Starting Over Again!

I am having trouble selecting projects for my PhotoStory project for STEP. I spent alot of time taking pictures, editing, arranging , captioning but then decided I had a better idea. So I took pictures, edited, arranged, and captioned another project. I did complete one. Now I just have to decide which of the other projects I will concentrate on.
I also started over again with my VoiceThread. I had a good idea when I was taking pictures for my PhotoStory. We had an in-house-fieldtrip. I noticed one of the teachers was not there and had the idea that the students could tell her about what they saw. I could not get right in to the room which would have been ideal. I had to wait a few days and the students' memories had faded somewhat. The results are a little rough but they are genuine! I am glad I did not go the editing route like I had originally planned. There is a place for that but this is real sharing!

The Deadline looms

We just got word of our final deadline. I can't believe that the school year is ending and our Gallery walk for STEP is so close. I have to say that from December till now I have really had a change of heart as far as technology in the classroom is concerned. While i still don't belive my two year olds need to be using technology everyday Ithink that exposure in a supportive environment and technology that is interactive can be useful. I found that most of my projects started leaning to being parent training modules or at home online reinforcers of stuff that the students were exposed to at school. I'm hoping I can continue to implement this stuff next year and expand and make better what i've already come up with.

Now to put those finishing touches on my Wiki :) (which if you still need the link to is http://kateribaker.wikispaces.com/ )

I love the photo story program. I am able to use it to demonstrate projects that students need to independently complete in the learning centers.

Since I am able to add voice to the photo stories, I have decided to create photo stories and allow the stories to run in the student computer center. This way students can use the photo stories as resources when the need reminder of directions or procedures.

We are winding down and I am attempting to complete my portfolio. It is getting difficult to give the projects the time since the school year is wrapping up.

BLAB BLAB BLAB

Sooo I forgot to tell you about Blabberize it is a super silly and very fun site that the ladies at the braving the wild session at Micca showed us. Check it out!



It's basically an internet puppet, they are alot of fun to make and could be used for projects. The ladies at MICCA had students be the voices of farm animals and talk about where they lived and what they ate it was very cute.

Check it out for yourself at http://blabberize.com/
Or see another one I did for STEP at my wiki http://kateribaker.wikispaces.com/

Recording and Editing Sound

There was a project that a group of Chapel Forge staff wanted to do to support some of our Spanish-speaking families. They asked me to help to record and produce CDs with vocabulary to support the monthly theme, ABCs. counting etc. I wasn't sure how I would do it. Luckily Ronlyn was at CF when they suggested the project. When I asked her how to do it she mentioned Audacity was a good program to use to record sound. Initially, I was able to use the Microsoft sound recorder (under Accessories on most computers). This was fine until I needed to record segments that were longer than 1 minute. I remembered Ronlyn's suggestion and downloaded the program from the Audacity site. http://audacity.sourceforge.net/ . I am not using half of the features but have been very happy with what I have used. The group was very happy with the CDs that resulted.
I used Audacity again for my VoiceThread project. I thought the students would have a hard time coordinating speaking into the microphone on cue. I had them react to the book, The Carrot Seed. I just started Audacity recording on a second computer. It did well in picking up sound. My intent is to edit the sound clips and insert them into the VoiceThread. So far, so good. The students liked to watch the sound pattern change as they spoke. It was very easy to isolate statements that I can associate with different images fom the book. I am getting somewhere!

Big Thoughts, little action!

I know what I want to do with the Truck Day photos. I have not done it!

I think I know what I will do for Podcasting/Voice Thread but I need to do it. I did talk to J.L. today about doing something with her class. We threw around a couple of ideas. I think she is going to read The Carrot Seed to the class this week (tomorrow). She will ask them to draw pictures based on the story. I will digitize the photos and make a few Voice Thread slides. The children will comment -- tell what is happening in the picture, react to the occurrence in the picture, comment on the comment. This part is a little fuzzy. They are 4-5 years old!

