Prezi Assignment

    Here is my Prezi assignment.
     Prezi is a progam that is used for presentations. It is a new version of the ever so loathed Powerpoint. It is sleeker, more active, and it can do many of the things Powerpoint can, only I find those things easier with Prezi. This tool is different in that you create the presentation either online or offline, and can be easily shared, or used in presentation materials. It also has an intuitive control 'station' that appears in your top left corner of the editing screen. It is also different in that it doesn't use "slides" per se, but rather, one large picture that zooms in and out and scrolls around to the different bits of information, turning it into a presentation. Another cool feature is that you can zoom in and out by yourself, so if you download a presentation, you do not have to follow in order, and can learn more simply by dragging the screen and zooming in and out manually.
     This tool is similar in that it uses information and time to teach a concept. Both programs can be used efficiently, but with Prezi, it's overall a little better looking. I feel this program is much better than Powerpoint, and much easier to keep my interest when actually building the presentation, let alone when watching a presentation. One thing that might make it a bit less... linear, than PPT is that if you aren't careful, you can make an audience dizzy from all of the moving and spinning the screen will be doing.

     This project follows closely with standard 3a. "Demonstrate fluency in technology systems and the transfer of current knowledge to new technologies and situations" and 3c. "Communicate relevant information and idea effectively to students, parents, and peers using a variety of digital age media and formats." This is because it is a program that is new and innovative and it is used to communicate information. It is a helpful tool that students as well as teachers can use in lectures and presentations, that helps to affirm the rising new technologies in society.

Powerpoint #1

Link to my Dropbox public page.
My browser is having trouble with anything Google related (especially docs and chrome), it's a miracle I can still post blogs.

Anyway, this project was difficult, as I am very used to the bulleted lists made with Powerpoint, it was hard to 'create' a 'story' to the presentation.
     The presentation is on how to create a major scale (and an incredibly brief history of scales). I would walk students through the steps by asking many questions outside of the presentation (although, theoretically, they SHOULD be able to figure it out without me talking through it). it starts with other kinds of scales and eventually makes its way to a short semi-tutorial on how to create your own major scale. Some prerequisite knowledge of music is needed, and this is assuming I have covered that material for the students. At the end I mention our next lesson, minor scales.

     This presentation meets standard 2a. "Design or adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student learning and creativity." This is because it creates an experience children can use to further learn hard concepts in music. It also follows standards 3c. and 3d.

Michael

Google Earth

In this Assignment, I uploaded my map from my previous post to Google Earth, and eventually Screencast for your entertainment on here!

Here is a video to how I uploaded this beautiful map to Google Earth from Google Maps.

     What is a KML file? It is the primary file type that Google earth reads from Google maps. It is interpreted and spit out into the globe program Google Earth. If you watched my video, you might get an idea as to how to port a Google Map into Google earth, and that is simply by downloading and opening the KML file Maps creates for your custom map.
     On the Google in Education site, I found a lesson plan idea that I can adapt for music students. I can create a map on Google Earth and superimpose pictures of composers (rather than presidential candidates) over birthplaces, famous cities in their lives, deathplaces, etc. and show it to the students. Or I can attach genres of music over different muscial eras and do the same thing, even incorporating sound into the presentation.

      This assignment falls under pretty much all of standard 2 "design and develop digital age learning experiences and assessments." it is a very well-worth-it project and can be used in multiple ways, I can even use it to test students knowledge of what they learned. They can listen to music and judge where it came from in the world using this program and a great use of what I can do with it.

Google Maps

     A one month trip to Italy for a College Honors class. Here is the original map site.
     So, this trip is meant to give students the opportunity to learn about Italian History, experience the Art, and witness the Music. The trip has several major and minor cities planned, starting in the north and heading south to the very tip of Italy, Reggio, where we will review and head home.
     Each stop but one includes a series of assignments that help the students learn, and interact with different parts of each city. they could include journal entries, pictures, scavenger hunts, activities, tours, and reports on different things they learn at each place.
     This is a summer trip, so no school is missed, but this is part of a special class that uses this as part of a grade, and this is the final for the class. In other words, you must take the class to go, and you must go to receive a final grade.
      The emphasis will be on art, and music. History will be learned nonetheless, and architecture will also be a big aspect.
     The tour leaves from NYC and stops first in Milan, which is much like NYC with the dense population and beautiful buildings. Next is Venice, the music center of the world. Next we stop in Forli, which is another center for the arts. We continue south to Florence, a huge parto f art and music history with the Uffizi Museum. Next, after a day long trip, is Rome, Capital of Italy and home to many famous Monuments. Next we head to Naples, which will be our relaxation day. Foggia is next, which is the Granary of Italy, it gives the students a chance to check out the farmland. Next, is Taranto, which is home to some more Greek ruins and a Naval base. The last real stop will be in  Catanzaro, which includes many more 11th-15th century buildings. Then Reggio, and a plane ride home.

     This trip is expensive, of course and includes a lot of traveling. Since this project isn't real, I can afford to host this trip. but otherwise it would be near impossible to fund.

Batchgeo project

View Instructional Technology students locations in a full screen map



     Above is my (as well as the rest of the class') Batchgeo map. Feel free to scroll around it to see where we all live!


