RILS_Reflection

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My RILS went smoothly and nothing unexpected occurred - nice to not have any surprises. I had students work in teams for this project because I wanted them to collaborate, but the students had a hard time sharing the computer to work on the slideshow. There was always that student who would hog the computer. I need to think of a way to have the students collaborate but maybe they all produce a slideshow- since the number of computers aren't an issue.

The students loved the idea, but were sad when I only had them use cameras and not video camera. I reserve those for the 7th and 8th graders. However, they took some great pictures and did a fantastic job of remembering what we learned about camera usage in previous weeks. They were also getting better about getting the pictures off the camera without loosing them.

They really like edmodo. It seams similar to Schoology in a number of ways. The students refer to edmodo as a Facebook imitation. This is the first semester I have used edmodo and I was thinking of switching to Schoology next semester so I could compare them and make a decision as to the best one to use. I was completely thrown when I saw the students posting at night and on the weekend!

I decided to use Bubbl.us to let them mindmap their ideas out because it was the only web application I could find that would let me start mindmapping before signing up. However, after using it, it was rather plain. All it did was make squares and let you type. During this course I found another one that I liked a whole lot better - Mindmodo. This one lets you use pictures, video, sound, etc. I will try it next time. The students did use this and came up with some pretty detailed mindmaps - so it served its purpose.

Befunky, Photoshop Express and SumoPaint are all big hits. The students loved them from the moment I showed them the programs. It is really neat to see the students use these programs at home. How many times do students, who have no homework, go home and do what they do in class at home and post it for everyone to see?

The students just started using SlideRocket as my implementation time was up. I had 5 groups that went through the tour and started using the web application. They all liked it so far and found it very easy to use. The feedback I received so far let me know that I should keep using this web tool. The students liked all the transition, effects, and fonts available. The only complaint was that it did not have a music library to choose music from. If the students want music they need to import their own. Right now, I have not shown them any audio programs such as Audacity. It's on my list to show them, but I only have the students through December. So little time.

'Til Next Time,
-Stacey

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BP8_RILS_Comments

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 Here is the link to my comments on Cherylee's RILS blog on Blogger. She used a fantastic site called History Pin. Speaking as a genealogist, this is a really cool site!



Here is the link to my comments on Jessica's RILS on Blogger. I have been following her use of Audacity in her classroom. It is so cool that these students are exposed to the technology at a young age. They look sooo excited.

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RILS_Edmodo, Bubbl.us and SlideRocket

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“What Up” at KMS?
By: Stacey Kramer



My RILS lesson plan and video are also up on Educator Studio





Brief Overview:
“Middle School is sooo much cooler than I thought it would be,” yelled Alex.
“Yeah, it’s not as scary as they make it out to be,” Lauren butted in..
“We have to tell the incoming 6th graders that KMS is ‘the bomb’ man!” insisted Alex.
I’m Mrs. Kramer, and I had to come up with an assignment for my 6th graders to fulfill their wishes… Hmmm…. Videos? No, I want that to be a 7th and 8th grade thing. I could video tape them talking? I know, lame. I got it, some sort of slideshow.
“Yeah, we’re going to do PowerPoints!” Lauren yelled before I could answer.
No, no, no. PowerPoints are soo out of date; I have to think of something better.
“Hey, Mrs. K, what about Windows Movie Maker? I know all about that program,” Casey added.
Hmm, again, out of date, and it doesn’t really fit with our cloud-based classroom. Okay, guys give me a day and I will see what I can come up with. I scoured the Internet looking for a web-based online program that was free to use – sounds simple. NOT! Most of the programs I found were free, but you had to download them, or they were free, but they were too limiting. Hmmm. SlideRocket. Looks cool, seams simple, has several features, web-based, and free. Well, it meets the criteria. So I set off to investigate the program a little more. This program looks like it will work, so SlideRocket it is!
Target Audience
My target audience for this Relevant Innovative Scenario (RILS) will be my 6th grade students. These middle schoolers range from 11-13 years of age, and tend to be immature and insecure.
Materials
·       Computer with internet access (I am using ancient, Dell Optiplex G680 Desktops)
·       Edmodo – online classroom management tool used by Mrs. Kramer
·       Free, online Mindmapping tool – (Bubbl.us) – can use other mindmapping tools such as Popplet or Mindomo (part of Creaza).
·       Scoring Guide/Rubric
·       Cameras with 2gb SD cards – (Fuji SX7000) – any digital camera will work
·       SD Card reader – (Targus SD Card reader) – if no SD card reader is available, use USB cables provided with the camera
·       Free, online photo editing program (Photoshop Express Editor, BeFunky) or use installed software on the computer if available
·       Free, online slideshow generator – (SlideRocket.com)
·       LCD projector to show slideshow to class.

