Make Superstars with Video
I remember when I was in school…you know eons ago back in the stone age! We had to do presentations using posters and overhead projector slides and poorly made models. I hope that this does not still describe the school you are involved with today! Now of course there is Powerpoint. But of course that can be boring too if we really want to admit it to ourselves, right? What if there was a medium where the person delivering the content also learned new skills while sharing information to the audience in a way that was more readily accessible to a larger audience, interesting, and provided higher retention? Ahh…but there is…and it is probably not as hard as you think.
Video can open the creative floodgates of students and there are some great free tools available to utilize video in the classroom or a STEM program. I really had no idea until I attended an entire workshop on the use of video development tools at the Florida Education Technology Conference several weeks back. Even if you as the instructor/ program manager are not savvy with video, there is a good chance that your students are and it is ok to leverage this expertise. Here are some of the tips/insights shared at the workshop from Rushton Hurley who has taught at the high school and college level, been a school principal, worked with charter and traditional schools, and organized and run an online school. He is also founder of a great site worth checking out called Next Vista for Learning at http://www.nextvista.org
- Having students present videos in class, showed marked improved in the quality of presentations and students sharing information over skits or poster presentations
- Students in Hurley’s classes received more positive feedback from fellow students which created greater confidence
- Plenty of time needs to be given for the students to create video assignments
- Teachers should make it a requirement for a script to be approved before filming begins so the students have direction and a thought out strategy
- Put a higher percentage of a project grade in script and not into the video produced
- Make a short video yourself to play with the software and learn to use it
- Offers students option of doing a poster instead of a video. Hurley said that in the last 10 years he has never had a student take this option.
- Put a time limit on the length of the video – force students to get to the point
- You can get a wide array of links to other video resources at https://sites.google.com/site/rushtonsfetcsessions/
- Also referenced in the session was this interesting blog post and video from 9-year-old Sarah that I think is worth checking out. Imagine if your students would all do something similar on a myriad of topics! http://ted21c.blogspot.com/
One of the more popular video capture devices today, the Flip Video.
The devices available today for capturing video are virtually endless. Stand-alone web cams or ones built into most computers, various digital video recorders, built into most new cell phones, or even in most of today’s digital cameras. And we are talking about pretty high quality video too usually in at least 720p HD quality if not 1080p. One resource that was shared with me at the conference was a legitimate website where educators can buy 2 Flip cams for $150! Check it out at: http://www.digitalwish.com/dw/digitalwish/product?id=4310
And related to video, there are great tools available for audio capture and editing along with making video slideshows with digital photos. Of course all of these technologies go hand-in-hand with one another. Students can use audio to record oral book reports, interview professionals in a career field of interest, or share other unique ideas in a creative format such as in a podcast. Most computers have some form of voice recording capabilities in the basic software bundled with the computer. Students could also record via PLDs or cell phones. Audio can be edited with free software such as the very popular Audacity. Want to add music to a video or in the background of a voice recording, check out Jamendo for free and legal to use music.
And last but not least, as was mentioned earlier, if filming and editing video is not of interest, students could make very interesting videos with the use of audio tools mentioned above and a slideshow of digital photos. Creative Commons photos can be found via this search engine at http://search.creativecommons.org. Microsoft’s Photo Story was something we experimented with in the workshop as well and I found it to be a rather powerful and very easy to use piece of FREE software!
So while we are not in the world of education to necessarily create the next generation of video stars, I think the integration of these technologies into the classroom or our workforce initiatives can make each student STEM stars!
Let’s Get Ready to Rumble!!
Sparks flying is not uncommon in this competition. Click photo to see more.
It’s that time of year again…metal on metal crashing and smashing. No we are not talking NASCAR…cooler than that! Yeah…hard to believe, right? This weekend, more than 400 local students from 35+ high schools and technology centers from all over Southwestern Pennsylvania will be competing in the 6th annual BotsIQ robotics competition! This program started with just 6 schools and has grown exponentially and gives students the opportunity to design, create, and then battle 15-pound robots in a reinforced plexiglass arena to see who is left standing. The competition not only tests a students creativity and driving ability, but also math, science, engineering, reading, writing, and technical skills. Each team also has a technical advisor from a local manufacturing company that assists with learning the ins and outs of creating such a complicated system of electronics, neumatics, engineering, and metal working.
