Team United Wimba room directions

W4_ Reading

(Bruce Neubauer, 2009)

An e-Learning Science Fair

Discusses the creation of an E-Learning Science Fair (ELSF) and how to use it to incorporate digital media and collaborative, online learning.  This article did not speak directly to the my AR project but its principles of using technology to create a more vibrant science fair experience fit perfectly into my project direction.  It centers around collaborative discovery and the digital categorizing and presentation of the data.  It replaces the old standby science fair with the trifold panel board.  Students had to incorporate an e-diary that would be supervised by an online mentor.  They were expected to post regular reports and as well as update video and photo data as evidence of their findings.     

Fleischer, S., Spaid, R., & Christmann, E. (2006). An e-learning science fair. Science Scope, 29(4), 10-13. Retrieved from Education Research Complete database.

Aim, Shoot, Ready!  Future Teachers Learn to ‘Do’ Video

Now that video technology is becoming more affordable for schools, teachers are being encouraged to use it as part of classroom instruction.  Discussed how video media is not the actual world, but an artistic representation of the world.  Video is able to take information beyond just the printed page and provide a life  to information.  Also described the need to give enough time to teach the video and editing technology as part of the course.  And even beyond simply reporting, video has the possibility to produce actual text.  This article is dealing with college level coursework, but its principles fit my AR project perfectly.      

Hernández-Ramos, P. (2007). Aim, shoot, ready! Future teachers learn to ‘do’ video. British Journal of Educational Technology, 38(1), 33-41. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8535.2006.00600.x.

Splitting Clips and Telling Tales: Students Interaction with Digital Video

Describes a group of ten year old children in the UK who were given training on digital video gear and then given structured class assignments to express their understanding of the technology.  Most children only have the experience with digital video from the perspective of being a passive viewer.  New studies are showing that children as makers of media is a new frontier in education.  Discussed the tension between students wanting to just ‘play’ with the video software and the need for the teacher to encourage the students to complete their assigned projects.  Student interaction with the technology fell into three categories: compliance, creating, and futzing.  Compliant students fulfilled the assignment requirements, creative students deviated from the instruction and came up with ideas of their own, and the ”futzers” spent inordinate amounts of time playing with graphics and transitions, but never coming fully to a project’s completion status.

Pearson, M. (2005). Splitting clips and telling tales: Students interactions with digital video. Education & Information Technologies, 10(3), 189-205. doi:10.1007/s10639-005-3000-0.

The Educator’s Role in Preparing Visually Literate Learners

Discussed the tension between the massive exposure kids have to visual media, but they lack the skills to decipher meaning or a good product from a poor one.  There is a large difference between exposure to visual mediums and the ability to create meaningful visuals of their own.  Students seem to lack this ability, even though some can create media.  In fact, most students prefer a visual image to that which is only written or said.  Visual literacy is the ability to synthesize all aspects of a visual medium such as content, style, composition, balance, and the artist’s message.  Also provides a visual literacy rubric.    

Metros, S. (2008). The educator's role in preparing visually literate learners. Theory Into Practice, 47(2), 102-109. doi:10.1080/00405840801992264.

            

PE6_DoInk eclipse test for middle school science

On this test I finally figured out how to construct very simple objects (the sun and moon).  I also learned how to use the object control buttons.  There is a lasso feature that enables the animator to grab several objects at once and move them together.

The only thing I couldn't get a handle on was keeping the background black the entire time.  For some reason I could only get the black background to 'stick' is when I got to the 'flare' part of the animation.    

PE5_DoInk geology test

Animation test of sediment deposition, volcanic intrusion, extrusion, build up, and final weathering.  Near the end of the year I teach a unit on earth science and by then I will have the kids making their first animations.

The cloning feature was a huge help on this one, although I still like the more primitive appearance of moving lines.  When I start my students I will begin them on a very simple animation, such as something as simple as sediment layers building up.  I had an idea for doing tree rings: showing years with adequate moisture compared to years of drought.  This would be a simple animation to break the kids in on.

PE4_DoInk science class test with Punnet Square demo

I have found that DoLink has almost unlimited possibilities for use in my science classes.  I am starting to get better at working smarter on the site.  I learned how to use the clone feature today and that sped up some of the drawing process.  My ultimate goal is to bring it into the classroom and have my students create animations that teach terms and concepts.

FV_ Week 4 FSO Final Video

BP12_One minute commercial---Dropbox.com

Please view my 60 sec. video commercial for Dropbox.com.  The Video itself is exactly 60 sec long, but I picked up a few seconds on the end with  a sources graphic.

