Virtual Vision

The last two classes for this course have been virtual classes. I really wasn't in favor of having these, but I wasn't brave enough to speak up and say I don't feel comfortable doing this. It would be like admitting "I'm a computer idiot". Who wants to do that? I was concerned, but I tried to have an open mind about it. I knew I could probably muddle through somehow. To my surprise it wasn't so bad. I checked in on threaded discussion and then I tried each assignment. The first class was working with podcast. I went to Gabcast and played around for a while and then recorded a podcast. Everything worked well with no hitches. I tired the new technology with my students the next day. I also gathered some ideas on how I could use this great technology. The second class we were to explore Yack-Pack and create a voki and post it to our blogs. I did not receive the invite to do yack-Pack, but I was able to create my voki. I loved this. It was alot of fun. I wasn't sure how to post the voki on my blog, but I figured it out fairly quickly. The virtual classes were not the nightmare I had anticipated them to be, but I still prefer face to face encounters. I think it's just a personal thing. I do think however, that the virtual class is a good thing to have from time to time. It is good to have different experiences.

Technology Triumph

I can't believe this semester is drawing to a close. This class has definitely been a challenge for me. I would not have considered myself completely tech illiterate, but I was a far cry from savvy. I was very nervous when I begin this class, because I worried if I would be able to keep up or understand what was going on. As I reflect, I must admit that for the most part things were not as bad as I thought they may be. I did leave in tears a few nights because I felt overwhelmed and for one reason or another technology was not going my way. I tried to put this class into perspective and I realized that I have learned many new technologies and I'm armed with some new projects to accentuate my lessons. Learning and growth are the most important things. That is what I tell my students, so I guess I need to practice what I preach.
I know I'm more confident because I don't panic right away when something doesn't work out. I still panic, just not as quickly as before. Now I try again or try a different way to make it work. I would have not done this before.
I have begun to include technology into my weekly lesson plans. I find myself asking what technology element could I add to this unit. I know that the technologies I have learned in this course will benefit me as a teacher and as a professional. I want to continue exploring new technologies and try out new projects with my students.
I know I will begin a class Blog. I will be creating digital text, and making podcast and Inspiration creations regularly. I will do more webquests with my students, and I plan to create a webquest for our Social Studies and Science units. I already use my social bookmarks regularly. I hope to make a class wiki and a threaded discussion to help my students collaborate on projects and assignments.
I really enjoyed creating this last Inspiration assignment. It is so much better than my first Inspiration creation.

Movie Marvel

I finished making my digital movie project. I used photographs that I took with my students and we worked together to come up with the text. I used movie maker to complete this project. I used this soft ware because I have access to this program at school. I originally began a book at jumpcut.com, however I didn't finish this project because this site is blocked by our county. I requested that the site be unblocked, but the county would not cooperate. So I thought I should become familiar with movie maker since that software is available. Movie Maker is somewhat user friendly although I lost my work several different times. I also had a very difficult time uploading this to my blog.For some reason the movie wouldn't up load even after I tried four different times. One of my colleagues told me about a site she sometimes uses called fileup yours.com (which were my sentiments exactly) that you can upload videos or any thing else I suppose. After I uploaded to this site success followed shortly. I captured the the pictures for my movie one afternoon on a nature walk with my students. We were looking for signs of spring. I took the photographs, but the students help write the text for the photos. They seemed to enjoy this and I didn't have to brow beat them to get it done. This is one of the things I like about technology. It is a great motivator.
I think this would be a good project for students to use if they access to their own digital cameras. However, the students could also be included by creating text to accompany the photos of a nature walk or field trip that were taken by the teacher. I am going to attempt to load my scanned book pictures into movie maker so that students would be able to follow along with their favorite books.

You can Check out my movie by clicking digital project under my assignments.

Gab on Gabcast

Lisa and I tried our podcast again today. It was a success! We used Gabcast and it was much better. It was very user friendly. This was on of the projects that i found to be very easy to use and even uploading went smoothly. I used the school's phone just to see if would work and it did! No problems ( it was hard for me to believe as well). Some of the technologies that we have experimented with in this class have required some technology back ground or at least some trial and error, but this was so easy. I think almost anyone at my school would be able to do this. I already shared this with my team and they were impressed.
For Gabcast you use a telephone instead of a computer microphone. The students did real well with it and really enjoyed it. They also liked hearing the podcast as well. They laughed when they heard their voice. I think Gabcast is better than Odeo because any one can listen to the Gabcast. On odeo, in order to listen, you had to be a member.
I sent the website and title home to parents so they could listen. Many did listen and wrote very sweet reponses back to me saying how much they enjoyed it. From now on I will do my gabbing on Gabcast!

Gabcast! "Pet Care Kids" #1




Gabcast! You Belong in the Zoo #1

Podcast Possibilities

Lisa and I worked on our podcast today. One attempt was unsuccessful and We are going to redo it. It was a Reader's Theater play that our students were working on in reading groups. The students loved it and the recording went very well, but it did not save. I'm not sure why. The second attempt went a little better. Lisa and I made a reading tips podcast for parents to give them strategies on how to help their young readers. We used odeostudio.com. We will try again using Gabcast. This way we can see which one we like better. I can think of may ways to use podcasts. Some of them being: poetry readings, plays, parent information, students sharing experiences such as field trips and books they've read. There are numerous possibilities.

Wiki World

Before this class, I did not know what a wiki was or how it was used. Now I have more of an idea of wikis and how they can be beneficial. I think I like blogs better, but I can see the advantages to wikis. Unlike blogs several students can be working on a topic ant the same time and can be added together. They are easier for collaborations, because students can go in and add or change information on a certain topic even though the students may be in different classes, places, or countries. I think they would also be helpful for future students to use as tutorials or examples for certain topics or assignments. I would like to have a class wiki for my students. I like that a teacher can check to see what each student has contributed to the wiki topic or page. However, I'm somewhat bothered that information can be added to a wiki that may not be factual. But I guess nonfactual information can be added to anything. We need to always double check our facts in wikis or otherwise. This can be a valuable lesson for students to learn.

Jing Thing

I began making a tutorial for digital bookmaking at Jingproject.com. Although this site is helpful in making a very detailed tutorial, it is not user friendly. It allows users to record video so that each step in the tutorial is recorded. However, It is confusing to use beacuse I was not sure what to save these recordings to. After working for nearly three hours I became a little more familar with how to use the program, but I still did not have a tutorial completed. Also when the recordings are saved they are not necessarily in chronigical order. So then you have to listen to all recordings so that you can order them in your Word or Powerpoint document. I think tutorials are a great idea, but I definitely will not be making one if it is going to take that long. The Jing thing just wasn't my thing, but for others that are more knowledgeable tech wise it may be the right thing.