So check out the official BotsIQ website at www.botsiqpa.org for more details. Or head to California University of PA on March 25 or 26 for the first round of competition beginning at 9:30 (arrive early to check out the frenzy in the pits though!) and finished at 4:30 both days. The second and final rounds will take place at Westmoreland County Community College April 15 and 16.
Century III Mall was the location for final competition the several years but will be held at WCCC this year. Click photo to see more.
The Video Generation
There are a lot of labels we could probably put on the current generation of students. Internet generation. Video game generation. Cell phone generation. But perhaps video generation might be equally accurate. Granted YouTube wasn’t started until 2005 (April 2005 in fact was when the first video was uploaded, Beta in May, and officially launched in December 2005), but over the last 6 years of its existence, think about how drastically it has changed our lives. The average person can become a superstar…just look at Justin Bieber who went from an unknown to having more than 480 million views of his music video for Baby making it the most viewed video in the world and making him an overnight, world-wide sensation. As a matter of fact, check out this list of YouTube celebrities which no doubt changes almost daily. Ever heard of them? I bet many you might not have but based on their following, they are indeed superstars!
Just a few more interesting (I thought they were anyway) statistics about YouTube…
- Acquired by Google in 2006 for $1.65 billion
- More than 2 billion views per day
- More than 13 million hours of video uploaded videos during 2010 and 35 hours of video are uploaded every minute.
- More video uploaded to YouTube in 60 days than the three major US networks created in 60 years
- 70% of YouTube traffic comes from outside the US
- YouTube’s demographic is broad: 18-54 years old
- YouTube reached over 700 billion playbacks in 2010
- And did you know… YouTube Cofounder Chad Hurley went to college at Indiana University of PA? Check out the video!
But beyond the celebrity status that people have garnered from the site, I think that YouTube has become the “go to” place for those seeking information on…well just about everything! Need to fix something around the house, improve a hobby, see news, or be entertained? You can find it all on YouTube.
What YouTube has done is it has empowered the average person to engage and share. You now have the power to share with hundreds, thousands, or even millions of people your unique knowledge and perspective on life with people from all over the globe. Pretty heady stuff! But also provides a mechanism where people can learn in small digestable chunks at their convenience via any computer or mobile device. And not just on YouTube. There are also sites like UStream and Vimeo that are similar to YouTube but with a twist. And there are also a whole host of websites for videos specifically for education including TeacherTube and Khan Academy. Khan Academy has 2,100 videos covering literally every educational subject matter that you can imagine!
Here at Catalyst Connection (yes this is a shameless plug!), we are even utilizing video more heavily to help our manufacturing companies convey their brand message in a more succint manner. But also with embedded YouTube videos on their websites, it is greatly enhancing their Search Engine Optimization (SEO) in search results. According to our in-house web guru, YouTube is in the top 3 of all search engines used by people today as well. Check out our YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/catalystconnection to see the videos we have created for our clients but also a BRAND NEW video that we created to summarize some of the findings of the recently released manufacturing study commissioned by the Industrial Resource Center network. This literally just went live today! If you would be so kind as to rate the video and favorite it as well, that will really help to make it more visible on YouTube for others seeking information about manufacturing in the region.
Think of this as the primer for my next post. I think you need to have a sense of the scope of video today and of course I am only scratching the surface. In my next post I will share some tips from the FETC conference about the creation of video by students and free tools that you can use in the classroom or your STEM programs. So subscribe to get an email when the next update hits this site and of course share it with a dozen teachers, STEM coordinators, and friends!