Enjoy!

PE3_DoInk test---Food Chain

I can definitely use DoInk in my science class.  I just have to figure out how do draw better with the mouse.  It is a bit cumbersome.  Next step is to get the kids going on their own science lesson DoInks.

PE2_One More DoInk Test

Decided to experiment with photosynthesis by doing an animation in color.  Not happy with this one.  I think some of the visual aesthetic is lost when you do it in color.  Still getting the hang of drawing with the mouse.

W3_Reading

Using iMovie to Enhance Learning
This is a non peer reviewed web article that describes how the use of iMovie can help children learn a subject.  While the article focuses on using iMovie to create video book reports, it holds significance as having applicable principles to my middle school science video production project.  Dietrich gets into the benefits of script writing.  Dietrich also discussed others uses for iMovie including documentaries and video taping science experiments.  A simple, straight forward article that gives encouragement for using iMovie as part of the classroom experience.
Dietrich, P. (nd). Using iMovie to enhance learning.  Retrieved August 12, 2010 from http://corinastechspot.wikispaces.com/file/view/imovie%2Bproject.pdf




Science Via Photography: Using Digital Media to Enhance Animal Adaptation and Diversity Lessons
The author describes how he uses digital photographs to teach science.  Photographs allow for discussions across a vast range of science concepts and terms.  This method also teaches the children to take visual cues from the photographs to identify science ideas.  The next phase it to allow children to shot their own images and then identify the science concepts in their photos.  The children are no authoring their own digital science media.  This creates an excellent learning environment.  These and other principles are exactly what I am trying to establish in my own science/media experiment.
Jones, A. (2010). Science via photography. Science & Children, 47(5), 26-30. Retrieved from Education Research Complete database.




Using Digital Video Assignments as a Tool for Active Learning
Discusses how the creation of digital video holds untapped pedagogical potential for the classroom.  While the author addresses the college classroom, the principles are easily adaptable to the middle school classroom.  Those principles included how to clearly implement an idea into a visual production.  The article stressed the idea of visual literacy and the need to have some mastery of media technology to be competitive in the job market.  It provided some forward thinking ideas.
Dumova, T. (2008). Using digital video assignments as a tool for active learning. International Journal of Learning, 14(12), 63-71. Retrieved from Education Research Complete database.




Say Cheese!  Digital Collections in the Classroom
Discussed ho students can use digital photography to create virtual collections.  Involved going out, locating, shooting, and identifying various leaves.  The student photos were used to create digital collections.  The article discussed how children like using technology gadgets.  Also discussed the editing process and how to find the lest expensive means to print out photos.  The principles in the article mesh perfectly with the goals of my AR project of using digital image media to enhance science learning.
Carter, L., Sumrall, W., & Curry, K. (2006). Say cheese! Digital collections in the classroom. Science &Children, 43(8), 19-23. Retrieved from Education Research Complete database.
 

PE1_Learning DoInk for Middle School LIfe Science---Cell Division

In the life science video project the students are shooting I want them to incorporate 2-3 quick animations to help convey some of the more complex concepts such as cell division, cellular respiration, photosynthesis, etc.  This will also help add to personalizing the design of their video project.

BP9_Web 2.0 Tool Review: Dropbox.com

My 7^th grade life science students are shooting a nature documentary about the fields and wooded areas on our school’s property.  Not a very exciting place.  No massive vistas, no deep forests, and not real scenery.  Until one looks closer.  Then a whole world begins to emerge.   My students have shot plants, insects, mammals, birds, and trees.  The point of this project is to completely immerse them into this natural landscape and see our local ecosystem up close and detailed.  I am using this method to teach the science curriculum.  This project demands careful observation, research,  and comparison.

The digital video footage and photographs they are beginning to create are quite good.  Many of the students seem to have the ‘eye’ for composition.  This is a very good thing.  The flip side of this is that the students are beginning to amass a large amount of digital footage.  And our school’s network does not have the space to store all this digital information.  This was a problem I did not think about when I launched in this direction.  But now I need to place the footage some place as their camera cards begin to get full.

Enter Dropbox.  This is an online digital storage site that will allow the students to store their raw footage.  Opening an account is easy, and the best part is they can also access their footage from home.  Drop Box offers 2Gb of free storage.  This is not a lot, but it should do the job as far as storing the images my students are capturing.  The only alternative was to purchase a couple of external hard drives, but our school is strapped for funds this year.  Drop Box seems to solve the problem.

