Who Won?

I went to the Innovative Instruction contest finals yesterday, but I had to leave at 4 so I didn't see who won. If I had to choose, though, I might have picked the mega-overachieving group who created a website that basically ran an entire class on its own. It contained sources, homework assignments, lesson plans, everything you'd need to run a class. However, because it was so huge, I didn't really get a feel for what the point of the project was.

Another project that impressed me was one that included a website that contained documents about the patriots vs. the loyalists. This website allowed students to read these documents and formulate their own opinions about whether they would have sided with the patriots or with the loyalists. They then post their ideas on the site, and dialogue starts. I thought this was a great idea, because as teachers we often tell the students the information but never let them form their own ideas about it. Personally, I don't think you can really learn something until you are able to think about it critically and form opinions. Although this project was not as huge and impressive as the first I mentioned, I think that the overall idea is much more applicable and beneficial. Just because you have technology, doesn't mean you have to use it. Technology doesn't always make things better.

Update

Well, due to "communication" errors, my video wouldn't upload from iMovie to YouTube. So, I exported the movie to my flashdrive and uploaded straight to YouTube from there. And it took FOREVER! Here it is:

The video is (finally) done

Embed your video on your blog. Then, in the same post talk about your experience making this video. Was it positive? Negative? Did you find it a valuable experience? Do you think you could make another video without help if you were asked to do so? Do you think you would do some type of video project in your classroom? Other thoughts or comments?

Creating this video was an interesting experience. I can't say I enjoyed it, but I did learn a lot doing it. First, I learned that technology can be really annoying sometimes (like when I had to restart my project because it was somehow "lost in translation"). Second, I did learn how to use iMovie and how to better use Macs (I still prefer PCs). I could probably help someone else make a simple video, but I don't know how great it would turn out. However, using something like this in class could be beneficial, especially if the students are already familiar with the program or don't have to do anything too complicated.


So, if the darn thing ever loads to YouTube, it will end up a success. If it doesn't, well, I've got a bone to pick with iMovie. It's been a pain in the #%!. Okay, it won't load. !$#^$!#%.

Working on it...

I started on my video/film/movie last week in class, and it's going alright. It is definitely not professional looking, but that's okay. My big problem is piecing all the different parts together. I'm using transitions, but the videos were all taken in different places, so I'm having trouble making it look cohesive. It doesn't help that I sped up one portion and slowed down the next ... we'll see if I actually keep it that way...

done.

I've got it!

Explain what you plan to do for your video. What’s the subject, basic outline of what will happen, etc. This will help you start to get ideas for your storyboard. Remember the storyboard is due next week!

I've had a slight creativity block trying to come up with a subject for my video. Don't get me wrong -- I've had a lot of ideas. But not many of them are very feasible or simple enough for a first-timer to do. I've also had to consider my limitations:

• I don't have a real camcorder, so I'll have to use my camera to take video.
• My camera might not have very good sound, so the sound quality of the resulting video may be poor.
• I would have a hard time taking video in public places.
• I don't want anyone to see the inside of my apartment, so I can't take the video there, either.

 Finally, however, I have come up with an idea that would be relatively simple to do AND be a useful teaching tool. I decided to look through the core standards to try and get my creative juices flowing, and this is what I found:

20.0101-0504 Study the Dietary Guidelines and/or Food Guide Pyramid:
National Standard 14.3.1
C AIM for fitness: aim for a healthy weight, be physically active each day
C BUILD a healthy base: let the pyramid guide your food choices; choose a variety of grains daily, especially, whole; choose a variety of fruits and vegetables daily; keep food safe to eat
C CHOOSE sensibly: choose a diet that is low in saturated fat and cholesterol and moderate in total fat; choose beverages and foods that limit your intake of sugars; choose and prepare foods with less salt; if you drink alcoholic beverages, do so in moderation

This is not a super complex concept, so a 2-3 minute video would be perfect for teaching it. Here's what I've got so far:

1. I will not use sound when I record. Instead, I will use background music and text to narrate my actions.
2. I will shoot video that illustrates each idea
3. Aim for fitness: running, choosing stairs over the elevator, playing volleyball
4. Build a healthy base: eating whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. Drinking milk, etc.
5. Choose sensibly: choosing an apple over a candy bar, eating small portions of "less healthy" foods, etc.

I think this will work. I just need to start shooting! ...video.

Done.

Video in the Classroom

What are some different ways that you can use video in your classroom? What kind of video would you use? How could using video benefit your students?

I really like the idea of using video in the classroom. You can use a clip from a movie or tv show to teach different concepts that might be easier to understand when watching characters act them out. Also, you can utilize educational videos or documentaries (e.g. "how stuff is made" for foods, fashion shows for clothing, etc.). You can also use video conferencing from tokbox or similar resources to have guest speakers or give feedback to students. You can also have the students themselves create video as part of a learning activity.

I think that video benefits students by allowing them to see things they might not have been able to visualize, allowing them to see other places they might not have been able to visit, and allowing them to use their creativity when they create their own things.

Fin.

Color Schemes

What challenges you have had trying to implement your design? Also, if you have found a way to fix the problem post that as well. If you have thought about other ways to use the technology you are learning, share them. Basically, help us learn about the technology you are using and how others could use it as well.

I've had a few challenges implementing my lesson plan. First, I had trouble choosing a project. Finally, however, I was able to come up with a project that used technology and would be a useful learning tool for students.

My Plan:

Basically, students will find a photo on flickr that they like, edit it using Photoshop, and use it as the foundation for a color scheme. They will find images of fabric, flooring, paint, etc, that fits with their color scheme, and then they will display these using Microsoft PowerPoint or Publisher (preferably Publisher). They also have to tell me what type of color scheme  they chose and how their colors fit.

My Project:

I actually really liked using Photoshop. It was so easy to edit my selected photo (found at flickr). Once in Photoshop, I changed the hue, intensity, and lightness of the photo, then I added a "diffuse" filter, which made it look like a painting. I loved how it turned out!

 

Original Photo

Edited Photo

After I found the photo, it got a little more difficult. I went to several paint websites (Behr, Valspar, etc.), and every time I found a paint color I liked, I could not figure out how to save the image (darn those flash applications). If I was using a computer that had "Snag it", I could have saved the picture in a screen shot-type method. Finally, I opened my photoshopped image in paint, used the "pick color" option to obtain a color from the picture, filled the screen with that color, then saved that image to use in my project. What a pain. 

Finding the flooring, fabrics, etc was a lot easier. 

I put the project together using Microsoft Publisher. I have never used Publisher, and I have extremely limited experience with Photoshop, but my experience with these programs was actually very positive. I enjoyed using them. The only real snag I experienced was obtaining an image of a paint color.

My final product has two paint colors, four fabrics, a wood floor, and a sisal rug. It is a simple complementary color scheme (orange and teal are on opposite sides of  the color wheel).

 

The Finished Product

End