Here an App, There an App…
So we have talked briefly about PLDs and by far the most popular is the iPad at the present time. What really sets it apart from all of the others out there? Well other than the “oooo and ahhhh” factor that comes with an Apple product, the iPad crushes the competition in one critical area…apps. Apps (short for applications) are programs created by programmers that range from education, utilities, games, and much much more. Last I read, Apple had close to 65,000 apps which is a game changer and a dominate position to be in for any company. And these are 65,000 apps native to the iPad meaning there are even more if you include apps for the iPhone or iTouch which can still work in a limited capacity on the iPad.
I was not able to find any numbers on it, but based on what I saw and heard at the FETC conference a few weeks back, there are a whole slew of apps for education as well. Fun games to teach math, science, and reading skills. Virtual flash cards. Sports themed games that teach math. Programs to control your Smart Boards in the classroom. Spreadsheets, presentations, and word documents. Calculator, conversion charts, geography, star maps. Apple specific software such as iMovie, Garage Band, and iPhoto. And as the iPad continues to make its way into the classroom, there will no doubt be even more apps for education that will be game changers. Even Pearson, a global leader in textbooks, has books available for hte iPad if your school has an existing contract with them. There are even college courses now at the graduate level to train teachers on how to use the iPad in the classroom!
At this time, I do not have an iPad to give you my favorites or give additional recommendations other than to share the information that was provided via the session presenter, Jenna Linskens, MA Ed from Marian University in Wisconsin.
With the new iPad 2, video conferencing is now possible for communicating with students home sick, student to student, student to mentor, or for students to create video content.
Check out this amazing list of apps for the iPad that Ms. Linskens has compiled. This should keep you quite busy exploring!! http://linskenspresentations.wikispaces.com/Favorite+iPad+Apps
Here is a link to articles and other resources related to the iPad from the session presenter: http://linskenspresentations.wikispaces.com/iPad+Presentation
And it is also worth checking out the official Apple iPad page on education. http://www.apple.com/education/ipad
Keep checking back for a constant stream this week of posts so that I can get all of the information from FETC out to you. And don’t forget to subscribe to this blog and share it with friends or colleagues!! Next up, video resources!
iPads, iTouchs, Xooms, and Smart Phones OH MY!
Apple and other technology experts have dubbed 2011 as the year of the tablet. Of course, Apple has a little of a head start on the pending tablet/slate wars that will be in full swing this year having sold 15 million iPads in 2010, but the competition is heating up as dozens of competitors are jumping into the market as well. And there was a little announcement from Apple this past week about the new iPad 2 which had the market buzzing yet again. When I first heard of the announcement of the iPad, one of my first thoughts was “wow….this is pretty neat!” My second was what sort of application it might have and education seemed to be the logical place for such a piece of technology. And it looks like I was not the only one with such a thought.
One piece of tech is not enough for this teacher at the FETC conference. Photo by Scott Dietz.
During my recent attendance at the Florida Education Technology Conference the use of mobile devices was a HOT HOT topic! Not only did I see numerous teachers utilizing their smart phones and iPads throughout the conference but the topic was touched on in almost every session I attended. And a few specific sessions I went to on the topic were PACKED! So to me, this says that either that the teachers in attendance realize the potential of such a device or there is a strong push to use such devices for education. Of course, the type of teachers in attendance at such a conference might be early adopters as well.
But let me introduce you to new terminology that you will likely be hearing much more especially if you are in education. The name given by several presenters to the plethora of mobile or hand-held devices that can be used for education was “Personal Learning Devices” or PLDs. Kind of catchy, huh? This includes any sort of smart phones, iTouch, iPad, and other such devices. Can these really be used as learning devices? Aren’t they just distractions? Here are some more thoughts on the use of these devices in the classroom or educational purposes garnered from the conference:
- Students today have grown up with technology and it is embedded in every part of their lives. Yes we ask them to “power down” when they enter the classroom and not use the mobile technology that many times is as powerful as the computers in the classroom. Isn’t it more logical to harness this technology prowess and drive for self education? After all, how do the students learn to use all of this technology? Typically on their own.
