Thursday, February 22, 2007

Blog #9

Discuss the changes you notice in your understanding and skill with the technical resources and concepts we have used in class.

This class was great - not only from a professional point of view, but personal as well. I have long tried to figure out how to crop a picture and put a silly hat one someone. I could never do it. I bought a video camera around Christmas and could never figure out how to do anything with the videos. Now I can manipulate images and put together a quality video. I don't know what I will end up teaching or when - but I will have plenty of opportunity to use what I have learned once I get a job. The great thing about this class, is I will be able to use what I have learned outside of work. I really enjoy making the movies and it sure beats watching 6 hours of boring video to watch the 30 seconds of what you really want to watch.

From the perspective of becoming a teacher, knowing how to use the tools we learned this quarter will help me teach it to the kids - but more than that it will allow me to enhance the learning experience in other classes I teach as well.

This was a great class!

I posted on Ron's blog....again.

Blog #8

There are many ways I could use videos in my teaching career. I will be teaching business classes, so I could end up teaching a media class where I would have to teach students how to use video. In fact, my student teaching next quarter will include a section where the students will be making marketing videos. I could use video in the student recruitment process by making a video of the different activities the students are engaged in throughout the year. I know there are many other areas that I can use this - once I get a job and figure out what I am teaching, I will have many opportunities to include this type of technology. I will be especially motivated to find ways to use this type of software now that I know how easy it is!

I commmented on Ron's blog.

Blog #7

The video I am making for the final project is an extension of my first video. The first one was pictures and videos of my family, specifically the kids. I plan to include the pictures from the work with Photoshop and the stories I wrote for the Newsletter. I hope to make the final project something like a video newsletter with actual and fictitious events in which the girls have participated. They love watching the video, and I hope to get them to participate (knowlingly) in the final project. They really enjoy the pictures they are in that didn't happen. They think it's magic. Using something I am really interested in - family - has made this video project fun, and I am really learning how to use the software. The only problems I have been having are uploading the project to Carmen and trying to send it to family. The file size is too big, so I am looking for a free website to host the videos. So far, I haven't had much luck. If anyone has any ideas, I would appreciate it!

I posted on Jenny's blog.

Thursday, February 15, 2007

Blog #6


I started working on this project with Ron, but we soon figured out that we wanted to work on different things - and we both thought it would be fun to do it on our own to get the most out of it. So, I continued working with pictures and videos I have of Maya and Anna. They really enjoyed the photoshop pictures I did, so they were pretty excited to be starring in a movie. For this project, I used footage that I had already filmed - but hadn't been able to figure out what to do with yet. I used some clips cut from larger ones and included pictures of the girls as well. I added music from the software I am using and ripped one song from a CD. It was a lot of fun to make and the girls loved it - all of us are excited about making the next one! The picture shown is one of the ones I used for the video.

I commented on Tia's blog....again.

Wednesday, February 7, 2007

Blog #5

I think graphic design and page layout can be a complement to literacy education. Adding pictures or an interesting graphic can draw in students who may not respond as well to text only lessons. Graphics might help with comprehension of the lesson for all students as they see the concepts demonstrated in pictures as well as words. With the technology available in schools today, teachers have a much greater opportunity to reach more students than in the past. Computer software and applications can allow teachers to be more creative in their presentations, which help the students become, and stay, engaged. When students are interested and engaged they are more likely to learn. I think graphics and creative page layouts when included in every day lesson plans can help increase literacy and learning. Also, once created, it is easy for the teacher to make changes, so it will be easier for teachers to stay up to date and share new information with students.


I commented on Tia's Blog.