Digital Stories 1: Let’s Get Started!

Digital Stories!
In class we talked about the way that digital stories can make someone feel. It brings about emotions and gives you an appreciation of the topic. For example, with the digital story on the holocaust, the video turns the tragedy into something real rather than just a past tragedy. Digital stories helps students and people in general remember ideas and gain a respect for many diverse topics. The images in digital stories stay a lot longer in someone’s mind than if they were seeing pictures in a text book. The music is part of the process and brings the pictures alive along with the narration. My group is working on a digital story about the poet Robert Frost. Our goal is to bring this man back to life in our story. We want our future students to remember Frost and our story will help them to personally know the author. Frost’s life tells the story of a struggling poet where fame or recognition did not come over night. This is one idea that we want our students to understand about our digital story. (Life was not always good for Robert Frost it was hard)

In class, we talked about how to begin a digital story. In beginning, you need to write a narration then find the pictures, music, and have an idea about transitions. After completing these steps you have to go back and edit the narration because it will change based on the pictures.(Etc) It’s important to follow these steps in writing a digital story because it will guide you to success. I’m going to be an English teacher and this reminds me of the writing process. You shouldn’t just try to write without brainstorming.(Etc) Our group is preparing to take these steps in writing and creating our digital story. One of us is writing the narration and then when that is finished we will collaborate and find pictures.Continuing the digital story process until we are finished)

As are group worked together in class, I thought about the importance of group work. I have always been scared of collaborating with others. In the past I have found that many people are unreliable and I’m a perfectionist. My attitude has changed and I have been able to trust others to get the job done. In dealing with others it’s important to have patience. (I have learned this as I have gotten older in relationships. My friends are never on time and it’s annoying but I have patience because it’s worth dealing with it to be their friend.) Basically, it’s worth having patience with other people to collaborate a million good ideas as a group. After loving group work this semester I hope that next semester I can have as great of success with such collaborators.

Video: NASA Digital Story
The first thing that I noticed about the video is that it has a purpose. First, to inform students about NASA and then to show the significant contributions space exploration brings to the world. It is important because students are able to learn visually about NASA and have a deeper appreciation for the program. For example, in the video it shows faces with names of those that have lost their lives in space or attempting to go to space. Students will now feel a connection to NASA and have a respect for their accomplishments in space. They will be able to see a bigger picture of the goals of NASA and have a better understanding of the subject. A digital story is able to capture moments and feeling greater than any textbook. After watching this digital story my hope is to create something similar in my field of English. As this video makes a connection with readers I also would like to do the same in creating my digital story on Robert Frost. My purpose is for my students to personally understand the author and feel a connection to his poetry. I know that music, pictures and stories will help me in accomplishing my goal.

My Educational Video and Four Articles/Responses--Yay!

•Video: How To Take Care of Library Books•

I feel this video could be a good way to teach my students several ideas. First, I would like them to learn how to take care of library books. Since I’m going to be an English teacher I want them to know the importance of keeping books nice for the next person. In general this idea will help them beyond library books, for example, in jobs they will be expected to keep things neat, nice and so forth. People don’t respect those who have unclean things and who are unorganized. The video teaches an idea of being responsible and I think this is worthwhile for twelve-year-old seventh graders. There at the age where they are coming into responsibility. In the video is show’s a young girl who leaves her book out and her dog comes and chews the pages. The video explains that the girl should have been responsible and put her book away out of harm’s way. Again, the video teaches accountability for ones actions. As teacher’s we have limited resources such as books and due to this I think it is important to take the time to educate our students on taking care of books. Showing the video tells the students that you as the teacher have high expectations of how they take care of books. Hopefully the students will be impacted and carry on the habit in other classes.



•Tool: Video conferencing-2 Articles•


Hazel, J. (1999). Desktop Video conferencing: Novelty or Legitimate Teaching Tool? Retrieved Nov. 12, 2009, from Educational World. Web site: http://www.education-world.com/a_curr/curr120.shtml.2009.

Skype VoIP Videoconference User Guide, Help, FAQ, Hints and Resource. Retrieved Nov. 12, 2009, from Google. Web site: http://www.hl7.com.au/Skype-Video-Conferencing.htm.

