I completed my final project on character education because I feel it is very important for students to learn about character at a young age. This video could be used in the classroom, at an assembly, at an open house, etc. It could be used in various settings. I chose to use power point slides instead of narration. I liked this idea because then I can have either the students or parents read the slides themselves or I could read them aloud if I chose. I feel that the power point slides still gave me an effective introduction, body and closing.
I used Picnik to edit the handshake picture that is right after the red respect slide. I put a frame on it, made it black and white, and put text on it. I also edited the kids caring picture. It is found right after the caring power point slide. I added text, stickers, and faded part of the picture. I also edited the character counts picture at the end of the video. I framed it and added text. The last picture I edited was the bulldog credo. This credo is hung up all over our school and in the classroom. Our guidance teacher has taught it to all of our students. I typed the bulldog credo in a power point slide and then edited it in Picnik. I added stickers and a border.
I was really nervous adding my video on you tube. I had never done that before, but it went really well. I got it on you tube and was able to embed it onto my blog with no problems.
Overall, I had fun making this video. I felt more comfortable with everything since we have been using it in this course. I downloaded my music off of Free play music. I can really see myself using these skills I am learning in my classroom.
Monday, March 21, 2011
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Podcasts @ iTunes and iTunes U
I knew what podcasts were before, but I never knew that you could subscribe to them. I now can see why this is a huge time saver. Before I started subscribing and downloading, I watched a podcast called, "Using Educational Technologies - Podcasts." It gave me a lot of helpful information about podcasts and why they are used in the classroom. It talked about how many teachers record their lectures and make a podcast for students that are absent. It talked about how podcasts are an extremely helpful tool for ESL students. I learned a lot more about podcasts from this short podcast.
I subscribed to "Is All About Math," "Science Experiments for Kids," and "Story Nory." Story Nory is my favorite I have found so far. It reads a different story every week. I searched by using the search box that was available in the upper right hand corner, and by using the iTunes U tab. These two just really stuck out at me. I think that I really need to spend sometime going through all the different podcasts that are available. There are so many that it can be very overwhelming at first. I think iTunes U is very helpful and user friendly, but there is just so much to choose from. I think that podcasts can be very beneficial for students in the classroom. I know that my students would be engaged because it is a different way to learn than we usually do. It will keep their attention. I can find a podcast on anything that I am teaching to reinforce my objectives. It presents the information in another way for the students. It makes it more fun for the students.
I love the idea that you can subscribe to a podcast and then anytime there is something new, it will automatically download for you. That does make it way easier. Also, then it is easy to sync it onto an iPod. This is something I need to spend more time getting comfortable with because I think it would be very beneficial for me to start using podcasts in my classroom.
I subscribed to "Is All About Math," "Science Experiments for Kids," and "Story Nory." Story Nory is my favorite I have found so far. It reads a different story every week. I searched by using the search box that was available in the upper right hand corner, and by using the iTunes U tab. These two just really stuck out at me. I think that I really need to spend sometime going through all the different podcasts that are available. There are so many that it can be very overwhelming at first. I think iTunes U is very helpful and user friendly, but there is just so much to choose from. I think that podcasts can be very beneficial for students in the classroom. I know that my students would be engaged because it is a different way to learn than we usually do. It will keep their attention. I can find a podcast on anything that I am teaching to reinforce my objectives. It presents the information in another way for the students. It makes it more fun for the students.
I love the idea that you can subscribe to a podcast and then anytime there is something new, it will automatically download for you. That does make it way easier. Also, then it is easy to sync it onto an iPod. This is something I need to spend more time getting comfortable with because I think it would be very beneficial for me to start using podcasts in my classroom.
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Friday, March 18, 2011
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Monday, March 14, 2011
Animoto/Picnik/Free Play Music
I think Animoto is a great multimedia tool that could be used to motivate students in the classroom. I think that the videos are a great way to get students engaged and excited about the topic being presented. I also found that it was very user friendly. I think that even young students could create a video over a topic on Animoto with some guidance. They could even do it with a partner or small group. I had never used Animoto before, but had fun putting my video together. I recently just wrapped up my unit on persuasive writing and recycling. It went great, but I only used a power point and You Tube video for technology with it. The students did various writing projects and wrapped up the unit by making a poster to persuade people to recycle. I think that creating a video on Animoto would have been a lot more fun and engaging for them. I am going to go back and show my students the video that I made and see what they think of it. I know they will love dancing along to the music with it. The video will engage them and keep their attention.
I also found Picnik to be very user friendly. I had never used this tool either. I used Picnik to edit a few of my pictures. I played around with the auto-fix, rotate, crop, and color options the most. It was fun just to play around and see how I could edit the pictures in many different ways. I edited the earth picture using the auto-fix and color option. I also edited the blue, green, and black slide that listed things that could be recycled. I edited this picture using the color and size options.
On Free Play Music I was a little overwhelmed at first because there was so much to choose from. I decided to use the search options that they had available. I searched under eager/excited. I thought this would be good because I want to get my students excited about recycling. I found the song Everyone in Harmony. It was upbeat and fit well with my video. The only thing I need to look at with my video is at making sure the slides are slow enough that my students can read the ones with information and facts on them. I was able to read them, but would maybe have to slow it down or read it to my students.
Overall, I had a great experience with these multimedia tools. I am so glad that I have been exposed to them in this class. I might not have ever found out about them if not. I feel like I am learning so much already!
I also found Picnik to be very user friendly. I had never used this tool either. I used Picnik to edit a few of my pictures. I played around with the auto-fix, rotate, crop, and color options the most. It was fun just to play around and see how I could edit the pictures in many different ways. I edited the earth picture using the auto-fix and color option. I also edited the blue, green, and black slide that listed things that could be recycled. I edited this picture using the color and size options.
On Free Play Music I was a little overwhelmed at first because there was so much to choose from. I decided to use the search options that they had available. I searched under eager/excited. I thought this would be good because I want to get my students excited about recycling. I found the song Everyone in Harmony. It was upbeat and fit well with my video. The only thing I need to look at with my video is at making sure the slides are slow enough that my students can read the ones with information and facts on them. I was able to read them, but would maybe have to slow it down or read it to my students.
Overall, I had a great experience with these multimedia tools. I am so glad that I have been exposed to them in this class. I might not have ever found out about them if not. I feel like I am learning so much already!
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