Podcast Plus

Yet again my TRT friend has sent me another great link on podcasting! This link actually takes you to a blog on the educational benefits of podcasts. It was interesting to see that SO many study guides are available through podcasts for students. This would have been extremely helpful to me as a student when trying to find Cliff's Notes for whatever book we were studying in class; not to mention the accessibility of these study guides would have made my life easier! I also LOVE the idea of using a podcast to learn a new language...no more languages on CD! I am slowly starting to wonder how I ever lived without the benefits of podcasts! Check out the link and let me know what you think.
http://the-ipod-hacker.blogspot.com/2008/02/100-ways-to-use-your-ipod-to-learn-and.html

Podcasting to Perfection

I have a wonderful TRT at one of my schools who is a fountain of tech knowledge. When I asked her about podcasting in education, she sent me a few great resources that I thought would be helpful to pass along. Check out these sites and let me know what you think. There's all kinds of information on these sites from what equipment needed for podcasts to how to apply podcasting to education. Thanks Katie!

Links:
http://www.larkin.net.au/024_podcasting.html
http://school.discoveryeducation.com/schrockguide/gadgets.html
http://userwww.sfsu.edu/~nshelley/resources.html
http://recap.ltd.uk/podcasting/info/podresources.php

More on Podcasts

I was conversing with my students on things I was learning in the ITS program. I had mentioned that I was learning about podcasts. One of my 2nd graders mentioned that he had created a podcast with his uncle. His uncle has a radio show and helped him create a podcast. I was amazed how many of my students not only know what a podcast is, but they have downloaded several to their iPods! I guess I'm a little behind the times!

Podcasts

I had my first experience creating a podcast in class this past week. Before this, I wasn't a 100% sure on what a podcast all entailed. My first thought was that podcasts aren't as abundant in everyday life as I originally thought. However, the growing popularity of the iPod attributes to the growing use of podcasts. So, at some point I can see podcasts being a popular form of information broadcasting. So, I'm beginning to wonder...is there a time to come when homework assignments, student writings, and lectures would be broadcast through podcasts on school websites? Any thoughts on this idea??

More on Digital Video

Adding on to thoughts of how digital video...my TRT and I have been brainstorming and trying to think of ideas on how to honor a wonderful teacher that will be retiring this year. My thoughts immediately went to the flip camera. It would be great to teach the students how to use the flip camera and have them video tape each other saying a few inspirational words to their teacher to include in a video memory book as a gift. The editing would be done by the TRT because of the complexity and time restraints.
Of course this idea lead to other ideas of using video in the classroom. At my second school the morning announcements are done via video feed in the classrooms. I was thinking how great it would be for students to create commercials for special events or even the student store to be played during the morning announcements as a way of advertisement. The list of ideas keep growing!

Digital Video

While I haven't had a great deal of experience with digital videoing or editing, I did have the opportunity to take a class in animation in college. We learned several types ways to create animation with a camera. One of my favorite was clay animation. We created clay creatures with modeling clay. We would position them a shoot for three second intervals with the cameras; gradually moving the figures in between each shoot. When the shooting was finished we added the sound to the animation. The whole process was very time-consuming but also very fun. I had the chance to use this technique when student teaching in a middle school. The art teacher had an after-school program in which students created a short 15-30 second clay animation.
After clay animation we went onto to using collage for our next animation. We cut things from magazines or newspapers. In order to make people look like they were moving we had to cut the arms and legs into sections so that they could be moved in to different positions. We used the same camera set-up and shooting techniques as with the clay animation.
Finally, we learned how to make our drawings come alive through animation. We learned different techniques like drawing one letter to a word and shooting the letter, then draw the next letter and shoot for 3 seconds and so on. This technique could also be used to drawing a figure...draw a portion of the figure and shoot it with the camera, then draw another portion and shoot it, ect. You could cut out letters of characters and move them gradually across the background while shooting each position. I could see this technique being the easiest to teach to elementary students. The best reward is seeing the finished product!