This year has gone fast! STEP has gone fast! I have good intentions but the work is still to be done!

I enjoyed MICCA. I was interested to hear many of the speakers mentioned their use of VoiceThreads, Podcasting and PhotoStory. It was great to know what they were talking about. In many cases they worked with older students but I am determined to make it work with our staff and students!

April

I love the photo story program. I am able to use it to demonstrate projects that students need to independently complete in the learning centers.

Since I am able to add voice to the photo stories, I have decided to create photo stories and allow the stories to run in the student computer center. This way students can use the photo stories as resources when the need reminder of directions or procedures.

The Micca conference was a great experience. Today was the first day and at first it was difficult to find seminars that addressed early childhood students (pre-k). However, I stopped choosing workshop that I thought matched my students and began choosing workshops that appealed to me as a professional. That’s when I really began to make good use of the information that was being offered. I also found that I don’t know half of what’s going on in the technology world the way I thought I did.


During the Micca conference I found that the county has more than enough technology to make every lesson interactive, reflective and interesting for students. During a workshop, a presenter passed out a list of technology pieces that can be used in a classroom (ex. DVD, laptop, desktop, smart board etc.). I said to myself WOW we have all of these. Other participants from other counties shared that the problem is their technology resources are limited.

MICCA!!!

The MICCA Conference was this week and it was very cool. I wish I could have gone for both days but it just wasn't in the cards this year. The conference had a lot more vendors than I thought it would (so lots of free goodies :) ) one neat thing I saw was a projector that attached to the top of a white board so it was up and out of the way. i thought about that for my students (in case I won the lottery) but I think they would still cast shadows because I'd want them up and interacting. Now what I really need is a gigantic touch sensitive screen, that is hard to break, and smeels like chocolate :) J/k





There were two sessions I particualry liked, The first was "gadget a go-go" and it talked about all the different software (web 2.0) and hardware that is new and possibly useful. Here is the link to the presentation the lady had http://mhmsmedia.wikispaces.com/gadget . The neatest think by far was the Flip Mino Video Camera. Its a digital camera the size of a large cell phone.. I think it would be great for data collection. The other session was "braving the wild" and it was the only session specifically geared for eafrly childhood (although still not all the way down to the two year olds ... but I swear i'm over it :) ). They had so many neat projects and ideas. One cute Idea was having color coded Ipod shuffles at a center with each color having songs geared for a particular concept or theme (numbers, alphabet, transportation) super simple and cute!

Anyways, it was very fun and informative (plus I got to attend with my sister who is also in a STEP cohort at a different school, double bonus)

neat Wiki

So I was playing around on wiki and I found a wiki for eductaors. It has tons of information and ideas (again not always geared for my specific population but i'm beginning to accept that there are children above the age of 2 in the world :) )



This is the site link...

http://educationalwikis.wikispaces.com/



Check it out when you have a free moment

Using photo story

I love the photo story program. I am able to use it to demonstrate projects that students need to independently complete in the learning centers. The first time I created a photostory I did not inculde voice. The next time I will be sure to record voice. My students seem to receive multiple steps easier when it is presented in a visual and auditory way.

Idea for PhotoStory

We had Truck Day last week. I took a BUNCH of photos. I am thinking I will work them into a PhotoStory presentation. At present my idea is to show the truck with some other photos that put it in context. This is easier with some than with others. For instance, the Fire Truck could go with the Fire Station. I need to get a picture of our mail lady to go with the mail truck. I may be making this project harder than it needs to be. I am very excited but a little overwhelmed. I just need to do it!

PODcasting

We just finished the session on PODcasting. It is very cool. I think I may use it for my final project. The possibilities are endless!


Here's a sample on a voicethread

I am thinking, thinking, thinking about how to use pod casting in my classroom. We have two student computers and I am considering having students record their experiences so that their peers may listen at their leisure in order to demonstrate the use of language.
Lynette

We're Podcasting!