- A PLD allows students to have access to educational material 24/7 in a convenient and fun way. One teacher shared how her students were doing and turning in homework on weekends, in the evenings, and faster than ever before due to the access provided via a PLD. It was proposed that instead of expanding the school week or year, that PLD devices were more effective at creating a desire for students to take charge of their learning and be excited about seeking knowledge on their own.
- A student is not going to lug a laptop computer around in the car, to a relatives house, or to his sister’s soccer game and do homework on it. But they will throw a PLD in their pocket and access it to play educational games or do assignments “on the go”.
- Some schools in attendance shared about shifting away from traditional one-to-one laptop computer programs and instead investing those funds in one-to-one PLD programs
- One school in Texas made the decision to purchase 1,500 iTouch devices for the classroom instead of purchasing the newest text book edition
- One teacher commented that the students will use the devices anyway in the classroom whether they are allowed to or not so she might as well incorporate them into her class
- Another teacher said that students know that if they break the device they will have to go back to using a standard text book or paper so they treat the technology very well. In other words, the value of what they literally had their hands on was apparent.
- There is some very interesting research emerging regarding how these devices are especially beneficial for students with ADD, Autism, and other learning disabilities
Young and old alike enjoy learning with the iPad. Photo by RC Concepcion.
I do see a few challenges/objections with the use of these technologies in the classroom (all of which by the way I think can be overcome with some effort or change in mindset) that I think are worth mentioning.
- How are schools going to pay for these devices? One school implemented a technology fee in Wisconsin. Other schools are getting creative with technology fairs where companies sponsor the schools or where a technology themed fundraiser is held. Others are diverting funds from more traditional budget line items to make the purchases. Some schools just utilize the devices the students already own.
- What if your school doesn’t have the technology infrastructure to support these devices or as one teacher said, “my school is a bomb shelter and I can’t get a signal in the building.” Did you know that both Verizon and AT&T both have education divisions of their company now to provide specific solutions for schools? Here is Verizon’s page and AT&T’s page.
- “Won’t students become too reliant on the technology and not learn the fundamentals”. I don’t think the use of PLDs advocates not teaching the fundamentals but rather introduces and opportunity for a new way of teaching those fundamentals.
- How are teachers to stay up to date on the use of these technologies? Surely a daunting task. But I would ask, doesn’t this make the learning experience and deliver of content for teachers more fun and exciting as well? Also mentioned several times during the conference was the idea of teachers becoming less of the subject matter experts and lecturers but rather facilitators of learning and guides of exploration. This doesn’t require a wealth of technical knowledge, merely a willingness to learn, fail, adjust, and to allow the students to teach their peers and even the educator.
Well I am certainly only scratching the surface here. But I hope this is getting you thinking! I was going to provide a laundry list of articles on the subject of PLDs but frankly there are just too many! Do a quick Google search for smart phones, iTouch, or iPad in the classroom and I think you will see what I mean! But next up, I will share some resources, apps, and tools that can be used right away for use in the classroom, home, or other educational programs. So make sure to subscribe and keep checking back!! And comments, questions, and feedback are definitely encouraged/appreciated!
Florida Technology Education Conference
A few weeks back I had the privilege of attending the Florida Education Technology Conference (FETC) in Orlando, Florida. FETC is one the nation’s largest education technology conferences with over 200 concurrent sessions, 75 workshops, and more than 500 exhibit hall displays highlight the latest tools and solutions in education and educational technology. With a lack of options for quality STEM conferences or workforce conferences that I could find around the country, I thought that this would be a good conference to learn some of the best practices in education and how they might apply to workforce programs at Catalyst Connection but also for others in the region. The conference definitely did not disappoint!
This is the first of several postings to share information and resources gathered from this conference. I hope that you find this beneficial whether you are a parent, teacher, administrator, or are involved a STEM program in the region.