Objectives
Students will be able to:
1)       Create a topic for a slideshow whose target audience is incoming 6th graders
2)       Apply their slideshow idea to the new mindmapping tool, Bubbl.us.
3)       Recall knowledge of using Fuji camera and apply it to take needed pictures for slideshow.
4)       Recall knowledge of using online photo editing tools to crop and edit pictures.
5)       Outline a sequence for the photos to tell a story – using Bubbl.us
6)       Create 2 facts and 2 tips that go with their slideshow topic
7)       Design a slideshow using pictures and music in the new online web tool, SlideRocket
8)       Present completed slideshow in front of class
9)       Evaluate your slideshow using the teacher created scoring guide/rubric
10)    Evaluate your group members using a teacher created peer evaluation.

Procedure
 (time frame: approximately 14-16, 45 minute-class periods)
Day 1 – Have the students get into groups of 2-4 students. They need to brainstorm their slideshow topic, and have them report their idea to the teacher for approval.
Day 2 – The groups will give themselves a “production company” name and create a folder on the computer to keep all of their items in one place. Name the folder the name of the group. Students need to familiarize themselves with the mindmapping tool, Bubbl.us, and begin applying their brainstorming to Bubbl.us. Remind students to make this as detailed as possible.
Day 3 – Finish up brainstorming and turn in to teacher for approval. If approved students may start taking pictures.
Day 4 – Take pictures. After students return with cameras, the teacher can either pull off pictures and place them in the groups folder, or the teacher can allow the students to do this and double check to make sure the pictures are there.
Day 5 – Take pictures. This should be enough time for all groups to get the pictures they need. Make adjustments if necessary.
Day 6 – In their groups, students need to look through their pictures and delete the bad ones. Next, photos need to be edited (cropped) in a photo-editing program. If no installed program is available on the computer, students can go to www.PhotoshopExpress.com, or www.befunky.com to edit photos for free.
Day 7 – Students will continue to edit/crop all of their photos to make the best possible shot. Student may also apply various effects to their photos (but up to only half of all of the photos in their slideshow). No “comical” effects or talk bubbles can be used. In addition, stay away from applying an effect to a person that no longer allows you to see who the person is.
Day 8 – Continue to apply effects to pictures. Indicate to teacher when all photos are complete, so teacher can flip through quickly to check.
Day 9 – Using Bubbl.us, students will create a timeline/story sequence putting their pictures in the order they want them to appear. In addition, students will create 2 facts and 2 tips that go with their topic that they can add to their slideshow for information.
Day 10 – Introduce SlideRocket to the students. Show examples of premade slideshows to give inspiration. Have the students register and begin playing around with the program.
Day 11 – Students should be creating their slideshow, using pictures, transitions, text, and music.
Day 12 – Students continue creating slideshow.
Day 13 – If needed, allow another day to create slideshow.
Day 14 – Students will individually fill out a self-evaluation and peer group evaluation. As a group, students will fill out the scoring guide. Students will begin to show their slideshows to the class.
Day 15 – Students will continue to present slideshows to the class.
Adaptations:
GIFTED: For students who are advanced or proficient with the use of a camera may be given a video camera to add video footage to their slideshow. Allow students more freedom in topic choice and more creativity in editing and applying effects and putting together slideshow.
            SPECIAL NEEDS: For students who function below average, have an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or 504 modifications, the teacher may let the students take a limited number of pictures, and the teacher or paraprofessional/aide (if available) put it together in the slideshow. Or allow the students to take a limited number of pictures and have them edit one picture, and allow them more time to put pictures in slideshow. Change or accommodate based on needs.

