Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Video the Eclipse?

As I wait on the eclipse of the moon, I'm reading this weeks' articles, the first about using video in teaching and learning. As a media specialist, I think of all the equipment needed to practice the lesson examples mentioned in Video Goes to School, Part 1. Yesterday, a teacher asked for a fire wire accessory that I've never heard of but I sure is available at Radio Shack or Circuit City. Connectivity always makes me stop and think - how! Cameras and storage formats change so rapidly - especially for a school system's pocketbook. The best part of the article for me is encouragement to get the cameras out into the hands of the students more often. We use Windows Movie Maker for student projects and I'd like to download their own videos for editing rather than just using still photos. Another idea to put forth as a project option.

Ahh Podcasting. I'm wondering about the best recording device for walking around the media center to capture information on various topics from students. One qustion of interest would be "what is the appeal of graphic novels?" Another topic worth recording is "what exactly are you doing this morning in the Media Center?" We're filled with students every morning before the start of school so it may be of interest to those who don't actually get into the Media Center to hear from the students who take advantage of using the Media Center. It would be good PR.

Wesley Fryer said "One of the most basic and powerful ways to increase student motivation to write and communicate is to change student perceptions of audience." Wouldn't it be wonderful if 7th grade students would podcast their 5 paragraph essays for everyone else to hear?? I'm wriing this down as a reminder of what to do next. His links are contageous.

More later on this week's assignments.

Pod-dy on.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am impressed with your web site. I especially like the links to the other web sites. How did you set it up so that you had all the links to the web sites in one place?
Dawn

Anonymous said...

Your excitement about your learning and utilizing it in your school is obvious in your writing. As you gather student videos or podcasts, I hope that you will be able to encourage the math teacher who uses real world application and project based learning to submit. Best wishes in the continuing effort to make school and exciting and engaging place for students.