Overall themes of the conference reiterated throughout various sessions and from speakers from around the country in a variety of educational roles included:
- There is no need to extend the hours of the traditional school day, week or year as technology (especially mobile technologies) can make this a reality
- Students learn best today when using constructionism methods – doing and making
- The environment in which students are engaged outside of the classroom is radically different than that found in the classroom
- Teachers lose credibility and students “turn off” when in school due to the gap between the digital world and the way that learning is conducted in the classroom
- Public schools are in danger of becoming obsolete and “for profit” educational entities will take over because they are more responsive to the learning styles and technology needs of today’s students in preparing them for the “real world”
- Despite millions of dollars being spent on infusing technology in the classroom, the investment has not had an impact on grades or increase knowledge/preparation for students. Largely because of a disconnect between having the technology, knowing how to use it, integrating it fully into the classrooms (70-80% of the time vs 10% of the time currently), and devises that are portable
- Personal Learning Devices (PLDs) will be a game changer for education as they make learning portable and accessible 24/7 thus expanding the walls of the classroom. PLDs include smart phones, iTouch, and iPad among other devices.
- Teachers need to adapt to becoming the source of all knowledge in the classroom and cramming information into the heads of the students to facilitators of self-exploration and learning utilizing technology. Teachers need to guide the students through the learning process and it is ok if the students know more about the technology than the teacher.
The Sessions I Attended:
- Making Movies Using Freely Available Tools – 3 hour workshop
- Extend Your Classroom Instruction Beyond the Walls with Moodle – 3 hour workshop
- Culture Clash! Wired Kids in Text-Driven Classrooms – 3 hour workshop
- Keynote presentation by Reed Timmer of Discovery Channel’s Storm Chasers
- Programming Wizards: Teaching Future Engineers with Kerpoof.com
- Fun for a Reason: The Value of Digital Games in Education
- Cell Phones in Education? It’s Inevitable
- Science and Technology Expo in a Box – Host Your Own
- Game On! Using Educational Videogames to Stop Summer Brain Drain
- Using Web 2.0 to Increase Student Engagement in Learning
- iTouch and iPad in the Classroom
- Build It or They Will Come
Over the coming days and weeks I will be sharing tips, tricks, tools, resources, links, etc with you on many of the above specific workshops and sessions. Feel free to subscribe to the blog to be notified of the latest postings as well as share this with any others that you feel would benefit from the information.
AIT Keeps on Rollin!
Yes, I know…I said I would be posting new blog posts periodically, but you probably thought that periodically would mean more often then once a month! haha My apologies. Back on track and a TON of informative and interesting (I hope) blog posts coming in the next few weeks. Starting next week I will be sharing a series of posts with insights from a recently attended Florida Education Technology Conference. You won’t want to miss these so make sure to hit the subscribe button to the right of this posting!
There are a lot of exciting developments with our Adventures in Technology program that I wanted to share though. Adventures in Technology is a project-based STEM experience that gives teams of students the opportunity to partner with local industry on a real-world project in the classroom. Click on any of the photos below to see more from this and other Catalyst Connection workforce programs.
Congratulations to this year’s team from South Fayette High School for the completion of another great project with All-Clad Metalcrafters. The manufacturer of world-class cookware in Canonsburg, PA has partnered with South Fayette for the 3rd year now on a project. 8 students participated in the first year and this year there were 24! Students tackled 2 very tough projects this year related to refurbishment of cookware and quality control related to the flatness of the cookware surface.
Students from the 8th grade at Burrell Middle School last week launched a new product development project with Specter Studios in Sharpsburg. The students will be designing new insect wings for this specialty maker of high-end costumes and masks.
Also last week, more than 50 students from the Eastern Westmoreland Career and Technology Center toured L&S Machine Company in Latrobe. The students got to see a world-class manufacturing environment with a plethora of cutting edge technology. They even use iPads to monitor production and access designs as was being demonstrated in the above photo. Students will be researching a new barcoding system for the company.
Projects launching in the next two weeks include Burrell High School with Psychology Software Tools and Franklin Regional High School with Propel. Keep checking back for updates on these and many more projects launching in the coming weeks.