We learned how to make a Podcast today. It is not too difficult! We are using voicethread.com. A voice thread is a visual / auditory presentation. An interesting thing is that people you invite have the opportunity to comment on your presentation by typing text or recording comments. To start a sample Voice thread, I added a photo and a PowerPoint slide. You can upload video or an entire PowerPoint presention. I recorded narration for the slides in the Presentation. We went through the steps of uploading it to our WIKI. I will have to replace that sample with a REAL Voice thread when I figure out what to do.
I wonder if it could be used to allow staff to comment on positioning or something like that. Sometimes during collaboration, we show videos or still photos of children eating or producing sounds or doing a motor movement. At that time we comment verbally on what we are seeing. If the visuals were made available to staff on a Voice Thread everyone could weigh in on their own schedule. Just a thought.

Kateri's Podcasting Adventure

Today we learned about PODcasting ... I had no idea POD stood for Personal On Demand... it gives my ipod a whole new meaning :)

We are using a website called Voicethread. Which allows you to up load pictures / videos/ power points along with comments (verbal and typed) that you add. Then others can look at and add information (more comments, drawings, questions) to the Voicethread. You can even embed the Voicethread into other websites like our wikipages.

To be honest I don't see a whole lot of use of Voicethread for my students (perhaps besides recording a story and sharing it with them) as they cannot type or leave verbal comments yet. I do think that the Voicethreads would be a great way to share information with families. So they can retrieve the information whenever they want/need to and leave comments for each other or questions for me.

Ronlyn's good at getting us all excited about using these new programs!

Cheers!

-Kateri

Say Cheese!

At our last STEP meeting we got and practiced using our new digital cameras. it was nice that the cameras were Canon Powershots cause I have a similar camera at home, and it was brand new. Ronlyn (are instructor) took us through the camera and all of its features (there are things I've never even looked at before at home). It was nice to have the time to practice with support. We also looked at a program called photostory3 that puts the pictures in a sort of slide show where you can at captions, music, voice overs, zooming and all sorts of other edits.

My inevitable conundrum occurs yet again, just how does this work in an Infant/Toddler setting?

Telling the story with photos

We received our Canon digital cameras and had instruction on using Photo Story. Our school already had a few of the cameras and I had used them before. After the camera orientation I was AMAZED at all of the possible settings available to take pictures in different situations. I particularly want to remember the setting to take pictures quickly one after another. It has often seemed to me a live subject will alert upon hearing the shutter. I have thought a picture taken a second after the shutter click would actually be better. Now I have my chance!
We took pictures of each other and the new photo equipment. We practiced putting the photos into Photo Story. The pictures look very artistic when played in Photo Story. It looks like it took alot more time (and talent) to make than it actually does! That can be our little secret!
We are to take pictures to illustrate a lesson. I am trying to figure out what to do!! I better come up with it. Our next session is coming up soon and I have a busy week!
On Monday 3/ 23, we are going to talk about Podcasting. I know nothing about Podcasting so I am quite excited.

Feeling stronger everyday!

I am feeling so much more comfortable with STEP today than I have in a long time! Ronlyn came and worked with us to catch up on our individual WIKIs and bloging. We scheduled our next two sessions so we should be in good shape now! We are starting a new blogging site which you would be reading this on! The network crashed mid -post on this new system but I am sure none of the Chapel Forge Bear Bloggers will let it get us down!

I get so frustrated. I am so confident at our STEP meetings about everything we need to get done. But when I work alone, I forget how to access my Wiki page. I forget to blog and so on. I also fall behind easily. Hopefully, it will get easier for me.

Lynette

Where does the time go?

