Szychlinski/Reflection 4

This course has been very helpful for me because, while I comfortable using technology with my students and try to use it as much as access allows, I am someone who integrates new pieces as I go. I thrive on finding new ways to use technology to the student's advantage, new websites that students can use at school and at home, and new presentation styles to keep engagement at high level. This course allowed me to take a step back and delve a little deeper into some projects I had going. In addition, the handouts that we gained access to on some of these programs will be helpful for those students that aren't as comfortable just jumping in. While I do like kids to use their problem-solving skills to explore programs such as the Adobe Creative Suite or iLife, I recognize that when completing a project, providing them with guidelines on how to do certain things properly will be helpful.

As I work to integrate the ITL standards for fifth and sixth grade language arts next year, I am excited to build in experiences with many of these programs. In the past I have used iMovie for students to add their own digital photography and music tracks to poetry, and I look forward to tying it to other genres of writing. To scaffold this, I hope to start with creating book trailers as a class and in small groups before having them work in partners or individually on these types of presentations. My overall goal for next year is to teach and model how technology can enhance a presentation just like soundtracks, photography, and editing do in movies and TV. While this is something we have discussed this year, I look forward to modeling this and analyzing popular media they love to demonstrate the power of technology.

Szychlinski/Reflection 3

For the IMovie project, I uploaded an "early edition" of our sixth grade music video. Because one of our EKS for language arts is to know the parts of speech, students practice a rap to begin differentiating between the eight different terms. As they become comfortable, they add their voices to the instrumental track using GarageBand, film their video clips, and it is then compiled into an IMovie music video. This video, which is a joint effort between 80 students and myself, has proven to be a highly engaging way to learn.

Parts of Speech Music Video

High School Transition video - 2011

I created an iMovie to assist my students in transitioning to the high school easier next year. This will be made into a DVD and sent home with each of my 3 students for their viewing over the summer.

High School Transition - 2011

http://youtu.be/6FRwZJ2lo6I

Fish/reflection4

I took the Video/Photo Class because I have access to technology, but do not use it to the highest extent that I should. I like to think that I have some pretty sound technological background, since I did get my masters in technology. However, I learned that, everything I learned 5 years ago has been modified or completely changed, plus I learned on PCs, where Franklin uses Mac. I also wanted to take this class because at the elementary level, we are starting to gain more access to computers, via laptop carts.

One project that I plan to implement is an imovie about Jamestown. Taking photos and reenactments of what the students thought about Jamestown into an imovie will be an unforgettable experience. I feel that putting the students into the project is the best way for them to learn. Also, studying the 6th grade social studies material for the first time, I want the students to be able to make presentations using photoshop. I have found that the students learn very quickly on how to do things on the computer, it's just a matter of giving them the time.

Thanks Chad!

Sierpinski/Reflection 4

I always sign up for technology classes with much anxiety, being afraid I will not be able to keep up with the class or lose what I have created. But what I took away from this class was well worth that anxiety. I learned how to organize pictures that I took with my digital camera (using lots of new photography techniques) for my students in iPhoto. Now I can edit them, make them into slideshows, books, cards, etc. I learned to upload them to Picassa. I can now use the pictures from any computer. iMovie is amazing. I was able to use the video I took on my flip camera of my students' field trip and turn it into a video that they can watch over the summer to help them transition to the high school next year. It will also help ease their parents anxiety, as well.

Besides creating the video for ease of my students' transition, I plan on using the "rectangles" slideshow I developed on the Smartboard to help my students learn "rectangle" in another fun way (with my students, I need lots of ways to teach the same thing over and over again). Maybe Chad can help me find a way to have my guys draw a rectangle around each "real world" rectangle on the Smartboard.

My special students do not get to brag or chat about fun things they get to do in school. Their parents only hear from me on a "talker" about their day. I will be teaching my assistants to utilize iPhoto so we can make a "talking picture album" with all the pictures we have taken of the guys. It is fun for them to see and hear about themselves, great for learning to turn pages and pressing the talk button.

Next year I will be getting more students and some with higher abilities. I would like to use the flip camera for modeling procedures and behaviors. I know it will be beneficial for my kitchen safety unit.

This was an excellent class for me. It was taught in a way I could understand. I gained more technology information that can be applied directly to my classroom and learned from others in the room.

Tobias/Reflection4

I took the Digital Photo and Video for Grades 5 - 8 course to enhance my knowledge of using a digital camera, iPhoto, iMovies and uploading videos to YouTube. In addition, I was looking for applications and ideas on ways to incorporate technology into the music classroom. I was pleased that I familiar with some technology basics that I have not used in some time and that I learned new tricks and how to use the newer version of iMovie than I have used in the past. This was also my first experience using Picassa, a photo sharing site.

Some of the ideas I got for applying this class to my classroom include the following: making a fun video displaying classroom rules/safety for the beginning of year, illustrations of song lyrics using slide shows, having students create a digital music autobiography, having students create an advertisement for one of the Milwaukee Symphony Concert field trips that we will be attending, and creating composer "trading cards" with research that students find in books or on the Web.

I found our teacher, Chad, to be extremely responsive to meeting the needs of the entire class and excellent at addressing the needs and questions of individuals. The project of creating an iMovie and posting it on Youtube, and taking photos and uploading them to iPhoto and Picassa were practical and useful tools for my classroom setting. I would heartily recommend this course to other educators who wish to make technology an important part of their teaching!

Vink/Reflection 4

Overall Reflection of this course (2 paragraphs minimum, more if desired): What did you take away? What will you use in your classroom?

I truly enjoyed this class even though I felt over whelmed at times with all the "new" information. On the first night I found the flip camera an interesting piece of equipment and would very much like to buy one to use with my class. I think that it would be a tool that students would enjoy and I could, with some practice, become proficient at using comfortably. I also discovered that importing photos into a computer is very easy and wonderful way of keeping a photo library.

On Saturday, I enjoyed learning about IPhoto and all it's features-editing tools, and how to title events/slides and create a slide show. There is so much to learn! It wasn't hard, just difficult to remember all the "new" information. However, I plan to practice importing photos into IPhoto and working with them over the summer. Then, next year I hope to use the 15 cameras the art teacher has at my elementary building to give the students opportunities to take pictures to use in a few guided projects-at least one in language arts and one in math. IMovie as great! However, once again, it will take me time to practice and use before I feel completely comfortable using it with my whole class. However, I would like to practice creating another IMovie in my free time to practice the skills that I was introduced to this weekend. Then next school year, I can hopefully try to allow the students in class the opportunity to develop a short IMovie in class as a partner project.

Thanks for the information and posting notes and information online so I can refer back to when I have a problem or forget how to do something.

Janet