Emerging Technology
For this RILS, I have chosen to work with two new Web tools, and three web tools that have been used previously in class.
New Technology:
a)    Bubbl.us – “Bubbl.us is the simplest way to brainstorm online. It's extremely easy to use and has almost no learning curve. Our intuitive user interface lets anyone brainstorm and organize ideas without getting in the way. You can share and work together with your friends, brainstorm without touching the mouse, display your ideas online or through e-mail, and print your work.” – CNET Online Review (http://download.cnet.com/Bubbl-us/3000-2064_4-10650248.html)

Want to see more? Watch this YouTube tutorial video on Bubbl.us: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TP62aNlVu0


            b) SlideRocket – “SlideRocket is a Web application that provides everything you need to design professional quality presentations, manage and share libraries of slides and assets, and to deliver presentations in person or remotely over the Web.” – CNET Online Review (http://download.cnet.com/SlideRocket/3000-2192_4-10809642.html)

Want to see more? Watch this YouTube Presentation of SlideRocket: 
                   Previously Used Technology 
             a)    Edmodo – “regarded as a social networking site for teachers and students. It provides a free and secure social learning space for a class to connect and collaborate. Teachers and students can post messages, discuss topics, assign and grade class work, and share digital content such as links, pictures, videos, documents and presentations.” – edjudo.com (http://edjudo.com/edmodo-review-social-networking-for-teachers-and-students.html)
          b) BeFunky – “The scope of artistic creativity possible on BeFunky.com is truly astonishing. There are nine main categories to choose from and then three to six subcategories under each main option. The main options include cartoonizer, warholizer, charcoal, patriotic, inkify, line artopia, stenciler, and sunburst, and scribbler. The option used for the artwork at the beginning of this article was under cartoonizer. I’ve spent hours, yes really, playing with the effects on BeFunky.com. They are incredibly addictive. From creating cartoons to sketches the sky is truly the limit.” – Robin (http://www.brighthub.com/internet/web-development/reviews/30246.aspx)  
           c) Photoshop Express Editor  - “Photoshop Express lacks many of the layering features available in its software-based version, but still maintains many of the tools to accurately adjust levels, add fill light, make changes to hue, saturation or color, as well as other tools to instantly touchup spots, remove red-eye or soften or sharpen specific areas. Best of all, nearly all changes and adjustments are made with a unique preview menu below, giving an indication of what the photo will look like with a chosen effect at different intensities. Photoshop Express also enables users to instantly reset an image to its original state and even maintains a duplicate of the original to compare it to while editing.” – TopTen Reviews (http://online-image-editing-review.toptenreviews.com/photoshop-express-review.html)

Audience
The students will work in groups to allow for collaboration on this slideshow project. The students will work in groups to use free online web tools to create a brainstorm, storyline, and final slideshow. The students will work as a group to take pictures around the middle school using a digital camera. The teams will work together to make decisions to assign different photo shoots for each person, collaborate on photo order in slideshow and what photos edit.

Making Connections
The scenario must offer opportunities for the learner to connect on different levels. Include the three types of connections below in your plan.  How are the connections being made and how will they help deep learning take place.

The learner will make connections with:
            a) their previous knowledge of picture taking and camera usage to take pictures for their slideshow.
            b) their school. The students will think about what KMS has to offer and how this has benefited them as a 6th grader.
            c) their audience. The students must focus on their target audience for their slideshow (incoming 6th graders) and be able to present the information in their slideshow in a way that will be relevant and of interest to their audience. In addition, students must keep in mind their classroom audience and be able to present a slideshow that is appealing and of interest to watch.

Create/Produce
The students will create a 1-2 minute slideshow regarding some aspect of KMS to show to incoming 6th graders. The slideshow will contain still pictures, transitions, effects, and music. 

Assessment
I don’t want to many constraints on this project that creativity is stifled. The students really perform and come alive when I give them “rubric free” assignments. In addition, when working with new web tools, I can’t expect them to master their use after one assignment, and I usually can’t give them enough time to master the tools. Therefore, I usually give them guidelines to follow and grade them according to meeting those guidelines. This is why this rubric will be rather general and vague. I will know that the students 


Reflection
a) To reflect on the project students will fill out an evaluation form on themselves.
Question
Your Answer
What did I learn about working in a team to complete this project?



