Video Thoughts

The top four things that I learned in this chapter are:

1. I learned about what CODECs are and how they affect what can and cannot be watched on a piece of technology based upon default settings.
2. I learned that there are websites that make it seem easy to use to create animated videos.
3. I learned what Screencasting was (taking a video recording of the screen of whatever device you happen to be working on).  I am glad that I have seen it in action while watching Kahn Academy videos.
4. I thought it was fascinating to find out that you can create videos using HTML5 and create links to videos within videos (video-ception).  It is like YouTube annotation, but seems far more efficient than waiting for subsequent pages to load.

          So far, I have video incorporated into two of my lessons for Grace's class: one if my final student product, which will be a documentary about genetic variation in a previously identical species, and the other is a supplemental video hook that I want to use in a class about DNA replication and regulation.  Video can also be an option for both the Prezie and Glogster projects that I have planned within my unit, but those are up to student discretion if they feel like they need to include them.  Overall, I want video to have a place in my classroom, to help me describe complex topics that are difficult to draw or explain, or for students to explore and record their thoughts and ideas that will be easy to remember and look back on.

Audio

The 3 Websites I Investigated:

• StoryCorps Interview Question Generator
• Rock Our World international music-sharing project
• EdTechTalk Webcasting Community

Wes Fryer on Copyright and Fair Use

          This chapter provided a handy acronym to help remember the different aspects of copyright, Fair Use, and ways to bypass it in education.  The acronym is "Harry Potter Can Fly," meaning Homegrown, Public Domain, Creative Commons, and Fair Use.  Homegrown media are things that you create yourself, or that your family has created and you have the permission to use.  However, this does not include pictures taken of copyrighted or trademarked material.  Public Domain is the category that covers media that was created and distributed by the government or has been around long enough to have lost its ability to copyright claims, such as older music and photos.  Public Domain items can be used anywhere, commercially or not, and without having to ask for permission.  Creative Commons provides special licenses to material that a creator has posted or distributed that means that anyone is free to use it.  However, the creator can determine how they would like Creative Commons to cover their material and what aspects are covered free of copyright restrictions.  For example, a creator can distribute a song, but apply a creative commons license that prevents its use in commercial resale, or prevents the consumer from editing it.  Finally, Fair Use is a set of guidelines that list when the use of copyright material is okay without permission from the copyright owner.  Fryer warns that it is not a law, but merely protection that can be used in a situation where the copyright owner sues or expects payment for the material's use.  Fryer also advises the use of Wikipedia to help educate students on creative commons, fair use, public domain, and copyright, as well as examples of pictures or media for each.
          I believe that a big way in which to prevent people from making mistakes or other bad decisions it to give them the knowledge they need to make better ones or to do things properly.  In my future classroom, I will want to make sure that my students know and understand what the law on copyright and Fair Use guidelines are telling them.  I want them to understand that these laws and guidelines are out there to protect them as future creators and contributors to culture, not to hinder their ability to do so.  Also, by including it as a large aspect of any project or presentation rubric, I want students to understand that it holds a lot of weight in the classroom and the world.  I would also want to describe the consequences of the violation of copyright law and how that can affect them in the future.

Copyright and Fair Use

All mention of "Bound by Law" is in reference to Bound by Law by Keith Aoki, James Boyle, and Jennifer Jenkins (2006). http://web.law.duke.edu/cspd/comics/

          I read the comic called "Bound by Law," which discussed the positives and potential negatives of copyright law and fair use policy.  It discussed how copyright law protects creators and encourages people to create new and exciting cultural material, as well as the fact that too much copyright law and protection can remove or reduce the ability for others to create their own new material which may incidentally contain copyrighted things.
          This comic taught me a lot about copyright.  It made me realize that copyright law and fair use laws are confusing, murky, beneficial, strict, and necessary.  Without copyright protection, people would be too scared to create new things for fear that someone could take it, claim it as their own, and receive all the glory, credit, and money for something that you painstakingly created.  However, with too much copyright protection, some people are prevented from creating documentaries or other forms of new media because the cost of including these things in something that you have made is higher than you are willing to or can afford to pay, preventing further creation.  All the aspects of copyright law are so murky and subjective that, what may seem like fair use to one person, is copyright infringement for another, or some people may be so protective over material that they own the copyright for in order to receive money or prevent horrible misuse.  Copyright is important, when used appropriately and with creation in mind.
          I really enjoyed the comic book format of this information.  Looking at pictures as well as examples was helpful and made the information much more appealing and easier to absorb.  If all this information had been given to me in a long paper format, I might not have retained as much information on copyright law or truly be able to comprehend it.  Law in itself can be a particularly dry subject, but portraying it in unconventional ways, such as a comic book or a rap, can make it something much more relatable and easily digested.  The art was nicely drawn and easily followed.  I really enjoyed it.
          I think that teaching my students about copyright will be something truly important.  It will help them understand that people have rights to the things they make and create, and we should not infringe upon those rights for our own use.  However, I want them to also realize that their creativity is valued and protected, and that their opinions, ideas, and expressions should not be stifled due to unfair laws.