I am new to Drop Box, so I am still on the learning curve. So far it does not seem overly intuitive, and I’m not quite sure of its filing system, yet.  I have to work with it some more.  Also, I test loaded some of my own footage and it seemed to take a long time. Large image files will require some time to upload.  You can read two reviews at PC World Drop Box review and No 1 Reviews DropBox.com.

My next step is to get the parents on board and create Drop Box accounts from home.  I will collect user names and passwords so team members always have access to one another’s footage.  I’m not quite sure how to navigate this aspect of it with the parents without feeling like privacy issues are being compromised.

My entire approach is so new to my school and to our district, I’m literally writing the curriculum as I go.  But I am convinced this technological immersion will pay off.  My students will become informed authors of science media rather than passive spectators.                        

BP11_Comment on Ashlee's blog

                                                                 (Bill Ward, 2010)

Follow this link to my comment on Ashlee's blog about a new lesson plan site.

BP10_Comment on Ellen's blog

                                                     (Creative Commons, 2010)

Follow this link to my comment on Ellen's blog.

W2_Week 2 Reading

(Creative Commons, 2010)

Non‐Optimal Uses of Video in the Classroom

This article covers poor use of video in the classroom.  It was included as a balance to allowing video media a free, unstructured reign, as opposed to using it with purpose.  Age inappropriate content was discussed.  Student media literacy skills can be developed if video media used carefully. Also discussed was the history of media in the classroom from the filmstrip to the digital film.  Teachers must have a plan for their media use with a discussion on content versus instructional method.  Some of the non-optimal uses described were: no clearly defined purpose, no use of pause and rewind, to give the teacher a ‘break’, teacher mentally disengaged, use of video as ‘reward’, attention hook, or to control student behavior.

 Hobbs, R. (2006). Non‐optimal uses of video in the classroom. Learning, Media, & Technology, 31(1), 35-50. doi:10.1080/17439880500515457.

The Digital NATIVES are Restless: Using the Mobile Phone Camera Creatively in Visual Arts and Media Classrooms

Article discussed the need for students to be able to speak digitally.  An attempt must be made to shift digital culture from perpetuating visual parody only, into more serious academic pursuits.  The article also pursued the tension between the digital natives (students) and digital immigrants (teachers).  The article covered two schools that successfully implemented smart phone video-making as part of their course assignments.  The students had to interact with the material on multiple levels.  The conclusion was that image making was a socially constructed way for students to see the world.

Nash, G., & Mackey, K. (2007). The Digital NATIVES are restless: Using the mobile phone camera creatively in visual arts and media classrooms. Screen Education, (47), 92-97. Retrieved from Communication & Mass Media Complete database.

Filmmaking Across the Curriculum

Article covered the benefits of student video making as a way that enhanced their interaction with the course content.  Student video making enhanced their learning experience

 (2005). Filmmaking Across the Curriculum. Screen Education, (40), 58-61. Retrieved from Communication & Mass Media Complete database.

Digital Story Telling in a Science Classroom: Reflective Self-Learning (RSL) in Action

Article discussed how student video making helped them move from “knowledge telling” into the knowledge itself.   Student video making can be used to explore almost any curriculum domain.  Digital storytelling is not yet a part of education’s mainstream, but it is growing in acceptance as the idea of visual literacy takes on greater meaning.  Students learned to combine still image, sound, and video image into pieces that also helped them become more self-reflective with the material.  Used real world observations and data gathering and incorporated into a video creation.  Also described the benefit derived from students viewing one another’s productions.

Valkanova, Y., & Watts, M. (2007). Digital story telling in a science classroom: reflective self-learning (RSL) in action. Early Child Development & Care, 177(6/7), 793-807. doi:10.1080/03004430701437252.

Interviewing the Experts: Student Produced Podcast

While this article discussed college level work, its principles are applicable for middle school and high school applications.  Students were instructed to create podcasts on certain subjects.  The use of digital video media bolstered applied skills, communication skills, conceptual skills, research skills, team work, and new technology skills.  Also developed were analytical and critical thinking skills.  The research phase caused students to have to interact with the expert (the data).

Armstrong, G., Tucker, J., & Massad, V. (2009). Interviewing the Experts: Student Produced Podcast. Journal of Information Technology Education, 8IIP-79-IIP-90. Retrieved from Education Research Complete database.

