Week 6 - Photo Editing

Below is an image of Scotland's Edinburgh Castle that I have edited using Adobe Photoshop. I have replaced the blue sky with an orange color.

Assignment Title: Photo Editing

Uses in the Classroom: Photo editing is a great tool for students to better understand and learn subject specific content. For example, a history teacher can create an assignment where students research black and white photos from an older era in time (WWI or WWII for example) and use the replace color tool in Photoshop to give the images a more modern look.

This activity would allow students to synthesize the black and white images by having them design and reconstruct the image to meet their understanding of the time in history the photograph was taken. Allowing students to use their own creativeness in completing this activity will give the students a sense of ownership in the new image, while also having them think about the image itself and how they may have interpreted the event if they were there.

Issues to Consider: As with any software used in a classroom setting, students need to know how to use it and have had enough time spent within the program to feel confident utilizing it. The teacher should also structure the assignment with very specific instructions on what should be done with the image. Students can spend a lot of time in Photoshop seeing what the different editing options can do. This is not necessarily a bad thing (as it allows students to be very creative!) but can take up a lot of classroom ,or computer lab, time.
Another issue to consider when using this activity is to decide on whether you yourself will select the images the students will be using, or if you will allow the students to select their own. Either way, make sure that you are using an image that is allowed altering under Creative Commons licensing, and that it is cited properly.

Copyright: The above photo is an edited version of the image titled Scotland 2013 – 162 (September 22^nd, 2013) and belongs to Kyle Taylor, The image is shared under a Creative Commons Attribution license on Flickr.

Week 5 - Infographic

Below is an Infographic I created for our alternative students to see what types of and how many credits they need to graduate with our program:

Please note: You can view TWO versions of this infographic by clicking on the image. I have also included the modified version below the original. Please share a comment on which one you prefer!

Click HERE to view the Infographic at its original site

Assignment Title: Infographic

Uses in the Classroom: Infographics can be utilitized in the classroom (or school in general) in several different ways. For example, the above infographic can be a great tool for our current senior alternative students to visual see what graduation requirements they need to meet. By taking what seems to be a lot of complicated information and organizing it in an easy-to-view infographic, a student can better understand what is expected of them.
Educators can also have students create their own infographics as assessments on whatever topic they may be teaching. Infographics would also be a great tool for students to use when participating in cooperative learning. By having each student research their own information and collectively collaborating on an infographic, the student group would have a great visual to show off as their final product. Also, infographics allow students to take a lot of information and present it in an easy-to-view graphic, all while using their own creativeness to accomplish it. 

Issues to Consider: When using infographics in the classroom, as an educator or as a student, there is a learning curve that takes place for operating the site. I was able to use http://www.easel.ly/ with only a little bit of a learning curve myself, but I can see other non-tech-savy people having to "learn the system" to create and share their infographics.
Other issues to consider, as always with creating and sharing content online, is to make sure that each graphic or text that you use is allowable under it's copyright. An educator, or student, could have their infographs violate copyright law if not properly cited or used improperly. 

Copyright: The above image is the original work of the author of this blog. I did create the infographic using the site http://www.easel.ly/.

Week 4 - Instructional Video

Below is an instructional video I created on the Five Themes of Geography. This video would be best suited for a 6th grade Social Studies class.

Assignment Title: Instructional Video

Uses in the Classroom: Instructional videos can greatly increase your teaching repertoire if used correctly. By using video clips in your teaching, you can allow visual and auditory learners to better receive your content versus the dreaded lecture they would have to sit through. Also, showing instructional videos can be a change of pace for the students. They tend to like watching video clips and have a lot of experience with it already!

A teacher can use instructional video to showcase faraway places, as well as people and cultures that otherwise the students would not experience. Instructional videos can also be a great way to introduce a topic or to summarize main ideas at the end of a unit. Students themselves can utilize software to create their own instructional videos to showcase what they have learned.

Issues to Consider: When using instructional videos in your classroom it is important to have a backup plan. Just in case you run into technical problems, have a plan to cover the same material to your students that the video would have. When selecting which instructional videos to include in class, make sure that you review the WHOLE clip. You do not want to share something that may be inappropriate to your students. Also, make sure that you can access the clip from your school, as some schools block certain sites (i.e. YouTube).