My MEL Experiences

• Student/Teacher Relationships:  In high school, I used to show up to whatever class I had first thing in the morning or directly after lunch early and read or complete a crossword puzzle.  Everyday, my English teacher senior year would come in, and ask me about my book or my crossword puzzle.  He would show genuine interest, ask me questions about the story or the puzzle, and start a conversation with me about my passion for reading.
• Context: My senior year, I had to take a class about law and government.  In that class, my teacher had us prepare and create our own court cases and such for either the defense or the plaintiff.  We then had a mock trial within the classroom to try to plead the case for our side.  Then, after we would practice within the classroom, we participated in a mock trial against two other schools to practice and see how the laws and rules we learned in class applied to the real world, or how becoming an expert on your area was important to become successful.
• Interest: In my senior year physics class, our professor taught us all the components of trajectory, what it is, and how to find it, etc.  To demonstrate this, he brought in a potato cannon that he had at home.  Each of us got a chance to fire our own potato, and then determine the trajectory and the speed of the potato from how far it went, how long it took to get there, and the angle at which we had the cannon.
• Autonomy: In my sophomore year biology class, my teacher gave us the opportunity to choose whatever topic under the sun that had to do with biology that we were interested in learning more about, and create a lesson that we could teach to the class.  We got to create it and make it look however we wanted, in whatever format we wanted.  We had to provide the class with some form of assessment in whatever format we wanted, grade them, and return them later.
• Avoid Rewards & Student/Teacher Rewards: A bad example of both of these is, in that same sophomore year biology class, my teacher could not "control" the class.  No one would listen, people would talk over her, and such.  So, on the days we were "good" or that she did not want to teach, she would simply put a movie on about biology that would keep us busy for 45 minutes, so she would not have to teach.  She often exuded the attitude that she did not want to be there, or that she did not enjoy the content or class.  She would often talk about things that were unrelated to biology or things that might not have been appropriate for the class.  The class knew she did not want to be there, and acted upon it by acting out.

These bullet points are the components of the MEL Model by Mike Muir.  All components belong to him and are not my own.  All rights reserved.  The components can be found here: http://faculty.umf.maine.edu/theresa.overall/public.www/melwebquest/learning_model.jpg.

Web 2.0 Educator

          I picked Lisa Nielsen's blog to read and discuss for our Webquest.  Overall, I really enjoyed everything that Lisa had to say regarding technology within the classroom and as well as ways in which to use technology to connect all educators together.  One of her blog postings that I read that I really enjoyed was "Being a connected educator means being in conversations that matter" (x).  Like Lisa, I believe that educators should not only teach their students how to self-advocate but to also teach themselves to do the same.  Technology can connect classrooms, students, teachers, and all sorts of people to powerful outlets for their opinions and concerns.
          Lisa also puts heavy focus (as all teachers should) on the advancement of students, not the advancement of technology, within the classroom (like this article, or this one).  Teachers should not strive for the newest or most exciting technology available, but rather, the technology that provides the improvement and transformation that we need in the classroom.  Our students are there to help, as well.  As Dr. Theresa has mentioned in class, it will take a student approximately 2 seconds before they know something about a piece of technology that we had not previously known.  Lisa knows this, and knows that it is something we should employ to expand our knowledge and provide our students with confidence and support.
          Overall, I believe that Lisa and I share a common opinion on the use of technology: when given the proper research, dedication, time, and energy, technology can be a powerful learning tool within the classroom.  However, technology is not something to be forced upon others, or something that we are expected to be masters at.  We should seek others for help: colleagues, students, and other educators the world over.  We are not in it alone with technology.