More On Wikis

During my search for more information on wikis, I came across an interesting article that got me thinking. Here is the site link http://coe.sdsu.edu/eet/Articles/wikis/index.htm. In this article it states that many educators have had more success with having the students correct and discuss each others wikis rather than the teacher. However, the teacher would still be there to guide the students and give advice.
I really like the idea of the students learning from one another in this way. It not only gives them the opportunity to coach each other but it is a great collaboration method as well. I would more inclined as an educator to use this method to really 'allow the students to "own" their online learning experience'.

Back To Blogs For A Sec

This past week we had our faculty meeting with one s member from the Superintendent's office to discuss any issues with upcoming school year. During her visit she had mentioned that her office was looking for ways to better serve their employees and keep the lines of communication open. I was amazed when she stated that many had mentioned the idea of setting up a blog. What was even more surprising was to see many agree with this idea. A month ago I barely knew what a blog was and had little interest in one for that matter. But I can see them becoming more and more popular forms of communication. It seems that it would make sense to have a blog for a purpose like this because I am sure they are fielding the same questions over and over on a daily basis about budget issues. This way they could post an answer for all to see! Not a sermon..just a thought (to quote Lon Soloman).

Wiki Wiki What??

So, the challenge for this week is to think about how wikis could be used in my classroom. Immediately I thought of using a wiki to showcase student artwork; a portfolio of sorts. Then, I though that may be more than what I would want to get into with taking pictures, scanning, and uploading pictures. Don't get me wrong I think this would be an innovative way to archive student artwork but it really does not interest me at this time. So, next I thought it would be great to have groups research an artist and contribute to the wiki with new information each week. I would set up a guide with prompts so the students would know what things to look for. I would have them insert links to references used and images that apply. To take the use of the wikis further, students in lower grades could be given an assignment of having to search the student made wikis, learn about an artist, and apply it to a group activity like...make a brochure about a particular artist. That way the older students would be the creators and editors of the wiki and the younger students would be the users of the wiki. I think I may have my idea for my wiki lesson plan :)

Wondering about ideas of how to use wikis in your classroom?? Check out the site below

http://wikisineducation.wetpaint.com/page/Wikis+in+the+Classroom?t=anon

Blogs On The Brain

The more I think about using blogs the more I think it would be kind of nice to have blogs available for teachers as a reference to what techniques others are using in their classrooms. There have been many times where I am lost for ideas or stuck in a rut. It would be nice not to have to go to my email list and choose another Art teacher to pest for help. It would be extremely helpful to just have a blog of tried and true tricks, tip, and lessons to go to for inspiration. This would also work in the reverse. If I have discovered something that I think others could benefit from, I could post it on the blog. I think it could be an excellent way in keeping the lines of communication among educators; especially when you are the only one in that subject area in you school!

HHHMMM...

I've been thinking about how I could use blogs in my classroom. I suppose I could have students showcase some of their works and write a few thoughts on that piece. However, it just seems to me that a Wiki may be a better form of online portfolio. Then again what do I know about either. I'm just now being introduced to both of them.
I'm also a little concerned about some of the comments others could post with using it in a school setting that is. Does anyone know if there's anyway to secure blogs???

Class Is Now In Session!

Well, we're back...but this time for the last semester. Our first assignment...create a blog. Well, I can hardly understand the idea of creating a blog if I don't know much about it. After all, my only interaction with a blog of any sort was when my husband put a load of laundry in the dryer with a pack of gum in his pocket. Needless to say, it looked like a Smurf blew up in our dryer. So, I immediately went to the computer and stumbled across a blog with hundreds of entries on how Febreeze and a dryer sheet takes gum off the dryer walls. Anyway, I've decided to do some research about blogs. Here is what I found:
1. Blogs defined by Encarta Encyclopedia...
The frequent, chronological publication on the Web of personal thoughts and opinions for other Internet users to read. The name, coined in the late 1990s, derives from “Web logging.”
2. A typical blog combines text, images, and links to other blogs.
3. Entries are most often shown in reverse-chronological order.
4. Personal blogs can serve as online diaries or journals.