The End.
I was so happy with this course. I must admit that I didn't think I would benefit from it very much because I'm fairly experienced with technology. I was so wrong, some of the topics we discussed really broadened my horizons when it comes to technology in the classroom. I've already been able to use some ideas. A few weeks ago some of my students ask me if I would sponsor their Computer Club. I was thrilled that they wanted to start a club! We're working on a blog and I'm setting up email accounts for them and they're really interested in wikis to post information about "wrestlers, culture, religion, and chewing gum!" This is going to be great. I expected this class to be about Powerpoint, and I'm so glad we barely talked about it. Also, the class blog will be a resource that I will continue to use. I plan to spread my knowledge about Web 2.0 classrooms! Thanks for a great class!
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Slideshow - Clip from our video yearbook
My 6th grade students are making a DVD yearbook to sell as a fundraiser for the computer lab and for their class. They are documenting our school using photography, video, and audio. We are editing all of the media in iMovie. Check out what we've done so far!
If I had $2500...
I teach computers at an elementary school, it is important to me that the students are exposed to other technology than just a computer. I want them to learn how to use different cameras and scanning equipment. As a computer teacher, my classes use technology everyday so it would be very easy for me to apply for grants. All of the grants on the list I plan on applying for, especially Best Buy and Sprint. First, I'll be writing grants to get more equipment for my lab. Then I'm going to find away for the rest of our classrooms to have new computers connected to the internet that actually work. I'm very lucky to have such a nice lab full of new Macs, but when the kids leave my room they only have 2 computers in their home room which rarely work. It's very sad. The could be learning so much more about technology if they used it more than just once a week. Grant writing is going to be my summer project.
With the addition of the following materials the children could make amazing multimedia projects.
6 digital cameras - $1080
Laser color printer - $400
extra toner - $250
2 scanners - $150
The leftover $600 would be used to pay for products that we will be making (shirts, books, etc.)
I have lots of projects in mind using photography and design. I would love for the children to create a book using Blurb or iPhoto where they would photograph or draw illustrations, as well as write and layout the text. These books could be about a particular topic they're learning about in their homeroom or they could be made for the younger children to help them learn to read. It would also be fun to have the kids create a design for a t-shirt using KidPix or Word and then have them printed.
It would be great to have a laser color printer so students can have what they've made on paper. I'd like to give each student a portfolio of their work at the end of the year. Many of them don't have computers so a disc wouldn't be very good. We have several black and white laser printers, but the kids make such amazing colorful work that it doesn't do their work justice.
I'll have this ready if a wealthy patron should ever donate to our school.
With the addition of the following materials the children could make amazing multimedia projects.
6 digital cameras - $1080
Laser color printer - $400
extra toner - $250
2 scanners - $150
The leftover $600 would be used to pay for products that we will be making (shirts, books, etc.)
I have lots of projects in mind using photography and design. I would love for the children to create a book using Blurb or iPhoto where they would photograph or draw illustrations, as well as write and layout the text. These books could be about a particular topic they're learning about in their homeroom or they could be made for the younger children to help them learn to read. It would also be fun to have the kids create a design for a t-shirt using KidPix or Word and then have them printed.
It would be great to have a laser color printer so students can have what they've made on paper. I'd like to give each student a portfolio of their work at the end of the year. Many of them don't have computers so a disc wouldn't be very good. We have several black and white laser printers, but the kids make such amazing colorful work that it doesn't do their work justice.
I'll have this ready if a wealthy patron should ever donate to our school.
Copyright
This was great information to learn about copyright issues. I never really took them too seriously, but I decided to be more careful about it in the classroom. Thankfully, the fair use policy gives us a lot more leeway than other people. I never thought twice about using whatever music I wanted to in slide shows. My students are creating a video yearbook that will be sold to parents, this time we're using www.freeplaymusic.com to find our music. This site has some a huge selection of copyright free instrumental music and sound effects. The search feature allows you to get really specific results. The kids have really responded to this because we can use cool hip hop beats in our slide show and I don't have to worry about offensive language. This was a great time to learn about copyright issues because they didn't understand why we couldn't use music they listen to on the radio.
I'm also thankful for copyright laws because they protect me as a photographer from others stealing my images. A new trend in the wedding world is for brides to demand their "digital negatives." This would mean that a photographer would fork over a copyright release and all of the files to the couple and allow them to make prints and albums on their own. I hate this idea because once you hand over your work to someone else to produce the final product you sacrafice quality. I haven't been able to do this yet, but I've lost a lot of business because I don't. I'm still on the fence if I should give someone else the rights to my images.
I'm also thankful for copyright laws because they protect me as a photographer from others stealing my images. A new trend in the wedding world is for brides to demand their "digital negatives." This would mean that a photographer would fork over a copyright release and all of the files to the couple and allow them to make prints and albums on their own. I hate this idea because once you hand over your work to someone else to produce the final product you sacrafice quality. I haven't been able to do this yet, but I've lost a lot of business because I don't. I'm still on the fence if I should give someone else the rights to my images.
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