To visit Lisa Nielsen's blog, click here.

Learning Style Inventory Results

          I think that these results are pretty accurate for myself.I know that I definitely prefer to be and work by myself so that I have time to collect my thoughts and consider ideas.
          The verbal also seems about right.  I prefer to read and write.  When I was younger, I was either nose-deep in a book or writing out my own stories and situations in my head or my notebooks.  I also found myself editing other's writing and being a huge stickler for grammar and writing styles.
          Finally, for logical, I feel that is also pretty accurate.  I prefer things easily divided and divided in a logical order or system.  I enjoy science and moderately enjoy math.  The idea of genetics and chemistry thrills me.  The other learning styles were kind of a surprise to me.  They were a lot higher than I have expected them to be.

This survey was taken at http://www.learning-styles-online.com/inventory/.  The survey and pictures are not my own, but rather, gathered with the help of this website.

SAMR Model

          TPCK is the combination of teaching knowledge, content area knowledge, and technology knowledge and how you can integrate all of them into the classroom.  All of the different types of knowledge will interact and come together to form a coherent and educational environment for learning.
          SAMR is a tool to use to help you determine what types of technology should be integrated into the classroom and when it is appropriate for these technologies to be integrated.  It is broken down into four levels: substitution, augmentation, modification, and redefinition.  These levels are then divided into two different levels: substitution and augmentation are in the enhancement level, and modification and redefinition are in the transformation level.
          My five examples of technology are websites such as Khan Academy, glogster or movie editing software, online databases such as Maine Memory Network, WallWisher or other appropriate social posting sites, and websites such as YouTube or Vimeo.  For substitution, I think that Khan Academy and YouTube/Vimeo would be the best options.  Khan Academy presents informational videos that discuss topics that have already been covered in class, but using pictures and drawings.  This is placed under substitution because it simply offers information that could be gathered from an average class lesson, just worded differently.  YouTube and Vimeo both have the capacity to do this.
          For augmentation, I think that Maine Memory Network and YouTube/Vimeo fit under this heading.  Maine Memory Network provides plenty of information, as well as supplemental videos and pictures, links to related websites and topics, as well as access to other information under the same or similar topics.  YouTube/Vimeo also could have the potential for this, if there was a good informational channel/trustworthy source.
          For modification, I think that WallWisher or class discussion boards could help with this.  Students could take the information they already have and apply it to discussion and opinion with others.  If it is a private page, the teacher could get in touch with other scholars on the topic and invite them to join in the conversation and discussion.
          For redefinition, I think that Glogster or movie editing software could apply.  This would allow students to use all previous knowledge to create videos or digital posters relating to their previous notes and gathered knowledge to create a creative and interesting project that covers all aspects of previous knowledge.

Puentedura, Dr. R. (Creator).  (2008, December 22).  TPCK and SAMR: Models for enhancing technology
          integration.  As We May Teach: Educational Technology, From Theory Into Practice.

Google Earth

          I learned that you can time lapse different areas in the world, which is a fascinating and exciting function.  It is really interesting to see how the areas that we may or may not visit often have changed and morphed over time.  It makes me wonder how the world will change in the next 10 or more years, or even the next 5.  I also really enjoyed the function that allowed you to look at different articles, pictures, or videos regarding a certain place.  It gives you a new perspective and plenty of new knowledge about the world and everything that surrounds it.
          I found an interesting lesson plan through the blog linked on the wiki.  It was about tracking sea turtles and sharks using Google Earth.  It could provide an opportunity for discussion about animal instincts (why turtles can travel back to where they were born to lay their eggs), food chains (how food shortages could impact animal patterns and life), climate change (how climate change could affect animal travel), and plenty of other opportunities for interaction and learning.

Maine Memory Network

          I first looked for information about Portland, the town I was born in.  The first thing that caught my eye was a site about landmarks and buildings around Portland.  It would give a brief summary of what the name of the landmark was, what it was used for, and anything of importance that happened to it over the years.  It was interesting to look for buildings I knew and seeing how they have changed, as well as look at the buildings I never knew about.  In addition to the landmarks, I also looked at some things about science and its influence in Maine.  One of the interesting things that I read about was a page about "Maine and the Space Age".  This article was telling about the importance of the Earth Station in Andover, Maine.  The first satellite telephone and television messages were sent and received with the help of this station and another station in England.
          I found one very interesting article which I think could tie into a lesson plan or project well.  This article talked about the closing of a sanatorium in Hebron, Maine that had once been built to treat people with TB.  I feel as though I could use this in a project regarding the development of medicine over time (over a couple of years, or over a hundred), and how, what seems new and fascinating at the time, could be old news in the eyes of future scientists.  I could also relate this back to how diseases and bacteria can evolve over time, just as humans and other beings have also evolved over time, and how this evolution can affect the community as a whole.

