Comic Making...

We all love comic strips and apparently students at BHS do as well.  Over the past couple of weeks students have been creating their own comic strips in their classes with the help of a program called Comic Life.  With this program, students are able to create a comic feel by easily adding color, text bubbles, pictures, and more.  The great thing about this program is that you can make as many pages as you want for the comic.


In Ms. Ciras's class, students were asked to write a story in Spanish.  Rather than having them just type the story and turn in the essay, she had the students use their creativity to turn that story into an engaging comic strip.  Some students actually drew their own pics and used Photo Booth to take a picture of their picture.  These images where then added to the comic strip.  While I might not be an expect in speaking and understanding spanish, this project was a great way of seeing students express their creativity.  Below is a screen shot of on groups comic strip.

In Mrs. Cooney's Psychology class, students used comic life to create a poster on a particular disorder. In this case, not all students were necessarily using the program to create a comic stripc.  Some used the program as a means of making a digital poster.  This was an alternative to using Glogster.  I am not saying that Comic Life is better than Glogster, it is just a different alternative.

Lastly, I have been using Comic Life for creating instructions on using particular software.  At times, documented instructions can look and appear boring.  This program would be a great alternative and more engaging for people in following instructions.  And if you are worried that not everyone has this program, you could always during your Comic Life product into a PDF so that everyone is able to open your masterpiece.

If you have never used the program before, I encourage you to at least try it.  You will be surprised at how easy it is to use the program.  For those of you who are iPad owners, you can also buy their app for $4.99.  I think I just might do it.

Again, if you would like help using the program or getting ideas, you know where you find me.

Back Channeling in the Educational Setting

Last week, Mrs. Pearson decided to take a chance and explore implementing a back channel into her lesson.  For those of you who are unfamiliar with back channeling, it is a place for participants to communicate with each other in real time.  This conversation happens in the background while participants are listening to a lecture, lesson, or presentation.  Back channels tend to be popular at some presentations at a conference.

As a result of this, Mrs. Pearson and I decided to attempt back channeling during one of her lessons.  We decided to use TodaysMeet, a back channel service.  Click HERE to view the actual website.  Mrs. Pearson created her back channel in minutes.

Students were tasked to watch a particular film in the film studies class.  Rather than students taking their own notes, they were tasked to participate in a back channel and take notes as a whole class.  In the channel, students were to ask any questions that they had as well as include information that they found in the movie that was important to remember.  To help with the process, students were informed how to include information.

Depending on what they saw, depended on how they started their comment.  If they saw something pertaining to stereotyping, they started the message with ST:.  If they saw an overlaying message, they started the statement with MS:.  This really helped seeing as though they only had 140 characters for each comment.  Also, this will help when the class goes back to view the transcript as they are able to search through the comments with ease.  Students will need to do this as they have to reflect on the movie by writing their own paper.

There are positives and negatives to using this service.

Advantages:

• No account is needed
• No invitation is needed
• Easy access to back channel (only need the URL)
• Has a twitter feel to it (140 character messages)
• Information is updated in real time
• Students are used to social media
• Creator of the back channel determines how long the channel stays active
• A transcript is saved during the entire time the channel is open.
• Participants to go back to channel at any time.

Disadvantages:

• No account is needed which means that anyone can enter and add information to the channel if they have the URL.  This means they could 'act' as someone else without anyone knowing
• If you forget the URL, you are unable to get back to the channel
• Need internet access

Mrs. Pearson and I were very surprised and happy at how well this lesson went.  Students were engaged the whole time.  It even turned into a 'competition' as each student wanted to get their thoughts in before anyone else.  We also felt as though students were paying more attention to the movie since they were watching/reading the channel as well.  We both were very proud of the students.

Regardless if you are wondering how this could be implemented into your curriculum or already have an idea, I ask that you see me first.  It is important that students hear some important information regarding the back channel.  Students must clearly understand that the channel is open to anyone and must participate appropriately.

This is a great web 2.0 tool that you will find engages students!

iMovie Galore

Over the past couple of weeks, I have been involved movie making with students through the application iMovie.  The best part was the fact that these projects were being implemented in multiple disciplines.  Read up on who our bulldogs are doing in their classes.  Who knows?  You might get inspired...

Projects

World Languages
Third year American Sign Language students were tasked with creating an iMovie showcasing a particular famous deaf person.  While some students had created an iMovie product before, this was their first time making one in this fashion.  Students had to sign the entire time.  In addition, they were not able to have any sound effects in the back ground.  In a way, this project took away the 'extras' and truly forced them in being creative in other means.  In addition, students had to make sure that they were not signing too quickly for the eyesight on the laptops and were wearing colors that allowed the viewer to see all of their motions.  This project was done individually.

French II classes were creating movies to convince people to visit their region of France.  They had to do some research prior to filming to get an understanding of what was important about their region.  Filming was completed and students quickly learned how to edit their clips using iMovie.  This was a group project.

Science
For their midterm, the forensics class had to create a movie looking into a forensics file.  Students had to again do some research and look at a crime scene to figure things out.  These students learned about how to create a green screen in PhotoBooth to make it look like they were someplace else.  With one particular scene, one group even convinced me that they were actually someplace else.  What was cool was the fact that some groups were able to also film some of their scenes using either their iPod touch or iPhone.  Students did not have to rely on using equipment from the library.  Students did however need a quick lesson as to how to get the clips from their devices to the laptop computer.  This was a group project.

Wellness
The Extreme Sports class filmed themselves while they were experimenting and ride on trails over the course of the semester.  On sunny days, these students would film each other doing tricks and riding by taking different shots.  These clips were then mashed together to produce a final product on days that was not good enough to ride outside.


In each of these cases, there was engagement.  Students were excited and truly wanted to create some great products.  Students even learned new tools with film editing.  If I had to bet, the movies will be one of those memories that they will have coming out of these courses.  While it can take up a lot of instructional time to create good movie products, in the long run, I find it worthwhile.

I must admit that I really did not know much about iMovie prior to taking this job, as making movies really was not my passion.  I myself learned a lot from helping each of these classes.  Who knows, maybe I will be coming a big movie star...

If you would like to chat about how you can implement a project like this in your class, you know where to find me.  Also, on the my tech website, you are able to find instructions that Kerri made that walk you through how to use iMovie.

New Year - New Goals

It sure has been a while since I have last blogged...Almost two months to be exact.  Regardless, seeing as though it is a new year, it is time for me to focus on some goals to work towards.  There are three main technology tools that I truly want to undertake for the remaining of the school year.

1.  Explore Googles
While I consider myself as one of Google's cheerleaders, there are still some aspects of Google that I am not fully confident in.  I would like to explore some of the gadgets and charts in Google Spreadsheets as well as looking more into what can be accomplished in Google Sites.  I also would like to showcase student work through the use of Google Sites for the school.

2.  Explore iPads
I purchased my first iPad last August and only now am I actually using my iPad.  More and more staff members at BHS have their own.  This has now forced me to look into the capabilities that this device has for educational purposes.  This will be a huge task, but one that I really look for to.

3.  Infographics
Last November, I attend the Christa McAuliffe conference in Manchester.  One of the sessions that I attended pertained to infographics.  I had never heard of these prior to this session.  Over the past couple of weeks, I have seen more and more of them on the web.  While these infographics look challenging, I feel as though they are worthwhile.

So, I challenge you to giving yourself a technology goal between now and the end of the school year.  What is your focus going to be?  (Don't forget, I can help you with reach your goal!)

Hope all have been enjoying the beginning of 2012.