My main objective for my first two articles: My goal is for my students to video conference English writers and professionals. They will be able to ask questions and hear other people’s points of view about writing and ideas. My first article is called, “Desktop Video conferencing: Novelty or Legitimate Teaching Tool?” and it talks about the fun experimentation that students can gain from video conferencing. It explains that it’s a tool that can be used for large group discussions. For example, a school in Tennessee did a video conference with a local aquarium to answer questions that helped all the students understand the relationships among animals, habitats, and environments. Through the video conferencing-- visual learning took place that couldn’t have happened without the computer program. What do you need to do to participate in video conferencing? Three things are required: software, an inexpensive camera, and an IP that connects to the Internet. I see myself getting my English students together on a unit such as poetry. For example, if we were studying the poet Walt Whitman we could think of several unanswered questions we have about his poetry. As a large group we could video conference a famous college and discuss with an expert professor about our questions. The experience will be such an educating one because not only will their questions be answered but they will have an experience with such knowledgeable and driven people. The article also calls this same idea, mentoring to the students. The article talks about many other benefits to video conferencing. Benefits such as financial—video conferences are inexpensive and can take the place of an expensive experience of a field trip or a visit to another campus or distant site. I have learned a lot from this article about video conferencing. (Things I would have never thought of before) First, it’s important to plan a video early in the morning that way the internet is less congested. Explain to the school that you need everyone to stay offline while your videoconference is taking place. Also, you will need to think of the placement of students on the camera and use a microphone. Before the video conference takes place it is important to do a practice run that way the students understand when they should talk. (Etc) It is very important to work together with other classes or individual students. This will help with researching and cause comparing and contrasting to happen. Basically more learning will then take place. The other article I decided to use as I researched online conferencing is called, “Skype VoIP Video Conference User Guide, Help, FAQ, Hints and Resource.” Before this class I never considered that I would ever learn how to online conferencing but I am now very interesting in learning. This is why I choose the article on Skype because it is a free online video conferencing program. Basically the costs of the calls are free. The one thing that you do have to buy is a webcam. I decided that I would try downloading Skype and it is very simple. It begins with the click of a button to download the program. It then asks you your name and email address. It asks for a password for logging into Skype. Something that I learned from this article is that video conferencing such as Skype can hold up to ten participants. Also, the article shows step by step what is needed to start video conferencing on Skype. I see myself making this an assignment in my future classes to have my students to sign up for Skype as I have done. As I have talked about many positive things to the program there are several negative ideas. Cons: In video conferencing there is a danger of phone harassment. Students and teachers should never talk to anyone they don’t know or didn’t plan on conferencing with prior. There are sexual predators who use video conferencing in their crimes. This reiterates the idea to never talk to strangers. Everything including videoconferencing has its bad and good qualities.

•Tool: Snail Mail-2 Articles•

(2009). Send Free Snail Mail Online; Email to Snail Mail Service. Retrieved Nov. 12, 2009, from Webisee. Web site: http://www.webisee.com/2009/02/09/send-free-snail-mail- online-email-to-snail-mail-service/.

(2009). Online Snail Mail - $1. Retrieved Nov. 12, 2009, from Free Family Resources. Web site: http://acheapchicksray.blogspot.com/2009/08/online-snail-mail-1.html.

