Educational+Technology+Reflections

= = When I started my Multimedia Video Technology course, I had hoped to understand video editing better. I knew that movie making could be done, but I didn't know how to integrate it into the classroom. Also, I didn’t know exactly what programs were available through open source and how to use them. Shortly after the course began, I was informed about the various options available. For digital storytelling, Apple’s iMovie and Microsoft PhotoStory are great, free programs. There are many free programs available for video editing that cater to different abilities and experiences. These include Apple’s iMovie, Microsoft Movie Maker, Avid Free DV, Wax, and Zwei-Stein. Though we didn't actually go through different ways of integrating it into the classroom, the projects that we participated in helped me to start brainstorming different ideas that could be used in the classroom. Plus, I was able to navigate around the various programs that are available and figure out how to use them.

I am confident that the knowledge and experience I gained from this class will, indeed, benefit my students as well as other staff at my campus. I feel that these types of media can be quite effective in the classroom due to their novelty and need for relying on other students. I teach my students Stephen Covey’s “7 Habits of Highly Effective People” starting at the beginning of the year. The sixth habit is about synergy and creative cooperation. One way to value our peers is to realize that everyone has something to bring to the table. No one can be the best at everything, and that’s okay because we work in groups toward one main goal. Projects such as these, which require more teamwork, help students to realize that synergy does help them to succeed and complete things in a timely manner. You have to work with people your entire life. Very few occupations require no contact with others, so it is important for students to learn how to work with each other to complete different tasks.

One part of the course that I felt was missing was that we never had the opportunity to discuss how to integrate these tools into the classroom. Yes, movie making and digital storytelling are exciting, stimulating, and integrate technology, but beyond telling a story or creating a public service announcement, we did not venture. I wish that we could have been led to articles, blogs, wikis or sites that expressed how other teachers are currently using them in the classroom. Hopefully, I can find a message board or something, so that I can see how others are using these resources. I have thought of different ways that I can use them such as telling the summary of a novel through digital storytelling or creating a video to tell others how to make healthy choices for science and health, but I know that there are so many more ways to use multimedia that I haven’t thought of yet.

During the course, we were to complete a digital story, a video using existing video clips, and we were to work with a team to build an original video of a public service announcement. The instructions were a little unclear at times in regards to how to submit an assignment, when specific parts were due and which assignments required partners. Other than little details such as these, I was able to complete my assignments pretty easily. The programs were, for the most part, user-friendly. Any questions that I had, there was an answer available through a quick Google search. One question that I had to address during an assignment was how to convert videos into different formats that were compatible with my video editing program. I found several websites that offered “free” converters, but most of them, in the end, required some form of payment. That was quite frustrating when the page prior to the download said “FREE”. Eventually, I just found a site with videos that were compatible. I’m sure I’ll eventually break down and just purchase the converter.

Throughout this course, I realized that I don’t have to add these projects to what I already am doing in the classroom. I can replace things with these projects. So often, as the Technology Integration Coach, I hear teachers say, “Ha. When do you expect me to fit these things in?” Being a fairly new teacher, I wouldn’t want to step on anyone’s toes, so I would just smile and try to give suggestions. I would tell them that they could replace other activities with technology-based ones, but I wasn’t always 100% confident in what I was saying. Now, I realize that it isn’t the quantity of assignments a student is given, but it is definitely the quality. Cooperative projects force students to use creativity, higher level thinking, self- and peer-monitoring, problem solving, planning, and decision making. All of these are life skills that every person needs. They gain experience in these skills on top of working with their content on a deeper level. They truly will have to understand what they are talking about prior to completing a project. I can honestly say to those skeptical teachers that technology is the way to help our students take that next step toward success.