I was eager to begin EDLD 5363 prior to starting. I teach technology classes and knew that I would be able to use my current knowledge and hopefully learn something to add to it. The first assignment was to create a digital story. My first step was to collaborate with a friend of mine who is also in the master's program and get ideas for the project. I decided that I should gather the pictures then write the script from there. From experiences, sometimes gathering the visuals and then putting together the audio is the eaiser way to do it. Using PhotoStory was nothing new to me. I had used to make a video for my wedding rehearsal using pictures of my husband and I growing up and together as a couple. I had enjoyed that experience, as I did creating the story about my friend. As I was making mine, I helped her with the one she was doing about me. This slowed me down a bit, but my friend quickly caught on about using PhotoStory. From there, I uploaded it to YouTube which I was not so familiar with. I had used YouTube previously just for viewing videos, but had not actually uploaded any of my own. Since the completion of this assignment, I have created an entire library of videos for sharing. I have also incorporated PhotoStory into my curriculum because I had more experience using it. In using it, I have found that students retain more of the topic the PhotoStory they created was over.
In week 2, I was to create a podcast. At that time, I had a vague idea of what a podcast was, but had never created one. What an excellent way to incorporate writing with digital technology! "Students involved in creating podcasts must use higher levels of thinking and creativity as well as problem solving skills. They have the opportunity to use their imaginations by writing and acting out scripts while learning how to work with the technology itself" (Edwards, 2009, para. 1). Since this course, I have added podcasting to my curriculum for my entrepreneurship students to create a podcast on the business that they have created. But for this assignment, I was to create was a review on a video editing software. I chose Microsoft Movie Maker because it was easy to use and manipulate. This got me thinking about how I could use Windows Movie Maker in my marketing classes. "Integrating media production in your curriculum can help you find new access to students and help them find new access to the material. Media engages and excites; it leads to unexpected discoveries, increased self awareness and esteem, sharpened critical thinking, analytical skills, group work skills and the ability to communicate ideas" (Garrison, 1999, para. 1). This year, I chose to have my marketing classes make commercials on products with MovieMaker. A small percentage had ever used this software but after a quick lesson they found it easy to use as well.
Creating a public service annoucement with group members was the focus of weeks 3 through 5. This was a frustrating point during my master's course because I found it hard to collaborate with my team members. We decided to use email and Google docs as a communication toold. We met up and chatted in Google docs to work on our script, duties, etc. "Google docs gives real-time collaboration where up to 50 people can work on the same document at the same time, literally conducting letter-by-letter tug-of-wars over individual words" (Stone, 2010, para. 3). That was exactly what it felt like as well, a tug of war over who could do what better. The collaboration that should have only took an hour, took several. Another communication medium should have been used. They had various levels of technology experience and spent extensive time on the little details instead of the entire picture. I was disappointed in how our public service annoucement turned out, but knew I needed to focus on working as a team rather than as an individual. Personally, I would have just done things differently seeing as I have a marketing background. From this experience, I learned to take the lead when necessary so that things will get accomplished. I was also reminded how everyone has various levels of technology skills and patience is the key.
Edwards, B. (18, October 2009). The Benefits of Using Podcasting in the Classroom. Retrieved from http://teachhistory.com/2009/10/18/the-benefits-of-using-podcasting-in-the-classroom/
Garrison, A. (Winter 1999). Video basics and production projects for the classroom. Center for Media Literacy. Retrieved from http://www.medialit.org/reading_room/article3.html
Stone, B. (2010, April 12). New Collaborative Google Docs Unveiled. Retrieved from http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/04/12/new-collaborative-google-docs-unveiled/
No comments:
Post a Comment