More Things #7 Video Victory!

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I LOVE video posting. I have experimented with embedding the Hula video player in the blog - If you see it in the right colomn - it worked! I'm trying to find some theater video I could collect for my new theater class. No luck so far. But I did get an "attention getter" idea of playing a music video for the 1st few minutes of each class - math OR theater - on my Activboard. I've embedded an MTV video (Hulu) from "Mute Math" (a group I found doing a math search ironically). It's from the movie loved by many teens, "Twilight" I believe. Keep scrolling down after the video.

Mute Math - New Music - More Music Videos

On METACAFE (AWESOME PLACE) I found lots of MATH videos. See one below and one on sidebar. These videos would be useful hooks for my Math Lab classes. I wish there was a way to SIZE the video screens on the blog so that you could enlarge to play but stay small otherwise.


Finger Multiplication (1) - Multiplicar Con Las Manos (1) - Click here for more amazing videos

More Things #5 Microblogging

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I broke down and tried a Facebook account this year at the urging of a friend. It has been interesting. I was afraid of the privacy aspect of it and not sure about cross-connecting my different circles of friends. You have to be selective (and not feel guilty) about who you accept as friends and really think about who you are posting to. It has been fun reconnecting with acquaintances and pictures from the past but some of the stuff is just a waste of time (like all these token things and quizzes, etc. that get sent back and forth). It is nice to just post mini-thoughts, etc., however, and even to know that you are connecting with a wider circle of friends, even if it be in micro-chatter. Professionally, I would think that you would want to start a separate Facebook account. I've been told that there is no policy but my teenagers have told me that their high school teachers have said they can't be "friends" with them until they graduate. The policy of Facebook being opened up at the district level was, as far as I understand, a way to track graduates. Even Laura Walker on her web site article about Twitter says:
"Just this week I am putting together a policy recommendation for staff at my school about ensuring their personal details on Facebook are secure. Several colleagues (including Alex Blagona @blagona and Sacha Van Straten @svanstraten) have been kind enough to share work..."

TWITTER - I have signed up for a twitter account and as far as I can tell by the links on Library2Play2, the most important thing regarding using Twitter as an educational took, is slowly building your network carefully so that it supplies you with links to valuable information, not fluff. Does twittering on your phone cost you internet time? No. Could students Twitter you about assignment questions? Yes. Could you have a classroom twitter conference? Why not! I am going to post cool young-people videos I find that show an amazing technical expertise. Guess what? I found the first one through a twitter post!

BACKCHANNELING: I think if a classroom of students were equipped with a computer or cell phone it could be an interesting thing to try. I've often wished there was a way for the kids that never speak to engage without fear. In middle school there would definitely need to be a preview moderator. You wouldn't want middle school students blurting on twitter for all to see. Feelings need to be protected at that age.

More Things #4 Part 2

Example of TeacherTube video I've used and would like to make and upload for math

9 Multiplication Tables HipHop Music Video

9 Multiplication Tables HipHop Music Video

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More Things #4 - Video Hosting

Seems easy. I have used TeacherTube before. Here is an example of a video I DOWNloaded to show on my Activboard. It's a great attention getter when you are trying to grab 7th graders attention in a math lab. Even in 7th grade some kids don't know their math facts. It would be fun to have them make math fact raps and upload them to YouTube or TeacherTube. I used to do all kinds of songs and chants in 5th grade but the 7th graders don't seem so excited about it, unfortunately. I found one high school example of a FACT RAP. I'll post it below also. I'm also teaching theater next year so I'm sure there are many more applications for videos in that class. Now, I just need a video camera!

Mr Duey - Fractions Official Video

Mr Duey - Fractions Official Video

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MORE THINGS #3

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I downloaded Skype successfully. I've used Skype at home to talk to my niece in China! It is a great tool. Adding the video web cam component could really take it to new heights. Many teachers use the Activboard now so the screen picture would be great in a classsroom. I liked the idea of students using it when they are absent to get a missed lesson, getting after-school tutorials online (can it conference-call?). Also a theater class could perform a scene to a play and share it with parents or another school. Lots and lots of great uses! I took lots of classes on tape (using VHS tapes in the olden days!)in college and I found it quite helpful.

Snowy Range in July

EXTRA THING! Down with Avatars!

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For some reason I can't get my AVATAR to show anymore so I've created a Voki. It doesn't have as many design choices but it's animated! Click and I will speak to you. It recorded my own voice. You can also leave a comment on the Voki. If anyone knows why our Avatars aren't showing up let me know. It's VERY frustrating since they worked fine LAST summer! I saved my Avatar as a picture and inserted it that way but it won't update automatically if I change it. Can't seem to find any definite answers at Yahoo or Blogspot. Read something about messing around with the quotation marks but I haven't been able to figure it out after hours of searching for an answer.
So...give Voki a nod for working!

MORE THINGS #2

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THING #2
WORDLE: Since I teach math I sometimes don't see a use for some of these internet tools. Normally, you would think Wordle wouldn't really be useful for math but since I use the Activboard I think this could be used for a wonderful hook at the beginning of lessons. It's interesting, colorful, & I LOVE the totally new fonts that can be used. It can also be used as a new twist on a WORD WALL that the kids could put in their notebook as an organizing tool. I took this from the 7th grade TAKS study guide. It will use some numbers but fractions would need to be pasted in.




PART 2: VOICETHREAD - This could be a cool tool to use for research prompts or even online homework tests or class conversations. See above post to play and comment.

PART 3: VOKI - I made and posted a Voki. See my other post about Voki vs Avatar. I really like the idea www.frogntoad.blogspot.com had re using a Voki as a Class Mascot and posting daily announcements!

PART 4: BOOKR: OK, i HAVE A WHOLE set of Flickr pictures about caves I was going to use but the Bookr search won't find my Flickr username! So, it didn't get done.