Resources for Making Videos
Tips for making videos and creating screencasts:
- Storyboard and script what you are going to cover and say
- Have your resources ready and in the order you are going to discuss
- Keep it short and simple
- It helps if your voice is slow and steady
- Find a quiet area with good lighting
- Organize your screencasts and videos so it easy for students and others to find
- The process gets easier the more you do it; don’t be a perfectionist!
YouTube:
Please remember that you have a youtube account that is based upon your school gmail account. Just use your school gmail username and password to login. Videos on youtube are easy to upload and share on blogs!
Why make videos?:
- A great reference and review that can be used multiple times; especially with student absences.
- Easy to share (youtube).
- Great for snow days!
- Zaption can be used for formal or informal assessments.
Tools for making videos and creating screencasts:
Screencast-O-Matic
There are several tools for creating screencasts: Quicktime, Camtasia, Screencast-O-Matic, etc. Please use the one that works best for you.
Explain Everything (iPad app)
Simple, easy to use tool to help create screencasts. Think of it as an interactive whiteboard tool that lets you annotate, animate, narrate, import, and export almost anything to and from almost anywhere. Create slides, draw in any color, add shapes, add text, pictures and videos.
Tutorials for Explain Everything
Zaption:
Sign in here using ‘Sign in with Google’
Tutorials from Zaption
Video Tutorial by Alex Alford
Source for Explain Everything
Internet Safety and Some Coffee
As part of Digital Citizenship Week, Claire Wachowiak and Brycen Davis, our Tech Integration Team, discussed Internet safety and digital balance with parents during a PTA Coffee Morning. Susan Taylor hosted the event.
During this time, a lively discussion took place regarding the concerns parents have about their children being online. While understanding that the Internet has become an integral part of our daily lives, students need to be guided on how to use this incredible tool as its significant functionality also comes with some inherent dangers. We talked about what IICS is doing to help keep students safe online, including lessons and the Acceptable Use Policies, and also what parents can do at home.
While each home is unique, there are several suggestions below that may help guide students in making smart online choices and to develop healthy screen time habits:
- Talk with your child; make sure to check in with your child about their online lives
- Create an ‘at home’ media agreement with your child
- Talk to your child about Internet safety rules; don’t assume
Keep technology in a central location- Limit screen time
- Be a role model for your child in using technology safely and effectively
To help with this, Claire and Brycen have also created a resource page for parents to get information about keeping their children safe online. Additionally, they have created a Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) for parents to help navigate this ever changing landscape.
Thank you again to Susan Taylor and the PTA for hosting our Tech Integration Team. It was a lovely morning and we look forward to many more.
What is a Good Digital Citizen?
On Monday, students in grades two through six discussed what it means to be a good digital citizen. In school, we hear so much about digital citizenship so we thought it would be a good time to establish expectations and responsibilities when online. Also, we reviewed how to positively and respectfully participate in an online community.
Students discussed their thoughts on what it means to be in a community, characteristics of an effective digital citizen, and situations they have run into when online. Many classes also created charts to record their thinking. All and all, a good day for digital citizenship!
Students also watched the video below ‘Characteristics of a Responsible Digital Citizen’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5V56hPW_mwU&feature=youtu.be
Keeping Kids Safe Online
Please check out the presentation below to see what you can do to keep your child safe online.
Tool literacy – EasyBib a powerful tool for citing information
Grade 6 is about to begin their Exhibition research. They were introduced to the electronic citation maker EasyBib
How Much Time?
In an effort to get students to reflect upon their daily technology habits and their overall screen time, we asked grade six students what types of digital devices they are using at home and school (Smartphones, laptops, television, tablets,etc.). We then asked students what they were doing on these devices (Instagram, YouTube, SnapChat, video games, Google, etc.).From there, grade six students were asked to record their use of digital devices and what they were doing online on an average school day.
Afterwards, students explored the reasons behind using digital media. The top three responses were communication and sharing, entertainment, and education and skills.
All students completed the daily log similar to the one above. Then each student calculated the amount of hours they spent using digital media per day. In order to determine a percentage of daily use per student, we agreed that six grade students were awake an average of 16 hours a day. From here, students could compare how much they used digital devices on a average waking day.
As the technology integrator, I found this lesson quite powerful because it gave students hard evidence of how much time they spend using digital devices. Some students reached as high as 81% of their day and others came in at about 30 to 40%. As a class, we asked students what surprised them about the results and if these results made them rethink how they spend their time.
With the understanding that digital devices are effective tools that can play very positive roles in our lives, we also looked at how we could spend our time without a digital device. Could we have a better balance? Are we using these because we are just bored? Could we get outside a bit more? Would it be a good idea to develop some new habits?
One interesting aspect that come up for me was the high use of YouTube for watching videos and listening to music. Out of 50 sicth grade students, 44 said they used YouTube daily – that is 88% of sixth graders. YouTube is a fantastic resource, but there are also many alternatives. I recently found an article ‘47+ Alternatives to Using YouTube in the Classroom’ that can be applied to home use as well.
How much time do you spend on your digital devices?
Searching for an Image?
Photos for Class is a tool that allows students and teachers to search for school-safe photos that are easily downloaded, including the proper attribution – right from the Class Site! Check out the video below to see for yourself!
Exploring with Technology
Grades 2 and 3 at Hisar have had a busy morning with technology!
Grade 2 students used Spelling City to create their own spelling lists based on previous spelling exams. Way to go Ms. Apps and the students in Grade 2!
Mr. Hinkley’s Grade 3 class fearlessly explored the app Explain Everything. Students quickly learned how to import and edit photos, draw images, and record their voices.
Commenting on Primary Class Sites
Early Years: How to Comment on the Class Sites
Grades 2 – 6: How to Comment on the Class Sites