What was something I learned from working with Bubbl.us that I liked?



What was something I learned from working with SlideRocket that I liked?



When I make another slideshow I will use SlideRocket again
Yes, because

No, because
What was something I learned about myself during this project?



If I have to work in a group again for Mrs. Kramer, I would do _____ differently….




b) In order to improve upon this project, I will take notes along the way indicating which steps were successful and which ones need modifying and how. If I do this why I am implementing the project I can write down my immediate thoughts, instead of trying to remember after the fact.


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Tagxedo - Word Cloud

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I
I went to Tagxedo.com and tried a word cloud. Similar to Wordle.com, you can add your own text or pull them from a blog. I pulled my words from my last blog (the one before this one). I will have my students go to this site before Christmas, and see what they can dream up!

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Creaza Update

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Well, after having the students frustrated for 2 days trying to use Creaza's free video editor service. We left it laying in cyberspace. The total amount of video you can upload is 25MB which is nothing when it comes to video. In addition, I have contacted them about errors I was getting, and never received a response. So, I googled again "free online video editors." All the ones I came up with were either too simple (Animoto - it does all editing and transitions for you, Pixorial, CellSea), or gone (JayCut, JumpCut, YouTube Remixer), or too confusing (VideoTool Box).

Now I was stuck. I did not want to revert to Windows Movie Maker, but by this time it was looking good! I did find a free downloadable editor which seems pretty sharp. AVS4YOU Video Editor. I used the free sound/music editor and it worked great for what what my student needed to do. AVS4YOU is free to download and it says there is a trial, but so far I can't figure out how long. The free version seems to be fully functional and the students are working with it today. Con: no prefab music to put in, the students will have to get their own. Pro: lots of free video clips to add, lots of transitions, lots of effects, lots of graphics and text features, and a voice over option.

I am going to check out the audio editor and see if it has music....

Creaza isn't totally off my radar, I will come back and give the mindomo and cartoonist a try a little later on...

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More on SlideRocket

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I didn't want to include these in my FSO assignment posts because I did not create these. I found these in SlideRocket and the top of the page said they were free to use and copy to give you some inspiration. I really liked a couple of these, and my next step was to look at how to emulate some of the cool features found in the slideshows below.




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PE5_Bubbl.us & SlideRocket

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After brainstorming their slideshow idea in Bubbl.us, the students set out to take pictures. Everything from the lunch ladies, to Tiger Paws, to teachers, to the elective classrooms. They had to check off the edmodo assignment that they had ALL their pictures taken. After a week of clicking away and deleting the bad ones, the 6th graders began cropping and editing. I sent them to the three sites we have used previously - Photoshop Express Editor, BeFunky, and SumoPaint. I like all three of these sites because you don't have to registrar to start using - just upload your photo and get started.



Well, next week they are going to put their edited photos into SlideRocket, so I thought I better dig deeper and be prepared for thousands of questions... When I log in, it asks me if I want to watch a tutorial video. Sure why not. Hmmm, it was interesting and interactive. I think I will have the students do this as well.


I signed up for the free account, which gave me full use of the program, plus I can export when finished. The free status also lets you upload 250 mb, which I think will be enough for these slideshows... As the Administrator for the account, it let me set up 4 additional users. My brain started going in overtime and figure out how I could make these accessible to let my students use them, but with the upload max, I don't think I could have two slide shows per account... So I will need one person in each group to sign up. It doesn't verify email, which is good.  Also, if your school uses Google Apps for Education, you can get the full version for free. When I start, I must choose a theme. There were several to pick from. Uploading the picture files were simple and straight forward, which was a bonus. I liked the idea of being able to add images from not only your computer, but  Facebook, Flickr, or videos from YouTube. Users can add audio voice overs as well as music. One big down side for me is there is not audio library in the free version. My students will have to upload their own audio. However, I did find it easy to include a picture in a picture. It is also set up to allow for collaboration

Another unique feature of SlideRocket is the ability to add poll questions and turn them charts or graphs that can been seen. The program will take its analysis one step further and tell you how many viewers have seen your slideshow, but also tell you how long each person stayed on which slides. 

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