ph.D., CEO of McREL. "Our belief is that DVD-based instruction delivers on all these objectives by employing engaging media, capitalizing on what motivates students and seizing teachable moments."
In the Wake of Laserdisc's Demise
Unlike CD-ROMs, both sides of a DVD can be used. The image quality of DVDs is comparable to that of laserdiscs, but because of its size, DVDs are more durable and portable. DVDs also boast unique playback features and can be used interactively in the classroom. And with prices starting at under $100 for new DVD players, the discs make an affordable option for cash-strapped educators.
John Kuglin, vice president of education and training programs for Comchoice, says DVDs have the potential to improve student achievement. "Instructional research shows that computer simulations and graphical representations of physical phenomena help to increase student achievement," he says. "The visual and storage capabilities of DVD technology lends itself well to instructional practices that are consistent with this research." DVDs allow full-motion instruction and can include printable lessons and links to pertinent Web sites. Instruction on DVDs can also be delivered in multiple languages, Kuglin adds.
In the 1990s, the education community embraced laserdiscs as a new technological teaching tool that offered unsurpassed video and audio, as well as greater storage capacity. "Windows on Science" was one such laserdisc program series, implemented by thousands of schools nationwide. But with the pace of technology such as it is, manufacturers recently ceased production of laserdiscs and their players, citing obsolescence of the platform. Kuglin attributes laserdisc's demise to manufacturers who were unable to expand market share fast enough to make the format affordable.
"DVD is a natural next step for schools abandoned by laserdisc
providers," says Betty Paxton, principal developer and lead author of 
the "Windows on Science" series. Paxton is now heading up ScratchCat,
an Atlanta-based publisher of DVD-based K-12 teaching materials.
ScratchCat's inaugural product line, "Fresh Science," a 24-unit DVD
series based on state and national science standards for grades 3-9
is currently in development. The first unit, "Climate and Weather"
was just released, while units on plants and electricity/magnetism
are planned for the future.