As I research another tool I’m keeping in mind my objective of students finding a way to communicate with professionals on English related topics. The tool that I choose and am very excited about using in my future classroom is snail mail. First, I had no idea what snail mail was and how you would use such a tool. The first article I choose is titled, “Send Free Snail Mail Online; Email to Snail Mail Service.” The basic definition of snail mail is typing a letter online then through the service your letter will be hand delivered and printed by US postal mail. I learned several new ideas from this article: it’s simple! First, if you’re using eSnailer you will click on find an envelope, then fill out the address fields. Next you will write the letter in the place provided. Because this is a free site at the end when you try and send the letter it will ask you to accept a free add. (You will simply click yes) I see myself requiring this as an assignment for my classes. For example, I could have them write a letter to professors at a college that “we did a video conference with to say thank you and tell them what they learned.” I could also have them write a letter to a family member telling about what they learned from a video conference about poets. One negative idea from reading this article is that not all snail mail is free and it often costs money. I know that I could not require my students to pay for snail mail. One positive idea that I gained from this article is that students can choose stickers and add things onto their letters. What a fun and worthwhile thing to do. In a way they are thinking about someone else, especially when writing thank you cards. The second article I decided to use is called, “Online Snail Mail - $1.” I learned many things to consider when using online snail mail. First, there are several different sites to use in using this tool for example you could use esnailer or snailmailr. Basically if you don’t like one site choose another one that you like better. I also, learned that by using snailmailr that charges a dollar per letter you can pay using Amzaon.com. (Which I feel safe and secure about using) As I think about this idea of snailmailr, I would not be able to require my students to use this site. But I could use it as a class, for example I could have the class write a communicative thank you letter to a poet that spoke to us through an online conference. One more negative idea that I learned about through this article is that snail mail is not placed in the mail for 24 hours. Snail mail has a reason for its name, it is slow. This idea would not be a problem in my classes because we would be in no hurry for our letters to arrive. Another negative aspect is this particular program posts a snailmailr logo on the letter. It is possible to remove it but it costs 15 cents. Also, another idea with snail mail that would fit under my objective is the idea of mailing letters to poets and asking questions. Then if any authors or professors responded we could share the exciting information with everyone in the class. Another idea that would be worthwhile is sending letters to the sentor or president. It is likely that the letters would recieve no response back but the experience for the students would be great. First, they would need to think what they would say and secondly it would teach them that they can be proactive. (Having a voice)

Edited Pictures

 

 

 

 

Digital Cameras: Lets Take Some Pictures!!

Digital Cameras!

For those who have never used a digital camera it is a worthwhile tool to take the time to understand. Even as popular, as digital cameras are, many people have never used such a device. Pictures create ever-lasting memories that people can look back and remember past events. Many people take pictures of the things they care about like their family or historical sites. In the future, I see myself using a digital camera in my seventh grade English class. I think it could be very helpful to my students and be used as a tool to motivation. For example, I see myself assigning a creative book report to my students. After everyone is done, I will take pictures of each student with their book report. I could then print out the pictures and require they post the picture in their end of the year portfolio. I know my students would always remember that accomplishment and through the picture create a hard copy of a learning experience.

When I was in seventh and eighth grade, I remember using a video camera in my English classes. When I am a teacher, I also see myself giving out assignments to my students where they have an opportunity to use a video camera. For example, with the play Hamlet I could require my students recreate the play. It would be such worthwhile learning experience because putting a play together takes thinking. I want my students to think and using a video camera to record such thinking makes it a marvelous tool. The students will then be able to watch the video and this will create an accomplishment moment for those students. Also, it will help them to remember the play we will be reading and help them on tests.

As students learn how to use video cameras and digital cameras they will be enlightened to technology. I would be hopeful that this would empower my students to use such technologies outside of their classes. I imagine them taking their cameras and having many, learning experiences that they create themselves. For example, going to a BYU museum where they take pictures of history. Instantly, they will have visual memories to remember all the things they learned at the museum. I feel this idea about visual cameras is an important point. It helps people visually learn.


Video: Top Ten Things You Do Not Learn About Teaching in College

I feel this video gave a few enlightening points about teaching. One of the ideas was, “Learn how to disarm the school alarm on the weekends.” The point made by this statement is that teaching is a lot of work. It is going to be more work than I think anyone can fully comprehend in college. There will be days that you either have to take your work home and grade papers on Saturdays. I definitely believe there has to be a balance in life but I know it takes dedication to be a good teacher. It means staying after more hours than one had intended. Another idea that the video points out says, “You’ll want to change your last name because it will be used so much.” I feel this point is saying that teaching takes patience. As students say your name over again and at the same time asks never-ending questions a good teacher has patience. The movie makes some funny points about teaching. It gives several ideas that happen to teachers that the average education major might not realize. I feel this video has helped me fully understand what I am in for as I work to become a teacher. I realize that teaching is going to take some sacrifices.