So this week we spent more time working with the Bloggie cameras to create a PSA for our advocacy group. After getting some good practice last week, my group did a great job coming up with a script and taping our segments of film to be used in the final production. Even though we felt pretty confident in our use of this equipment and editing software, we still managed to run into some roadblocks along the way. I guess this is to be expected as we still explore and play with the many different feature this technology affords its users. Be the end of class, we had a pretty good finished version of our PSA that we are proud of and feel like we have a whole new bag of tricks to rely on for future projects.
I think about my students all the time when doing these projects in class because they LIVE for activities and assignments that involve the following things: groupwork, ipods/ipads/smartphones--basically anything digital, and making up some sort of skit. They are actually working on a unit right now that gives them a lot of creative license to utilize technology and work in groups to act out scenes and pieces of the novels they are currently reading. I had one group that created a news report based on some of the main events of their book and I was blown away by their expertise with the software for creating a video that had background music and all sorts of other special effects. They could give ME lessons on how to do things. I think that when I give them praise for their tech-savvy ways, they think I'm just being a teacher who is giving them the obligatory "pat on the back" but I am genuinely amazed at the things they are capable of at such a young age and it makes me more excited to take the things I'm learning from the ITS program and combine them with what they already know to make some really cool products that showcase what they are learning in my class. I am definitely trying to come up with a way to have the kids create a PSA for the upcoming 6th graders next year. At this point we will have plenty of time to work on these after they complete their SOLS due to all our makeup snow days. I guess that's my silver lining?? :)
I agree. I bet any of my students could do what our group has done in probably a tenth of the time it took our three brains! But your great idea for the script for our final PSA made it fun to do and relatively simple.
ReplyDeleteI love the image of you in your classroom with students leading the way, creating digital videos and being so engaged. Thank goodness that you're in the ITS program so that you can understand their 'language' and have some personal reference point to their knowledge. It would be a fabulous plan for them to create PSA-type videos to help the new 6th graders adjust to school next fall. I was thinking back to comments you made in class when we were studying hypermedia and you were trying to develop a tool to help new students adjust (and not have to answer so many questions over and over again). Maybe your students now could handle different subject areas in their videos which could help reduce those questions and provide a place where new students could watch clips over and over again to be reminded of key points. Since kids are more likely to listen to other kids than their teacher, this might be a win-win situation for all.Can't wait to hear what happens.
ReplyDeleteKatie I love your idea of creating PSAs with your students! What a great use of time after the SOL days.
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