What?
- Today we learned a little bit about Vidcasts: what they are, the benefits of them, and how we can use them. We also learned about some tools and options you can use to create a Vidcast of your own.
So What?
- The tool I am using for creating my vidcast is Photostory. So far, from what I have experienced using Photostory, I have found it useful and quite easy to use. It could be useful to edit pictures for my everyday life. It will also be useful to use for video presentations, or presenting information, for classes. I could use Photostory, which has as many or more applications and sometimes easier to use, in place of Powerpoint when presenting presentations.
- The option I am using for creating my vidcast is Intro-Content. I really like using this options as a style of teaching. Especially if I were to use a Vidcast to introduce a new concept or unit. I feel it would be a very good "hook" for the students to get them excited about the subject.
Now What?
- Using Photostory in my future classroom would be very beneficial. I could use it to verbally present a new subject to the students including Intro-Content. I think the students would enjoy experiencing this new technology and I could then impliment it into my classroom and have the students create projects using Photostory.
- Because children in this generation have grown up in the world of technology, they are already extremely familiar with it and enjoy learning through using technology. Most children feel confident with their abilities in technology. I think if I were to have my future students do research and create projects, or even a biology of themselves, using Photostory, it would be a very entertaining assignment for them.
What?
- Today we learned how to create a Pod Cast using a Mac Computer.
So What?
- Getting the Pod Cast to attach to my Classroom Site page was confusing for me at first, but once I figured out how to link it properly to my site, I found the Pod Cast really interesting. This is a good way for me to save information that is easier to learn through singing a song or a poem. While studying for classes, I would sing a song with my study material into the Pod Cast, then play it back and sing along with it to better help me remember the information I am trying to learn. Also, it is so good to learn these technology techniques to help me better understand what the internet and computers have available today.
Now What?
- Through learning how to make a Pod Cast, I am expanding my computer technology schema. By doing this, I am also helping myself to be more accustomed to computers and what is available on them. This will help in my future classroom because I can record information and play it for my students every day in class. For instance, I can record a "Classroom Rules" song and play it in class. Then myself and my classroom can sing along in class. This would be a very fun and effective way for the class to memorize information.
- What?
- This week in class we learned how to improve our google site and add information to it. We also learned how to type a "word" document, so to speak, through using google docs. I learned that by so doing this, you can actually share your document so other people can view and add stuff to it.
- So What?
- I really enjoyed learning everything that we did in class. One thing I love about google sites is the calender application. I now have a personal calender created just for me and I can use that for my every day calender. When I begin teacher, this is a great tool that I can use for me as the teacher and for my students. Once I got the hang of sharing documents to people through google docs, I found it very useful. I have already started using it for group work projects. It is a great communication and correlation tool! When I begin teaching, it will be a great way to communicate with my students with questions they may have and with my other colleagues.
- Now What?
- I am learning that computers and technology can be nice to me if I am patient with it and willing to learn how to work it. I have always avoided technology in the past...it used to scare me. Even though I still get scared about things, I am learning that I do not have to be, but I can fix that and learn! I can teach my students early on to be tech savvy so they will not be like me when they are grown. I can also give my students group work assignments and have them use google docs to work with their other group members at home or at school.
