So...what have I learned about video podcasting?

I just finished posting my very amateurish video podcast to my CT870 web site. I have put in many, many hours on this project, but am not too happy with the outcome. I have realized that to have an awesome video podcast, I need to create all of the photos myself, to begin with, in order to have the tight shots one needs when posting shots of people. The photos that are zoomed in on the subjects are the most interesting. I only panned in and out on the photos; going side to side would have made for more variety, but I didn't see that I had that option in iMovie. The next time I would definitely hire someone else to do the voiceover, as some people have a "made for TV" voice and some people don't. I am one of those that don't! There's a lot I need to learn about the audio, how to finesse it...at any rate, this is my first attempt, and I have acquired a great deal of knowledge, enough to lure some students into this world of podcasting, so they can take it and run with an idea. Isn't that the point?

iMovie Tutorial with Pictures!

This web site is a great tool for anyone who wants to use iMovie and could benefit from visuals to speed up the learning curve!

Wiki Political Wars - Post #9

On CNN on Sunday, April 13, an article showing the battle of supporters on candidates' wiki pages was presented - supporters are editing information to support their view of events. This has made for extra vigilance and correction on the part of Wiki supervisors to keep the content as objective as possible. Checking this out on Google led me to reports of a series of Wiki Wars. Check it out!

Motivational Tip - Post #8

We talked about motivation in class, and I came across this article on motivating adults. In a nutshell, motivation to complete a task/class/project is enhanced when the students believe they can do it, not matter the difficulty level. In order to convince students of their capability, prior students who have completed the task/class/project present their accomplishments as models of success, or the instructor gives documentation to the students from former successful students. This seems to enhance motivation...just the belief that if so and so did it, so can I!

Google Earth Video - Post #7

Since we will be learning about Google Earth, this would be a good video to watch to see an application of the program. It's a bit long, but worth watching!

Ideas for the Classroom - Post #6

If you click on the title, you will go to an Action Research Project web log where the issue of chat and community is discussed, as in how to create a sense of community among the students and diminish the role of the teacher as the "focal point" as a way to explore the whole society around technology that kids have created. I've read in several sources reports from students who say they are BORED with school and ENDURE the day until it ends and they can get to their real lives, which involve other students and a lot of technology! Just some interesting insights...

Communities of Practice - Post #5

Click on the title to go to a link on Communities of Practice, which is a component of Situated Learning.

Constructivist College Class! - Post #4

Click on the title to explore a site that would be extremely helpful to college professors, who want to include technology and constructivist learning in preservice classes! I plan on incorporating some of these suggestions in my reading content class next semester.

Implications for Situated Learning - Post #3

Kim Kennedy White is a doctoral student in the Educational Leadership and Innovation program at the University of Colorado at Denver. Currently, she coordinates the School of Education Research Center at the University of Colorado at Denver and teaches research, writing, and proposal development at Colorado State University. In this article, she discusses the beginning of her interest in Situated Learning as a young child, when she was much more interested in horses and outdoor affairs than in completing worksheet after worksheet in school!

Just a Click Away! - Post #2

And yet another idea for podcasting - posted to del.icio.us (just click on the title of this post)! Check out this link to an article from San Diego - students are using their iPods to review instruction for a test, clarify any confusing concepts, and make up for missed classes. Lectures and computer web sites on a professor's computer are recorded for podcasts to be accessed by students, anytime, anywhere!

iMovie Tutorials - Post #1

I bookmarked this link on del.icio.us, as it appears that it will be extremely helpful if you want more instruction on using iMovie (click on the title of this post). Since I have iMovie 4.0.1 on my iBook G4, it is very different from iMovie 2008, and I was not sure how to go about using it. There are a variety of links on this web site, from creating blue and green screen effects to cropping and copying a video clip. If anyone else has an older iMovie version, check this site out for assistance!

Web 2.0 video

The Bennett Ranch

C&T870 Class

Just wanted to say how much I like our class and working with such a diverse group! I feel so fortunate to be taking a hands on class that requires practice time, experimenting, learning, and actually working with tools I'll continue to use -is this "situated learning???? :)

BULLYING IN OUR SCHOOLS

As a former special education teacher and high school guidance counselor, I have worked with countless students who have been victimized by bullying. This is a topic that is familiar to us all, as most people have been bullied at one time or other in their lives. An NEA national survey (2007) indicates that 25% of students report that teachers intervene when they are being bullied, yet 71% of teachers believe they ALWAYS intervene. It's difficult for a teacher to always be aware when a child is being bullied; it only takes 37 seconds for a bullying episode to occur. It happens on our playgrounds every seven minutes. 4% of the time, an adult intervenes. 11% of the time, a peer intervenes. 85% of the time, NO ONE INTERVENES! This is an issue about which I am passionate. Please watch the video on bullying. Notice the children who need a hero...like you.

Educational Use of Blog

• Blogging is easy and fun and would appeal to students of all ages, no matter their technical ability or apprehension about using the web. Teachers could create temporary blogs for their courses each semester with elements for new information, thought-provoking questions, a list of resources, videos for students to watch and comment on, and have students blog as part of the course requirements, thereby creating a network for pertinent discussion topics.

• It seems there is never enough time during a course to cover all information I deem helpful to beginning teachers - having a new blog topic each week for students and teachers to discuss would be a good way to examine a topic in depth with those who are interested.

• A facet that is missing from my classes is testimonials from teachers already in the field; it's very difficult for working teachers to come to my classes during the day to discuss their experiences with the college students - I'm sure there are many teachers who are fairly new to teaching who have since thought of what they "wish" they could have learned or asked about during their college classes. Inviting several of them from different disciplines to participate in a blog with pre-teachers would fulfill that "missing element" for my classes, especially for student teachers who are very nervous about taking that first step!

• Another way to use blogging in education is to develop an online learning community for teachers, rather than staying after school for one more committee meeting! These learning communities can share ideas, research, and plan activities in virtual sessions!

• Tech-savvy students in middle or high school would be very motivated to work with a small group to create a blog dedicated to a particular subject, like an event in American history, or the study of a particular element in science, or a blog on cooking for a FACS class. The teacher could create rubrics for self, peer, and teacher evaluations.
  

A BLOG COULD BE CREATED FOR TEACHERS THAT
FOCUSED ON CREATIVE WAYS TO USE A BLOG!!!

News at the Ranch

We've had a new development at our ranch. I'm now the proud mommy of a tiny, black calf - we gave her the first bottle of powdered milk yesterday, as her "real" mama apparently has no milk! We had to hold her down and stuck the bottle in her mouth, but it didn't take long for her to figure out that all she had to do was SUCK HARD!

Getting out to work today was not fun - put it in four wheel drive and by the time I got to the highway, my Toyota 4 Runner was splattered with mud! Of course, my parking space at work is covered with huge dollops of mud that fell off my car...

Now at class at KU, learning how to develop this blog and my CV folder...ttyl.

BACK AT THE RANCH...

A beautiful day today - time to go check to see if we have another new baby calf - so far we have four little black or brown babies. One new mother isn't taking care of her baby, so the calf is nursing from other cows. One of the cows was annoyed and went to where the mother was laying on the ground and head butted her, making her get up to take care of her own baby! Just like humans, some are good parents and some are not.

It's been interesting to watch all of the campaign news - why is no one talking about all of the jobs that corporations have taken overseas and what they will do about that???