I envisioned the EDLD 5363 Multimedia and Video Technology to be a course in which I would learn about new multimedia software tools, create multimedia mini- projects. I knew that pod casting, digital photo, audio, and video would be a part
of this course as well as Blogs or Wikis. I just couldn’t envision how I would learn how to put it all together. I feel like a “Jack of All Trades,” but a master in none. In a previous class I had created pod cast, a Wiki and a Blog. And twelve years ago I was introduced to Movie Maker, but never utilized it in the classroom or personally. Thus the master of none yet I had to create a video, a Public Service Announcement at that! As for the outcomes, I think I have achieved what was expected, in fact in my Post Evaluation I had scored higher. Though I did not put the PSA together, I played an important role in that I assisted the Editor. I created the Credits and found music and sound effects for the Editor. I also researched how the Creative Commons was to be cited. Since I lived in the same city, I provided moral support for our Editor and stayed with her until midnight as she put together the first rough draft. Through my readings I gained the knowledge I lacked or forgot to create my own digital story a prelude to our Public Service Announcement. I’m anxious to utilize my new skills in the classroom and wish I had more time to plan. My goal is to have my students create a Public Service Announcement using our Science Safety Rules as the theme. In closing, the course outcomes far exceed my expectations and what I envisioned.
The outcomes I have now achieved are very pertinent and valuable to my work. I can better support my grade level team, my campus and more importantly my students. I have now left the “Digital Immigrants” behind and have joined the “Digital Natives.” I can now comprehend the complexity of video editing and all the components it takes to create a video movie. These next two weeks I’m plan on introducing story boards to my class in hopes of creating our PSA for Science Safety. I also want to introduce podcasting as our means of creating an oral book report. I thought it would upload the podcast book reviews to our class web page, “Revilla’s Reviews.” Every year I work diligently to increase my students reading fluency. I bribe my students with bookmarks, book lights, reading to a kinder, or library aide to read more at home. Since revising podcasting in this course, I contemplated in using podcast to develop reading fluency. I can model a paragraph from our basal and have my students’ practice listening and reading at school and home. After a couple of days of practice, my student will create a podcast reading two to three lines from the paragraph. I feel that once students are aware of what they sound like, they have a better understanding of fluency. This will lead to more reading and practice at home.
My outcomes far exceeded those that did not. I had reservations about collaborating with others to create our public service announcement. I was hesitate about putting my grades into someone else hands. If a team member did not follow through; it could affect our (my) grade and the project. Lauri first initiated the call for more team members on the Discussion Board. My former co-worker and I decided to join them. I felt comfortable using Google Documents and uploaded our Project Proposal. I can’t say we had a leader for our group, it was very collaborative. When a leader was needed to make a decision or to guide the team, a team member would assume the role. We chatted via tinychat.com, a new experience for me. I liked tinychat.com because it was easy to download and begin using. The drawbacks voice delay and limited access to the people who get on. At the end, we used Google Video Chat and that was easy to use with no voice delay. I downloaded Skype, but that was difficult to learn and use in a short period of time. The only outcome I did not achieve was providing enough support for our fifth member.
Yes, I have been successful in completing all my assignments in a timely manner. I encountered difficulties in week one, downloading my podcast to my blog. It was on the fourth attempt that I realized I had not saved my file as an MP3. Once I made that correction, I had no problems downloading my podcast. It also helped having my twenty-three year old daughter following me through the process. Also in week one, I encountered editing problems with my personal story. I couldn’t figure out how to extend the music to all parts of the movie. I think if I had first created my personal story in Movie Maker, I would not have had as much trouble.
As my skills and talents in technology develop, I feel confident in sharing with my Fifth Grade Team. I’m always researching for my team interactive sites to enhance our curriculum. These interactive sites are always made available to my students on my school web page. Many of my colleagues direct their parents to my web page for the tutorials.
Since starting my professional journey in Educational Technology Leadership, I have learned more about leadership. I find myself observing and analyzing the people on my campus and in my district. I now realize that people in Administrative positions may be knowledgeable but not necessarily a good leader. Personally, I have never been comfortable in a leadership position. I always felt that a leader should have all the answers which I did not. As I learn more about the qualities of a good leader, I still don’t seek that role. It is my team and colleagues who seek my technology expertise that have placed me in the leadership role. For example, I haven’t utilized my Smart Board to its fullest potential. Last school year we were re-trained and I have since used it everyday throughout the day. I noticed that our Academic Coach slows her pace when passing by my classroom and peeks through my window to see how I am utilizing my board. Recently she approached to provide Smart Board training in our up coming Professional Development. Apparently I’m the only teacher that uses the Smart Board throughout the day through my curriculum.
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