Wes Fryer Chapter 1

          In Chapter 1 of Wes Fryer's book, I definitely agreed with the section about creativity.  Giving a chance for students to create things, make mistakes, and build from there provides a judgement-free space for students to learn through experience.  Some of my most memorable learning opportunities came about when I had made a mistake before having learned the proper ways in which to handle it.  By allowing students to be creative in their projects and classwork, as well as allowing myself to be creative in my lessons, I can create classrooms where my students find enjoyment and plenty of opportunities to learn and grow.
           One of the portions of the chapter that I do not agree with is the discussion on the use of cellphones in the classroom.  I am definitely for the use of iPads, tablets, and laptops in the classroom, but I feel as though cellphones are not up to the same level as those other technological forms.  Cellphones are primarily meant for communication; therefore, I feel that students will use them for just that.  They're small and easily hidden, which makes me cringe at the idea that they are gateways for cheating or in-class distraction.  With other larger forms of technology, you can (most of the time) see that a student is using or fiddling with them.  I do agree, however, that cellphones are developing rapidly and are a large portion of a lot of students' lives.  I feel that it is important to show them that their technology can do so much more than simply videos, chatting, and games.
          I also wholeheartedly agree with Fryer's dislike of standardized testing, or "high stakes testing."  They force teachers into teaching to the test, rather than exploring students' interests or teaching content for the sake of learning.  When students know they are only learning for the sake of passing a test, they simply cram and forget.  It is a vicious cycle that neither teaches nor accomplishes anything.  They are also inaccurate.  Some students may freeze up and panic during tests, negatively affecting their performance or their interest in learning.  Standardized tests discourage students from being human (i.e. being creative, making mistakes, or discussion and communication).
          Overall, I felt as though this chapter covered some things that were helpful and supported well with additional sources.  I am not very fond of Fryer's organizational style.  I feel as though a lot of what he puts is fluff, unrelated to the task at hand, or very loosely related to the topic.  His writing seemed jumpy and hard for me to follow.  If not for his headings at the beginning of each section, I would find it difficult to pick out what the main ideas were.  It took me a couple reads to determine what he was really saying.

Apps for a Personal Passion

          For my review of five apps, I chose apps that had to do with the ocean.  I had a small list of criteria that I wanted each app to have, and then rated them accordingly.  My criteria were:

·         Navigation: Are the menus or any other navigation tools easy to use and find?  Can I easily move from one page to another without going through a long process?  Is the navigation smooth and clean, or choppy and finicky?

·         Visuals: Are the pictures, backgrounds, color schemes, font, and overall appearance pleasing to eye?  Is the color scheme loud and obnoxious, or pleasant and appealing?  Are the pictures, text, or any other visual portion grainy and hard to read/view?  Are pictures moving and immersive or boring and non-descript?

·         Content: Is all content available upon installation, or does it require unlocking or purchase?  Is there a lot of content to explore and experience?  Is the content interesting and relevant?  Is there a lot of “fluff,” or actual information?  Is the content given in different forms of media (i.e. pictures, videos, verbal, text, different languages, etc.)?  Are there links or a page regarding who developed the app, and where the information came from?

·         Ease of Understanding: Was the content easy to understand and read/experience?  Did I need to infer information, or was it provided for me?  Was there a high learning curve in order to use this app?  If so, did it provide a tutorial, instructions, or other informative guide to make use easier?

·         Overall: Would I want to use it again?  How often would I want to use it?  Will I want to immediately uninstall it?

Ocean Science: Rating: 4.9/5

          By far, Ocean Science was one out of the two apps that I truly enjoyed.  The pictures and visuals were interesting to look at and were accompanied by verbal explanation and walkthroughs.  The information in the visuals was also given in the form of a written document.  The document also gave you different options, such as changing the brightness of the background, a note-taking option within the app, and links to certain parts of the visuals that would supplement reading.  Each document was divided into neat sections that gave useful and interesting information.  The app was easy to use.  My only complaint would be that it is slightly confusing to navigate at first.  You can’t just flick through from on topic to the next.  You have to go back to the main menu and choose from there.  There was a page with information about the app and who made it.  I would definitely use this app again in the future!

