BP8_Links to Comments

Here's a link to my comment on Amanda Castaneda's RILS Plan.

Here's a link to my comment on Carrie Huntley's RILS Plan.

PE6_Relevant and Innovative Learning Scenario (RILS)

This is the video for the conclusion to the RILS project.

Click this link to view the RILS Plan on Educator Studio.

PE5_Voki/Edmodo

One of the first steps in my RILS plan is to assess the students' background knowledge and experience with cyberbullying. I created a Google Docs Survey and posted in on Edmodo for students to complete. I've gained some valuable insight from the results of the survey that students were asked to complete anonymously. I'm now aware that some students have had first hand experience with cyberbullying and no experience with creating avatars. Students also watched a video on Cyberbullying from TeacherTube.com. The video sparked some discussion as students were interested in possible consequences of cyberbullying, not only for the actual bully but also for the person being bullied. In our upcoming class session, I hope to delve deeper into their interests and to familiarize the students with the Voki interface.

PE4_Voki/Edmodo

I decided to use Voki.com in conjunction with Edmodo.com to do my Relevant & Innovative Learning Scenario (RILS) project. The content of the lesson will focus on cyberbullying and I will be using both emergent tools in the process to enhance comprehension of the topic and the overall learning experience. I've alway been a proponent of technology being a means to an end, therefore, the RILS plan will focus heavily on the content rather than the technology. At the end of this scenario, my goal is for students to fully understand the complexities and consequences of cyberbullying and to gain some experience in using these tools that can be used in other academic situations. As a result, I designed my plan to give students a relevant experience to learn about cyberbullying. Also, I decided to purchase Voki Classroom to help manage the student use of Voki and to present the assignement to the students. Lastly, all participating students signed up for their Edmodo accounts to prepare for the RILS and other future assignments.

Voki Classroom Teacher Dashboard

I am now in the process of adding students to Voki Classroom to create the student accounts. They will be assigned a login and a password that I can customize to simplify the login process. The students will then be able to access their accounts anytime to customize their avatar and to complete their assignments. 

Voki Classroom Student Account Set-up

BP7_One Minute Video

Voki is a wonderful Web 2.0 tool that I will be using in my classroom. 

 

Please click the play button to view the one minute video I created about Voki.

BP6_Link to Just Being Lakeshia's Blog

Follow this link to my comments on Lakeshia's blog.

BP5_Link to Dana Scobie's EMDT Blog

Follow this link to my comments on Dana's blog.

BP4_Voki

Voki.com is a free, Web 2.0 tool that allows users to create something like an animated baseball card of sorts. You can use Voki to create speaking avatars in a fixed scene. Voki Classroom, which requires a one or two-year paid subscription, has been set up particularly for educators and students.

To begin, a teacher creates an account to assign and manage student accounts. Teachers can then assign lesson activities and review/approve all completed Voki assignments for publishing purposes. Students can then create and customize their own avatars, while adding content to address the lesson objectives.

One thing that I like about this site is the support for educators. Voki provides educators with a “Teacher’s Corner” section where educators can find ideas and tips for using Voki in a classroom. In addition, the site provides video tutorials and written guides for getting started. The tutorials are very easy to follow and concise. After viewing one brief tutorial, I was able to create my avatar.  Another resource available to educators on this site is a lesson plan database, where teachers are able to search for plans by grade level and subject. All resources in the database are free and updated weekly. Educators are also able to contribute lessons of their own to the database, as well. Two other important tools provided in the site are the Voki blog and newsletter. There, users are able to find other news, tips and uses for Voki. Users can also follow Voki on Facebook and Twitter to connect with other users and ideas, as well.

Take a look at the Voki I created by pressing the play button.

Though I had heard of Voki before, I never had the pleasure of exploring the site to see what it really offered. I must say I’m impressed. I can see myself using Voki with my 3-5 grade students. I feel this site is user friendly enough for students in those grades to be able to produce a finished product in 1-2 class sessions. Often, I find myself reserving tools like this for my middle-school students, due to the more complex nature of the tool. With this tool, very little instruction is necessary so students will be able to have more hands-on, independent practice time.

I look forward to using this Web 2.0 tool in my classes this year. The one minor draw back with Voki Classroom is the associated cost. I say it's minor because a one-year subscription is only $29.95/ year and a two-year subscription is $44.95/year. In the event the school/district is unwilling or unable to pay for the subscription, the prices are reasonable enough for teachers to absorb the costs.

PE3_iMovie

Yay! I completed the iMove Essentials '11 Training. I must say I learned so much. I'm really digging the movie trailer projects. Once again, I had lesson plans running through my mind. I'll spare you from having to read all my thoughts on plans. However, I can't help but to share one thought. ;o) I was thinking, my students can pick a genre/theme, video record academic footage and use the movie trailer to create a commercial for a book they're reading or a school event to publish on a class blog site or the school web site. I'll have to work out the details but I think it's a future goal that can be accomplished.

