Digital Video - I finally got there!

This is my digital movie created through iMovie. Please be kind, I know it's very amateur but it took me ages!

After reading Miss Meddles blog I read about how she used powerpoint to create slides and then saved them as images and transferred them to moviemaker. Inspired by these videos I set out to make a movie about shapes. My idea was to introduce some shapes and show how they can form pictures and the aim was to get my classroom thinking about how shapes can be found in many things we see everyday. I wanted to add in some funky music to make it more engaging and a little person so it was a bit like a story too.

This idea seemed easy enough but once again I managed to get in way over my head! I initially had to teach myself how to use powerpoint. I googled "how to use powerpoint" and went from there. Google is my best friend these days! I realise that a lot of the websites have tutorials and help bars but to be honest I find most of them extremely boring and I prefer to google my specific problem and get straight to the point. The most important thing that I learnt for this particular powerpoint was how to duplicate slides. This meant that I didn't have to cut and past each image that I drew and I am sure it saved me half a day in time. I went about my way adding in the shapes and text and my next problem arose when I wanted a girl in the picture. I decided to draw her in "Paintbrush" (a mac program) and imported her. I had some issues with fitting her in front of and behind the shapes (I wanted her to go in the door, not behind the house!) but in the end I just did what I could with the little knowledge I had. I then saved the powerpoint as images and then had to import them into iMovie. I know that Macs are great for a number of reasons, but I have found it very difficult during this course because a lot of the info is related to Microsoft and so I have to figure it all out for myself. I know in one sense that being forced to talk control of my learning is great, but on the other hand I am wondering if I am learning things the right way or the looooooong way?!

After finally figuring out how to get images into iMovie (the macmost.com website has been a godsend) I then had to decide on the music. I found a song I liked, purchased it from iTunes (had never done this before!) and then googled how to loop the start of the song. I ended up using Garageband (another Mac application) and googled how to create a loop. It took me ages to figure out a loop that flowed thanks to my total lack of musical intelligence! Then I saved it to itunes and uploaded it in imovie. I transferred it onto movie but there is one bit where it didn't flow that well but I have no idea how to fix it and have spent enough time on this now. If anyone else knows send me a message please!

Phew. So by making a digital video I used:
- Powerpoint
- Paintbrush
- iMovie
- iTunes
- Garageband

All things I had never used before! Then I wanted to upload it here and the only way I could figure out how to do that was by putting it on You Tube and then embedding it. So I now have a You Tube account as well.

I think in a classroom using Digital Video would be a great way to engage students in authentic learning. By being able to use photos and video footage students can document and evaluate their findings in relation to class tasks, projects and topics. They can also use animations and be totally creative in the way they portray their message about a topic to their class. Videoing footage of classroom happenings also provides teachers and students with an opportunity to watch and review on how procedures went and evaluate the lesson.

"...video production in the classroom enables the development of media literacy, higher order thinking skills, project based learning experiences, real world relevancy experiences, and a deeper connection to the curriculum being explored. But while all this is essential, it represents only half of the potential of using video in the classroom.

The other half to all the skills and experiences being developed is the experience that students receive in communicating their own original ideas to others, and in listening to others communicate their ideas to them. It’s that speaking and listening thing." Nikos Theodosakis, 2002 (as sited on http://edtech.guhsd.net/video.html)

One of the main downsides I see is that making movies can be very time consuming. The other is that in the process it can be easy to lose sight of the message you are trying to convey! So pedagogy and learning outcomes need to enforced throughout the process. One more downside is student and teacher privacy. Ensuring that permission to film students, etc is needed and editing may be required to ensure the footage is appropriate. Schuck & Kearney (2006) addressed the idea that teachers also need a supportive school environment in order to successfully implement digital video in the classroom.

All in all it was fun and definitely something I would love to get better at!

Some class ideas:
- create learning resource video clips (for use by students or the professional development of staff)
- prepare educational segments on safety issues (e.g. on roads, in playground, at home)
- assist in a variety of ways with the learning of other languages
- preparation of mini documentaries, interviews or news reports
- record students role playing difficult social situations
- record school performances, excursions, special events, field trips, visits by specialists, etc.
- collect video of authentic workplace situations that can be analyzed in maths or statistics classes
- use frame by frame analysis techniques to accurately record rapid change in experiments or sport
- compile still images over a long period to produce time lapse movies
- use frame grabbing software to record and analyze critical events
- increase student awareness of manipulative techniques used in advertising (this could be done by looking at a video without spoken words, and using a see, think, wonder thinking routine)
- develop greater critical literacy skills by comparing television or movie segments with own creations
- view difficult, dangerous or expensive experiments or activities (recorded with specialists)
- assist in the introduction of disabled students into mainstream classes
- show skills that are quicker to learn by observation (e.g. sewing a French seam)
- record and analyse student or teacher presentations
(http://www.zardec.net.au/keith/digvideo.htm)

You can view my thoughts on Digital Video, scaffolded by De Bono's Six Thinking Hats here.


Referencing:
Schuck & Kearney - http://www.ed-dev.uts.edu.au/teachered/research/dvproject/pdfs/ReportWeb.pdf
Miss Meddles blog -
Song on Video - "Young Folks" - Peter, Bjorn & John