Aquarium HD: Rating: 2/5

          The visuals and background music to this app were fantastic.  It gave HD video of the animals being talked about, showing their movements and how they looked in action.  It gave nice information about each animal mentioned by putting it into a sidebar on the edge of the screen.  However, the visuals and ease of navigation were the only things this app had going for it.  There were only two animals available on installation: stingrays and oysters.  If you wanted to learn about any other animals, you had to buy them.  There were only about 3 or 4 other animals available for purchase.  In addition to this, the menus were a tad bit confusing at first.  The information given was interesting, but dry.  Overall, it’s pleasing visually, but loses all value once you’ve explored the two animals there.  I would probably uninstall it rather quickly.

SeaOrbiter: Rating: 1/5

          When reading about this app in its description, it sounded as though it would give an in depth exploration of this new floating lab that would go over the ocean and learn about the sea and its creatures.  However, what I got was simply a series of grainy pages and visuals that gave plenty of fluff, but not much valuable information.  There was absolutely no interaction with anything, no fun things to explore and click on, and no videos or anything fun to look at.  Overall, it was boring!  It gave nothing that it was promised.  If I could, I would’ve uninstalled it immediately.

MarineLife: Rating: 4.9/5

          MarineLife was so much fun to play with!  Within the app, it gave these animated pictures of these weird marine animals, some of which I had never seen, and gave you a 360 degree view of what they looked like.  A voice would then read off the information about the animal, while giving you the option to read along with it.  There was an easy to access menu that let you turn the voice and the music on or off, depending upon preference.  It also gave you quick buttons that let you get the basic information out without having to go through everything else you might not necessarily need.  Then, from each animal page, you could simply click on one button and have access to all the other animals available.  The menus are beautiful and easy to navigate, and have soothing music playing.  There are plenty of animals and options to choose from, even though you had to pay to unlock the rest.  The app also gave you downloadable backgrounds and such to use on your iPad.  The only thing I could complain about, as nit-picky as it is, is that next to each name were Chinese characters of what I assumed were the animal names.  They were a bit distracting, but not overwhelmingly so.  Overall, I would definitely use this app again and even consider unlocking the extra content.

SeaAnimals: Rating: 0/5

          This app was horrible, to say the least.  All the animals there were locked and needed to be unlocked by purchase.  There was only very basic information available on ONE animal in the free version.  The animals were listed out in one HUGE  A- Z list of animals, making free exploration kind of difficult and possibly overwhelming.  There were huge ads on some of the pages.  There were spelling mistakes and such.  Overall, it was horrible.  If I had known it was this bad, I would never have installed it in the first place.

iPad Personalization

          Most of the customization options available on this list were things I had already learned how to do on my own iOS device.  However, one of the really fascinating and interesting things I learned about was the multitasking gestures.  It was so much fun and a lot easier to use.  It kind of made using the iPad flow better, without having to continually press other buttons to get what I want.  If I hadn’t already bought my own tablet that I enjoy a bit more, or if the iPad had been a bit cheaper, I might have bought an iPad for my personal use.  It is quite simple to use and has thousands of apps to help personalize the iPad with, as well as offer plenty of entertainment.  Out of all the tricks I learned, I think that making the folders was the one I was most excited about teaching to other people.  I had been wondering about how to do this for a long time on my iPhone, but I never had a chance to find out how to do it.  Now that I know, I want everyone to learn how to do it!

          Playing with customization used up a lot of my time!  I think I must have used about two hours or so simply going through everything (and then getting distracted by apps, settings, and the like).  I feel as though, because of my own experience with it, that it would be quite easy for a student to get quite distracted by everything, as well.  I feel that the iPad is a powerful tool for classrooms when it’s used for learning.  However, because of all the options and such to add to it, I think that it has a lot of potential to be a huge distraction, as well.  Perhaps, for the next iPad, I would like it to have some parental option, or some set of settings that allow for adjusting the time spent using one app or activity over the other, to allow students to have some fun customizing their iPads, but to also limit distractions.