"Writing" Research with Video: Exploring Video Action Research from the Classroom to the Field in New Orleans

Another article that described college level application, but its principles are appropriate to middle and high school.  Article discussed the relationship between research and pedagogy.  It was stressed that proper research was vital to accurate video presentation.  This new form of research is called video action research (VAR).  VAR has the potential to position students as media authors and producers and not just media consumers and spectators.  The article covers the effort needed to translate hard data in to accurate visual images.  The author called this process “collaboration with the subject”. 

Lovett, M. (2007). "Writing" Research with Video: Exploring Video Action Research from the Classroom to the Field in New Orleans. Journal of Curriculum & Pedagogy, 4(2), 7-18. Retrieved from Education Research Complete database.

Book Trailer Projects From Classroom to Community: Virginia Tech Students Reach Out to the Local High School

This article laid out an entire student video making project complete with storyboards, content goals, and rubrics and discussed the benefits derived from student interaction with course material through the medium of video production.

Woods, D., & Beach, C. (2008). Book Trailer Projects From Classroom to Community: Virginia Tech Students Reach Out to the Local High School. Virginia English Bulletin, 58(2), 42-47. Retrieved from Education Research Complete database.

W1_Week 1 Reading (Re-posted after blog site accidentally deleted)

Too Close for Comfort: Real Time Science Teaching Reflections via Digital Video Editing

This study dealt primarily with using iMovie to assist new science teachers in improving their teaching technique.  However, the application of iMovie and technology as education tools to be used by the teacher was not missed.  While science pedagogy changed greatly over the past decades, science teaching methodologies did not change all that much.  Recent advantages have been discovered in allowing for science teachers to tell a science story through various media venues.  Science story telling permitted children to interact with the scientific information, but also allowed for the teacher to make corrections in potential misconceptions.  This created advantages all the way around.  A new movement began to update science teacher methods to bring them current with the easy access to 21^st century media creation technology.  Science teachers were given the role of influencing their own practices through the introduction of technology.  This included using iMovie to create their own teacher autobiography.  This autobiography was used to critique their teacher effectiveness.  Also discussed was the tendency to lose track of goals and values as other pressures and influences came to bear upon the teacher’s performance.

Yerrick, R., Ross, D., & Molebash, P. (2005). Too close for comfort: Real-time science teaching reflections via digital video editing. Journal of Science Teacher Education. Vol 16, No 4. 351-375.                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

Literacy in the 21st Century: The Fourth R: Video Recording

Discussed the fourth R---video production.  Children have been given access to consumer friendly digital video gear.  Because the gear was easily obtained, teachers on the forefront of classroom technology incorporated digital video into such projects as creating commercials, demonstrations of skills, documentaries on subjects of interest, social studies interviews, oral history collections, and even book reports.  This technology fell into what is called the non-print literacy category.  Speaking was once the main method of communication, then print, but today communication is evolving again. The 21^st century is very visual.  Young digital natives became very comfortable with the multimedia platforms of the 21st century.  Smart educators will see this and use it to their advantage.

Siegle, D. (2009). Literacy in the 21st century: The fourth R: video recording. Gifted Child Today. Volume 32, No 2. 14-19.                                                                       

In defense of writing: a social semiotic perspective on digital media, literacy and learning

This article was included because of the balance it proposed against the overall theme of using digital video production in the classroom.  The ability to produce written text precluded the ability to create sight and sound images.  Did the use of digital media technology cause students to opt out of semiotic literacy?  Society moved from “page to screen” and from “writing to image”.  This shift has had a tremendous impact on the role of text.  The dilemma presented it the conflict between signs and codes.  How children create signs (assigned meaning to the image), also affects the code (the organization of thought through rules of communication).  Digital media tended to enforce how children signed the classroom material, with both sexes ascribing different bases for signifying.  By contrast, writing demanded the use of more choosing and comparison.  Pictures can be combined at will, whereas writing implies a more systematic approach to the creation and assembling of ideas.  The argument was made that writing needed to retain its role as the dominant mode of communication.

 Skaar, H. (2009). In defence of writing: a social semiotic perspective on digital media, literacy and learning. Literacy. Vol 43, No 1. 36-42.                                                                              

Technology Integration

While the article does not deal with science, but social studies, its philosophy and theory were compatible to the teaching of science through digital video production.  Children are used to technology.  If they did not use it at school in a meaningful way then they used it at home regardless.  Discussed the conflict with teacher time, teacher proficiency on the video technology, and reaching the test standards.  The digital documentary was described as a sound vehicle for transferring student technology use with curriculum and test score goals.  This kind of project demanded a high level of critical thinking, synthesis, content connection, creativity, and student ownership.  All of these were greatly sought after skills in the classroom.  After having completed a digital video documentary, the authors observed the students had participated in authentic intellectual work. 