So, I decided to put together a little video of my family and some weekend fun we had this summer using the movie trailer. Before you watch, I have to set up the movie. My husband and brother are starring in the movie and I recorded the event (purely for entertainment purposes) with my iPhone. At times, you may see some shaky moments on the video. That would be me laughing while recording.  You see, this was the first time that my husband and brother partook in golfing, other than mini-golf (which we had played just before this footage). The "professional" mini-golfers delighted in my limited golfing abilities. Check out the score card.

I got the highest score so I should have won, but apparently it doesn't work that way in golf! ;o)

So,  I decided to enjoy their first driving range session just as much. I did analyze the video for stabilization, but I guess I was laughing so hard that iMovie did its best. However, I think the shaky parts do add to the dramatic effect. Check out the video and pay special attention to the close ups where the only thing flying through the air were arms and golf clubs.

This video was created for entertainment purposes with permission from the participants. I had a blast reliving that day and making the video. Stay tuned...

PE2_iMovie

Wow! I just learned some great editing tricks in iMovie! Incorporating photos into the video and the different options for doing so was very interesting. As I watched that section of the tutorial, I thought about news segments where the news anchor is shown on the screen, either with a picture or video playing in the corner of or in place of their screen shot.

Incorporating Photo Screen Shot
Check out the options on the drop down menu.

Oh, the things my students and I could do with iMovie in the computer lab! I'm now wishing I had iMovie at my school to use with my students. I can imagine them using it to produce school news casts to upload to a class blog and/or school website. Or better yet, I can have the students contribute ways to use the iMovie and its features for academic purposes. If I can get my hands on one Mac for student use, maybe I can form a small after school club of 8th grade students to produce videos for a student created digital yearbook, where I can share my newly acquired knowledge. The possibilities are endless. I think I'm rambling now, so I'll try to contain my excitement...until the next post! ;o)

PE1_iMovie

I started the iMovie Essentials training in month one of the EMDT program after I set up my Lynda.com account. So far, I completed about one and a half hours of the course. I had no experience with iMovie prior to enrolling in Full Sail University, so I felt I needed to learn enough of the software program to satisfactorily complete tasks assigned in class. I skipped around the training to learn aspects that I was unable to figure out and to provide support to complete projects. I must say the tutorial was very helpful and easy to follow. I was able to learn the bare essentials as they were explicitly and succinctly presented in such a way that I was able to apply what I learned pretty easily. I know there is more to learn, so I look forward to sharpening my basic skills by completing the rest of the training.

BP2_LittleBirdTales.com

Story writing is a valuable skill that, hopefully, all students experience, practice and develop in school or at home. In the 21^st century, students have the ability to create stories in innovative ways using progressive tools of the century. Littlebirdtales.com is an example of one such tool. This interactive, digital story writing, Web 2.0 tool allows students to create original stores online and narrate each page in their own voices in just a few short clicks.

Initially, an account has to be set up by a teacher. Teachers are able to enroll classes and students, within the teacher account. When creating student accounts, teachers are able to assign a customized user ID and password to each student. This feature is very important and necessary to manage student accounts, especially for younger students who might not be able to remember a randomly selected user ID and password.   

Once the account has been set up and students log in, they are greeted with a very user-friendly interface and guided through the three-step process of creating their own digital stories.

In Step 1, students create their cover page. 

In Step 2, students create the pages and narrate their stories. In both Steps 1 & 2, students are either able to draw a picture, using the paint program within the interface, or to upload pictures saved to the computer. In the event the student has drawn a picture by hand, the picture can be scanned or photographed using a digital camera and uploaded to the computer.  

Finally, in Step 3, students share their stories via Littlebirdtales.com’s e-mail. Recipients of the story are able to follow along while the student narrates the story.

Please click on the link to experience an example story that I have created for the purpose of demonstration. http://littlebirdtales.com/tales/view/story_id/29578

As a computer lab teacher, I can definitely use this Web 2.0 tool in my lab. Previously, my younger students used Kid Pix to paint/draw a picture and to write words about the picture. Subsequently, I printed the pictures (in black and white) to display in my class and for the students to take home. With Littlebirdtales.com I will be able to enhance and expand this concept as well as student learning. The students won’t just be practicing reading and writing skills; they will be producing their own works of art. I can imagine the excitement students will display just at hearing their own voice coming from the computer.  I can also imagine how proud they will be to share their stories with anyone willing to listen. Speaking of capturing someone’s attention, this will be a great tool for me to use when relaying concepts, rules, directions, etc. to the students as well.  

BP3_iGoogle Screen Shots

My iGoogle page has been set up to encompass useful links and gadgets that are very beneficial to my academic and personal life. I have included screen shots of my page below.

The Home Tab

The FSO/CBR Tab

The ETC Tab

My iGoogle Page will continually evolve as I enter new ventures, find more useful gadgets and encounter new links to frequent. I look forward to collaborating in order to share and to gain useful tools to improve my page!