I keep planning (and planning and making lists and planning and penciling in... well you get the picture) but I can never get my head around using my document camera (akak ELMO) in class. I now have some much better ideas of how to use it but with 6 two year olds it just seems over welming (and yes I realize you 5th grade teachers with 35 students are lauging at me). I need to just dive in and do it! well... maybe next week :)

-Kateri

Have to make it more convenient

My goal is to make the use of the Document camera more convenient so people will use it. Actually, as a preliminary goal, I am still trying to make the use of LCD projectors convenient enough that staff will use them.
I have had two instances in the last two weeks where Elyse and I looked at each other because we could have used the document camera but it was not set up right then ,right now! I have attached a laptop to a document camera on a cart. It will definitely make things more convenient to have it all hooked up and in one place.

Strangers in the Night

It has been very difficult to get the STEP team together for our 3rd meeting. I may be anxious out of proportion because I have had problems getting established with my WIKI and have fallen behind. I have been saving my blogging thoughts but am not sure what to do with that either. I have been doing research and thinking about "Learing Styles"lately. I am definitely in the category of needing positive affirmation. I am behind and I know it but I don't know what to do about it!

Blogging woes

We lost our blog site. It was very sad cause I just really got a handle on something new and then we couldn't use it any more. We are supposed to keep writting our thoughts down in a word doc until we have a new site. It's a little like losing your seat on a train when you get up for a snack.... you know you are still headed the same direction but it's a lot less comfortable. I hope I can get used to whatever new blogging system we get set up.

-Kateri

Lovin' Elmo

I have found that the Elmo allows me to demonstrate activities that have multiple steps. Before the Elmo I would have to call smaller groups over to a table so that they could easily see me demonstrating several steps in order to complete a project. Now I can show the whole class and save a lot of time. I have more time to provide individual support.
Lynette

End of January?

Januray has gone so quickly!I was hoping to try out the document camera with my students but with the snow, children turning 3, and extra meetings it has been difficult to plan. My hope is to use the camera in small group ( 2 - 3 students) early next month to work on identifying themself and friends by pictures. We already do a similiar activity with low tech Photos, so I think this will be a good introductions since the concept is already familair all though the technology is new.

Students like it!

I collaborated with Joana Legg to teach a lesson using the Elmo. The students seemed to really like it. We did a few different things. We showed a book so that all could see. She had individual students roll a dice under the camera so that all could see the number. The student then loaded a construction truck with that many pieces of "load". The other students kept track on a graph. We switched over to the computer and showed the the students a Construction Tools video from United Streaming. We finished up by asking each students to display their completed worksheet using the document camera. They were very proud!

ELMO in action

Lynette invited me to see her class using the Elmo. It was a lot of fun. Her lesson was measurement. She was able to put common objects under the Visualizer and project for all to see as she measured. The students seemed to really be engaged. I can imagine that they would get a lot more out of the lesson when they could all see what she was measuring as opposed to a traditional model of having to wait their turn to squeeze in to see what was being measured. I left her room excited about trying out the Elmo myself next week.

Not THAT Elmo

Yesterday was our training on a document camera. It was basically a souped (sp?) up overhead projector. It was a lot of fun to get to play with something new. We looked at how other people had used the camera in classrooms (using manipulatives, having children show answers to each other, using it with a microscope) but none really seemed to apply to my age group of kids. I'm not really sure how I'm going to be able to bring this down to a toddler level and make it something beyond just watching a screen (passive entertainment is not what my students need).

I hope that I can brainstorm with my cohort and team to come up with a reasonable use for this cool new equipment.

-Kateri

p.s. It's called ELMO but it's not named after our favorite red friend :)

ELMO rules

We had our training on the Elmo today. It was great. I had used a visual visualizer before but this is so much more! It was really fun to hear the other STEP team members so excited too. I think we all had ideas about how we could use the Elmo in instruction and /or presentations. Elyse had the Elmo training a few weeks ago during Principals' training. Now I know why she was so excited when she came back. This new documentcamera is much smaller than the visual visualizers we used in the past. I have told Elyse I will think about ways we can make the Elmo available to staff.