 Hofer, M., Owings, K., & Thacker, E. (2010). Technology integration. Social Studies Research & Practice. Vol 5, No 1. 176-183

BP8_OMM One Minute Web 2.0 Video---Animoto

This is my one minute video promo for Animoto.

The actual video content is EXACTLY one minute long, but a few seconds tagged on at the end with the addition of a proper citation graphic.  Hope that doesn't ding my grade.

BP7_Comment to classmate Karl Peterson's blog

(Embedit, 2010

Follow this link to a comment I made regarding Karl Peterson's post on Embedit

BP6_Comment to classmate Sue Parler's Blog

The world is my classroom.

Please follow this link to my comment on Sue Parler's blog.

BP5_Second Web Tool Review--DoInk

(Doink, 2010)

DoInk is a revelation.  I discovered it while trolling through Guru.

For a few years I've often wondered, "Wouldn't it be cool if I could create my own quick, animated science clips to demonstrate terms and concepts?"  I found DoInk.  I became addicted immediately.  It is the perfect addition to my science teaching tool box.  Within minutes I was using it successfully.  My first animation was of a bacteria growth.  You can go to Bacteria Growth to view it.  It is very quick (only a few frames long), but it really communicates the point.  It's also fun to watch.  I am a fairly accomplished artist, but I like the primitive look of the computer drawing and animation.  Its unpolished appearance seems to lend a more entertaining look to the action.  DoInk is probably not made for perfect, finely tuned, uber accurate drawings, but it is perfect for illustrating concepts.

DoInk uses a digital version of traditional cell animation.  The concept is the same: draw a frame, overlap its ghost image, and draw the next frame.  I thought its simplicity of design made a perfect teacher tool.  Yes, it requires time, but a piece can be worked on a little at a time and saved at DoInk's site for later retrieval.

I also think DoInk has applications for almost every subject.  It would be a great lesson introducer.  Another application can be student assignments.  A student can easily create an expressive animation to illustrate an assignment concept.  DoInk's learning curve is not that steep, so it can be learned in a short period of time.  This makes it user friendly for digital immigrants like me.

DoInk receives very good ratings.  You can view two of them at AppAppeal and Commonsense .

BP4_Web 2.0 Tool---Animoto

                                                               (Animoto, 2010)

Animoto  is a web tool with countless applications in any classroom with any subject.  The beautiful part is that it does not require a degree in video editing to use it.  As a matter of fact, it requires no video skills whatsoever.  All one needs is a basic understanding of digital photography and how to upload images to the web.  Animoto does the rest.  The cable television station G4 gave Animoto high marks for its innovation and ease of use.  Watch the complete review at G4 Animoto Review.

While my school was able to move on to digital editing, many students and classrooms do not have editing software.  Animoto gives students an entry into the world of visual creativity.  It can be a legitimate jump on point for teaching future visual skills.  Even in a school that already has editing software, Animoto can still introduce students to the art of the visual image.  

First, go to the Animoto site and follow the simple prompts.  Its instructions are concise and explain exactly what to do.  After uploading the images, background music can be chosen and transition designs selected.  It is now time to sit back and let Animoto do the rest.  Within minutes Animoto will play back an edited video of your images, complete with music and transitions.  If you do not like the first version, it can be sent back multiple times until you have a video creation that pleases you.  The beautiful part is that Animoto does all the work.

This is a wonderful tool for any teacher to use.  The applications are only limited by the teacher’s imagination.  Its uses can include everything from catchy lesson intros, to discussion pieces, to showing the class’s last field trip.  Another application for Animoto is student projects.  If a classroom does not have access to digital editing software, then Animoto can open a creative doorway for students to experiment visually without having to jump on a strenuous software learning curve.  The class can actually watch in real time as Animoto creates and then sends back their piece.  Or, students can access it from home and create assignments that tap into their visual skills.

Even the most stubborn digital immigrant will find Animoto an inspiring web tool.  We live in a sight and sound generation in which visual literacy is playing an ever increasing role in the classroom.  Animoto helps the teacher step into the world of digital creativity without having to spend weeks learning how to do it.

Here is a quick video I made using photographs from a trip to Gettysburg.


Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.