Sunday, September 5, 2010
Video editing software
What would you like to create? Just something - then use Windows Movie Maker for PC or iMovie for Mac. If you want something more awesome and don't mind paying for it, try Adobe Premier products - Elements or Pro, if you are really fancy. PCMag and Top Ten Reviews both rate Cyberlink's Power Director 7 Ultra as the best product.
What do I want to do? I want to teach my students how to make stop motion movies. I want to duplicate as near as possible the experience that would be the most common for my students. That means that I need common equipment at minimal or no cost. I chose Windows Movie Maker. I can teach the students in class how to use the software and they can get started on another project at home. For our cameras we use a webcam. By using these tools, I feel like my students are empowered. If they had awesome expensive products at school, they would likely not be interested in doing anything more at home, thinking it was too expensive.
In learning more about MovieMaker, I checked on YouTube and learned even more cool tricks, like cloning yourself! Try it out!!
Sources:
filijifules (2008). How to Clone Yourself with Windows Movie Maker. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E20s6djraqE on September 6, 2010.
Munchmore, M. (2009). How to Buy a Digital Media Suite. Retrieved from http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2343166,00.asp on September 6, 2010.
Top Ten Reveiws. (2010). Video Editing Software Review. Retrieved from http://video-editing-software-review.toptenreviews.com/ on September 6, 2010.
What do I want to do? I want to teach my students how to make stop motion movies. I want to duplicate as near as possible the experience that would be the most common for my students. That means that I need common equipment at minimal or no cost. I chose Windows Movie Maker. I can teach the students in class how to use the software and they can get started on another project at home. For our cameras we use a webcam. By using these tools, I feel like my students are empowered. If they had awesome expensive products at school, they would likely not be interested in doing anything more at home, thinking it was too expensive.
In learning more about MovieMaker, I checked on YouTube and learned even more cool tricks, like cloning yourself! Try it out!!
Sources:
filijifules (2008). How to Clone Yourself with Windows Movie Maker. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E20s6djraqE on September 6, 2010.
Munchmore, M. (2009). How to Buy a Digital Media Suite. Retrieved from http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2343166,00.asp on September 6, 2010.
Top Ten Reveiws. (2010). Video Editing Software Review. Retrieved from http://video-editing-software-review.toptenreviews.com/ on September 6, 2010.
Web Conferences
Web Conferences are online meetings held with others who may or not be in your vicinty. Pesons can meet together at a link (my experience has been with Adobe) to discuss isssues. Users can have a webcam and mic ready to talk. Chat features, writing text, are also available.
Things to remember, as in face-to-face meetings, only person should be talking at a time - have the mic on. If others have the mic, you will get an echo that makes listening difficult.
The Conferences I participate in are Q&A sessions with a professors. I like to be able to ask questions, get insight and clarity on assignments and listen to questions I hadn't thought of from my peers. Generally personal contact information is shared for more help. The downside is that sometimes so many students ask questions as a time (by typing the text) that the presenter cannot keep track of what was asked and by whom. In one webinar training meeting I was in, the presenter was NOT the person answering the texted questions. This was helpful in weeding through individual help and letting the presenter continue. Participants could raise their virtual hand to ask a question of the presenter.
Now, for the frustrating part... sometimes the links I get are not correct and I have missed conferences because of this. Luckily, if the presenter remembers, the session can be recorded - IF I got that link, I can still get some of the benefit of the meeting.
The bandwidth cannot support too many, over 40, users at a time. For larger meetings, this is probably not the best setting anyway.
Another thing, but just like in real life, if someone wasn't present or paying attention when a question was asked, they might ask the same question. Because of this, answers tend to be repeated.
AND... one clearly negative part. Some users have not practiced their presenting voice - even if they are only asking a question. The user needs to start talking and not "hello, can you hear me... are you there.. .um... um..." as this takes up so much time. Just start "I'm Jennifer. My question is about ...." and SHORT and CONCISE. Users need to get to the point.
Does anyone really like meetings? Web conference are a great way to work together without having to get together. And since our lives exist in the real world, be respectful of time and present clearly and effectively when it is your turn.
Things to remember, as in face-to-face meetings, only person should be talking at a time - have the mic on. If others have the mic, you will get an echo that makes listening difficult.
The Conferences I participate in are Q&A sessions with a professors. I like to be able to ask questions, get insight and clarity on assignments and listen to questions I hadn't thought of from my peers. Generally personal contact information is shared for more help. The downside is that sometimes so many students ask questions as a time (by typing the text) that the presenter cannot keep track of what was asked and by whom. In one webinar training meeting I was in, the presenter was NOT the person answering the texted questions. This was helpful in weeding through individual help and letting the presenter continue. Participants could raise their virtual hand to ask a question of the presenter.
Now, for the frustrating part... sometimes the links I get are not correct and I have missed conferences because of this. Luckily, if the presenter remembers, the session can be recorded - IF I got that link, I can still get some of the benefit of the meeting.
The bandwidth cannot support too many, over 40, users at a time. For larger meetings, this is probably not the best setting anyway.
Another thing, but just like in real life, if someone wasn't present or paying attention when a question was asked, they might ask the same question. Because of this, answers tend to be repeated.
AND... one clearly negative part. Some users have not practiced their presenting voice - even if they are only asking a question. The user needs to start talking and not "hello, can you hear me... are you there.. .um... um..." as this takes up so much time. Just start "I'm Jennifer. My question is about ...." and SHORT and CONCISE. Users need to get to the point.
Does anyone really like meetings? Web conference are a great way to work together without having to get together. And since our lives exist in the real world, be respectful of time and present clearly and effectively when it is your turn.
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Use of blogs
My former principal emailed the agenda of her faculty meeting following the meetings, as a reference. By using a blog, the principal could post the same agenda. Teachers could access the blog without searching through email inbox or finding the printed copy.
My favorite use of blogs and wiki is the notes from professional development. April Pettit, Region V Technology Coordinator, uses a blog to teach her seminars. Teachers can then refer to her wikispaces as a reference, rather than having to remember what they heard and practiced once.
My favorite use of blogs and wiki is the notes from professional development. April Pettit, Region V Technology Coordinator, uses a blog to teach her seminars. Teachers can then refer to her wikispaces as a reference, rather than having to remember what they heard and practiced once.
Action Research
Once when the IT guy and I were working on hooking up the sound system in the cafetorium at school, I asked him why a particular combination of cords worked. We had tried different combinations of things, and finally got things working. When I asked him, he paused but seemed more to ask me why did I care, it worked, right? I was concerned with knowing why so that I could duplicate the process in the future, minus the errors. This query was minor, but proved to be invaluable, empowering me to set up the equipment on my own the next time. Action research means that we perform an investigation or inquiry in our own workplace, the school, for example. Any matter that seems of importance to our own campus, would be appropriate. I have been wondering to what extent the teachers are using a technology-enhanced curriculum. By investigating this authentically, rather than by what the teachers say they do, the administration has a better understanding of what professional development our teachers need, or how well we are doing and what next steps to take. Regarding the sound system inquiry, I eventually created a self-help bullentin, posted at the sound system's site, instead of me getting pulled out of class or called from home when something needed to be set up. I may have asked the initial questions, but many others can now perform that once reserved task.
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