Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Wrapping It All Up and Putting It Together.

So this week we are reviewing again technology and what to look at when buying it.  We are also re reviewing rubrics and making them.  There is nothing wrong with the practice of this all, but I feel that we are doing it over and over.  I am glad for the practice, and the tools, I just wish that doing some of it more practical for the current classrooms we are in.  I have chosen to do my rubric on the 2nd grade animal report and how the technology will be used in it.  This is great as the rubric is going to be used in a month!
As for the Pecha Kucha---man I do not like the sound of my own voice and I am finding that even if I am not reading from a script, it sure sounds like I am.  I am a trying to redo it so this is not the case, but it is tough!  I like my story, order, and pictures.  If only I had a great "presentation" or "radio" voice I would feel better!
Group work this week--we are skipping face flow and going right to a Vroom.  The Vrooms have proven to work, so we have gone with what is proven.
Time to work out the final details of the Pecha Kucha!

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Prepping the Pecha Kucha, Face Flow, and Prezi

So I have finally nailed down my Pecha Kucha idea.  Now it is time to start on the story board.  It should not be to hard, it is just figuring out the order and then putting down what words go with it.  After meeting with my group we discovered that it takes, with a normal talking speed 50-60 words to fill the 20 second time limit.  Very do-able.  If need be 40 words a bit slower!!!
Meeting on Face Flow was, to me, basically meeting on Skype.  The only real difference was that we were able to meet in more of a group setting.  It was fun to see a face with the name I see every week!
The concepts that make a good picture was pretty well known to me.  I have seen the article before and actually used it in a digital photography class I taught over the summer.  We did a similar project, but there were assigned topics for the photos as well.  I enjoyed going back over my photos.  I do realize that they are only from my Iphone and not the best ones I have ever taken, but it has been hard for me to keep up with daily pictures and post when there is really just so much going on right now.  At least when outdoors I normally take a photo and that really helps!
Finally the readings this week were great.  I love the analogy of presenting and Judo.  Each takes practice and with that practice comes the ability to make a move without thought.  It just happens.  One does not and SHOULD NOT think about how they are doing in the moment.  When you do that, you start to fail.  You can always look back and think about it later!!!!

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Reading That Matters

So finally a chapter I have read that really means something to me and was useful!  The concepts and principles that we learned about I have put to use.  The assignments that are going along with the readings this week are ones that are also useful for my life and job as well.  I actually went through and changed what my original presentation was from last week so I could modify a lesson/presentation that I will be using in the up coming month as my 2nd grade class begins a new unit.  I found that I really need to simplify my presentations and create a handout.  That is exactly what I did.  I also found some cool animated clipart.  It is not able to play in the Voice Thread due to the Activinspire upload issue.  I have to upload the presentation in a PDF format and therefore it is a "still."
The videos in the Animoto education videos were pretty fun as well this week.  I like the videos that say "So much depends on...."  They were pretty clever with the various items.  I.E. the big mustache, the head band, ect.
I have also been thinking about what to make my Pecha Kucha about.  I have two ideas that I am excited about and they are actually for somethings outside of my school life.  I plan on either doing a show on Adaptive Sportsmen.  This is a group of outdoors people who are handicapped in some way.  I work very close with this group and we need a presentation for the webpage/sports shows we attend.  OR... I will make the presentation on Marfan's Syndrome.  A genetic cardiac condition that lead to myself and many family members having open heart surgery.  I am a mentor for families/people going through much the same I did. The presentation may help and could easily be passed along to them.
Overall a good week of work.  --Time to post some pictures!!!!