Copyright: The above video is the original work of the author of this blog. Included in this video are the following images and audio used properly under their Creative Commons license:

Hip Hop Beat Instrumental - Chapter 20 Free Download

eldienneproductions – SoundCloud – 5 January 2012

https://soundcloud.com/eldienneproductions

Earth – Kevin Gill – June 2, 2012 – Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kevinmgill/

Great Lakes – NASA Goddard Space Flight Center – August 28, 2010

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gsfc/

Mountain Cluster – NASA Goddard Space Flight Center – February 6, 2014

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gsfc/

City Lights – Ghassan Tabet – March 19, 2005 – Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ghassantabet/

Country – Riccardo Cuppini – January 1, 2010 – Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cuppini/

Snow Road – Brad Smith – January 3, 2007 – Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/57402879@N00/

Desert – Sboyd – September 28, 2013 – Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/18740912@N06/

Highway – Lauri Kolehmainen – July 17, 2006 – Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dotsi/

Bridge – Cindy Cornett Seigle – August 22, 2009 – Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cindy47452/

Ready for Winter – Paul Mayne – November 25, 2005 – Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/paulm/

Hoover Dam – eGuide Travel – December 10, 1010 – Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/eguidetravel/

Plane – Steven Conry – July 17, 2009 – Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/docs_best/

Farm – UGA College of Ag – July 13, 2012 – Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ugacommunications/

Tvstation – circulating – March 8, 2009 - Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/circulating/

School – arbyreed – November 2, 2011 – Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/19779889@N00/

Week 3 - Digital Storytelling

Here is a digital story I created about a student named Joe who is frustrated with regular school.

Assignment Title: Digital Storytelling

Uses in the Classroom: Digital storytelling is a way for students (and educators) to share a story to an audience. A digital story is a video that includes pictures, music, video clips, and other images to share a story or concept.

For educators, digital storytelling is a great way to introduce a topic in your content area. It is also a great way to share personal stories with your students at a distance. Simply upload and share your digital story with your distance learners, and they will be able to connect with you on a more personal level.

For pupils, digital storytelling is a great way for them to be creative in their projects. Instead of having students write a story out for a classroom assignment, how about having them create their story with images and music of their choosing? This allows the student to feel more involved in the project, as well as allowing them to use a medium (technology) that they are comfortable with.

Issues to Consider: When using digital storytelling in your classroom, make sure that students have access to a computer. There are several options when it comes to digital storytelling software, many of which are free. For starters, most (PC) computers automatically come with Windows Movie Maker. If your student computers do not have this software, you may need to work with your school's technology representative in order to have the necessary software available to you.

Other issues to consider include whether your students will be publishing their material to the internet. Even if they are not being published to the internet, make sure that students are aware of copyright law and do not include and copyrighted material in their projects.

Copyright: The above video is the original work of the author of this blog. Included in this video are the following images:

Student – Meathead Movers – October 10, 2006 – Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/meatheadmovers/

Students – Barbro Bjornemalm – September 2, 2010 – Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/barbro2009/

FrustratedStudent – UGL_UIUC – January 26, 2008 – Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/79015742@N08/

Frustrated2 – Jenny Kaczorowski – January 31, 2009 – Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cellardoorfilms/

FallConvocation – Thompson Rivers University – October 4, 2007 - Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/thompsonrivers/

EnthusiasticTeenagers – Quinn Dombrowski – June 17, 2005 – Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/quinnanya/

BoredTeenager – Andrew King – October 31, 2006 – Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/people/watt_dabney/

BusinessChart – SalFalko – October 14, 2008 – Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/safari_vacation/

SchoolBus – gfpeck – August 13, 2011 – Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/wespeck/

SittingDown – taylormcquarrie – August 24, 2012 – Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/85550014@N02/

Researching – Susan Hersh – March 4, 2007 – Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/31092106@N02/

AlarmClock – Alan Cleaver – January 21, 2010 – Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/alancleaver/

Police – Inventorchris – August 5, 2011 – Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/inventorchris2/

Prison – kIM DARam – September 10, 2005

http://www.flickr.com/photos/43566645@N03/

Pajamas – Elvis Ripley – October 9, 2006

http://www.flickr.com/photos/elvisripley/

Snow – SparkFun Electronics – October 29, 2009 – Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sparkfun/

Wendys – Judy Baxter – May 1, 2005 – Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/judybaxter/

Money – 401(K) 2012 – November 9, 2010 – Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/68751915@N05/