I saw this video on Good Morning America yesterday and was amazed!

Watching this I thought of a few questions I would ask students if they watched this in class with me:

• Is it real? 
• What evidence do you have to support your opinion? 
• Is everything posted online real? 
• Is everything “caught” on video tape real? 
• Can you believe everything you see/read online? 
• How can you verify your information?

This video is not real, but was put together for a commercial.  But the rumor went around that this really happened.  Just a thought on how to address the need for critical thinking skills when using online resources.

Any other ideas out there?

This post explains a work around to posting audio files when you don’t have the space to host and stream the files.

Back in the fall the US History teachers wanted to post student created audio files and videos quickly (24 hours turn around). We didn’t have a space to host these types of files for easy access.  I could handle the video portion with the help of TeacherTube.  But where to host the audio files easily?  We decided to try TeacherTube as well, but first needed to transfer the audio to video files.  Here is our solution:

1. Gathered audio files (created with Audacity) saved as wav files.
2. Created a splash page using a PowerPoint slide and saving the slide as a jpg.
3. Using PhotoStory 3 - import the PowerPoint slide. (Note: take off the pan and scan option in customize motion - scanning across text slides can be annoying!)
4. Import your audio file. 
5. Preview the file to make sure the entire audio file plays.
6. Save the project and save it as for best for playback on your computer.

We then uploaded all the video files and the “audio” files (now videos) to Teacher Tube.  This allowed us to embed the files into the student’s wiki pages. 

This started the school on the path to podcasting, even though this was technically not podcasting.  Now we have a blog space that can hos the files and provide the syndication needed to classify it as a “podcast.”

This week’s installment is short, just a simple video from YouTube.  I love this video as a way to show students that just because you don’t “get” it the first time, it still can happen.

Final exams are wrapping up and by all accounts it looks like our little experiment is working out well.  What was it?  I have been exploring using iPods in the classroom and had mentioned the possibilities to a colleague on campus.  She ran with the idea and next thing I know we have all the final exams recorded and saved as mp3s so that students who need the test read to them can listen and move at their own pace.  I thought I would share what we have done, and see if anyone has ideas to help out for the future.

1. Using Audacity each test was recorded. 
   • Pauses between each question is important. 
   • Break up large tests into several different recording files.  This allows for students to better manage what they are listening to.
2. Files were saved as mp3 files.  Remember to do that you need to download the required dll file.
   • Establish a naming convention so if files were to be put on iPods, the files are easily accessed.
   • Edit the ID3 tags so that you have a naming convention that works for each test.  Once again it makes it easier if the recordings are going to be loaded on an iPod or other mp3 player.
3. An internal web page was developed so that all the files were easily accessed by clicking on links.  This kept the tests secure and helped the students navigate easily between different sections of the test.
4. The tests were given/  Students came into the lab and using the internal web page choose the correct test and were able to pause and rewind as needed.

So did it make a difference?  I haven’t seen the test scores, but the students seemed very focused and the teachers facilitating the testing rooms were happy and not running around trying to keep everyone on task.

The next step?  Now that we have a handle on this, we can continue to record tests and load on iPods.  Also we can begin to develop different teaching/study aide files and podcast them out through the help of blog sites.

One small step for Web 2.0, but a huge step for our campus. 

Suggestions? Ideas?  Has anyone else had experience with this and have insight on the next step?

I was reading a friend’s blog recently, explaining how to make good use of your summer.  One of the ideas was to explore projects with other schools in other areas.  That started me thinking - telecollaboration has been around for a while, but not until recently has it been made so easy.  Connecting with other schools is easy with the aide of wikis, blogs, email, skype, etc.  Our students are already linking with all sorts of people around the globe through facebook, myspace, gaming sites, etc.  Some of this is good and some not so good.  But the idea of linking and working with other groups is an irristeable hook  for our already connected students.

So how do you do it and where do you begin?  Start with asking yourself a few questions:

• What do you hope to gain through the project? 
• What learning is going to take place? 
• Is approaching the subject matter this way going to add to what students need to learn or just distract from it?
• Do you have the time, support, and equipment needed to make it happen?

Here are a few good links to get you started. 

• About Telecollaborative Projects -  a basic overview of telecollaboration
• Telecollaborate! -step by step details on how to plan, create and implement a project
• Links to Current Projects - lists various running projects.  Some are closed for the year, but a good place when looking for ideas.
• 2Learn - Requires a registration to gain access to project resources and tools.
• ePals- Emailing another classroom through epals is a good starting point

Do you have any ideas?  Anything holding you back?