     This makes me a 21st century educator because of what the teacher said. We have the ability to create this sort of thing for free and with such ease, that people in the 90s never imagined this sort of thing. With this sort of program, we can easily visualize where all students are in the world without pulling out a paper map and writing it down.
     One way I can incorporate this is by using the internet to figure out famous composers' birthplaces. I would then simply input them into the program and show this to the class as a reference as to what type of music we are talking about (German Romantic vs. French Baroque vs, Italian Opera vs American Patriotic music, etc.) 
     I think this project follows standard 1c. because it can be used as a review assignment, or visual for students to use when comparing different cultural music.

Jing Screencast

     Today I was to create a video using Jing. I did. If you can remember from my previous post about a certain image, then this video I created follows very closely to that image. In fact, it is the image in video form, plus a couple added moves. 

     Here is a link to my video. I know, short, sweet, and to the point. The concept, though is simple, and with a few of those moves at the end, I feel it is a helpful video to beginning players.

     This is another tool that is great for teaching students with, rather than students using this tool for assignments. This is the program to use for capturing quick video in programs, rather than a camera pointed on the screen. It can even be more helpful with audio. 

required outcomes answers

1. How to determine/ control viewing area? It can be controlled after one clicks on the "capture" button when Jing is opened. Then one should press either "capture image," "capture video," "redo selection" or "cancel."
2. Screen capture save options? You can save it on your computer somewhere on your hard drive, or using cloud computing by saving it on the internet using a website called screencast.
3. Where is your screen capture saved on your computer/how to retrieve it? Mine is saved under C:\Users\Doris\My Videos\Solitare_1vid. I typically retrieve my Jing Image or video using the "History" tool on the Jing home bar.
4. How to push to Internet/share? There is a button that asks if you would like to share onto screencast.com after the file has been captured.
5. File type? Shockwave Flash File (or .SWF)
6. Three Jing 'Sun' prongs? Capture: captures screen image or video, History: opens a window with all previously edited Jing files, and More: includes settings, exit Jing, help, etc.

    This program follows the same standards as the image version, 3c. and 3d.

Awesome program, Mr. Pierce, great download, I plan on using this in the future.

Michael

Jing Image

     For my Jing Image, and likely for my video, I have chosen how to begin a game of solitare on Windows. I used the program Jing by Techsmith. It is a free download for Windows and MACs. I downloaded the program and decided what I could use as a basis for the project. Solitare was on my mother's computer's desktop, so I decided to use it. The program is very easy and fool-proof, as the installation includes a short tutorial on how to use it.
     As you can see, Blogger really scaled the image down, if you would like to see a better (larger) picture of it, you can view it on Screencast.
     I like the program, as it is very sleek, and easy to understand both from the user and the audience's point of view. I can use this in so many situations, like how to show a concept, like I did here. I could also use it to edit pictures of famous composers, or a piece of music, and input commentary or captions to teach concepts to students. with the highlighting tool, I can highlight a part of music and add an explanation with the text tool, as well as with the arrow tool.
     This activity would go along with standards 3c. 'Communicate relevant information and ideas effectively to students, parents, and peers using a variety of digital age media and formats.' and d. 'Model and facilitate effective use of current and emerging digital tools to locate, analyze, evaluate, and use information resources to support research and learning.' As such, I feel this program is more of a teacher's tool than a teaching tool for students to use.

     I really liked this program, with its sleek design and helpful, good looking websites.

Michael

How do I fair in Instructional Technology?

     That question won't be answered in this blog! ;)
     What will be answered is how I feel so far about my progress. so far I have been doing my best to keep up with my assignments. I am glad I did several assignments out of the gate to get ahead on my work, but I wish I had tried to find more time to work on my late assignments. most of my problems are finding time between work, my other online class, practicing, and going to rehearsals. I am also planning a vacation that is taking up time as well. I do have plenty of time to spare, I just need to push myself more to get into working on both this class and my other class' assignments when I have the time.
     And since I am not sure if i am supposed to discuss this or not, I will go ahead and do the rest of my blog.
    
     This assignment would be great as a general school work assignment for students in my classes. By having them keep progress of their own grades, it keeps them honest and gives me backup for parent complaints. There is trouble though, with keeping grades for ensemble classes, as many of those classes are graded more on participation, playing abilities, and extra practice time outside of rehearsal. a general music classroom would be a good place to incorporate this though.

     This activity is text book standard 2b. "Develop technology-enriched learning environments that enable all students to pursue their individual curiosities and become active participants in setting their own educational goals, managing their own learning, and assessing their own progress." Obviously, because it is right in the text, "assessing their own progress." Also, 3c is assessed with this activity "Communicate relevant information and ideas effectively to students, parents, and peers using a variety of digital age media and formats." I can communicate the grades of their kids to parents using this graph with student input into it.

Michael

Diigo

     My experience with Web browser addons hasn't been great. Most of the addons I have experienced have been on others' computers, which include poorly downloaded "smiley toolbars" and other toolbars they barely use but do not know how to opt out of downloading. I have had a couple of Antivirus toolbars installed on my browsers, and they have helped me out a little, by providing safer searches. I had a video download thing once too, and it helped me out immensely with a lot of media I needed for research purposes. Overall, with the toolbars I have owned, they have been helpful, for the toolbars I have experienced as a whole, they have been more obtrusive with popups and whatnot.
     The Diigo addon works very well! I have, so far, highlighted, bookmarked, and sticky noted 3 websites with ease. It is non-obtrusive, and is only there when I need it to be.
     I use Mozilla Firefox, I have used Google Chrome in the past, and my girlfriend uses it, but I am used to Firefox, so I am alright with what I have. The addons tend to work in a sort of "App" system. There are many different things you can download from a sort of "marketplace" and many of them are required for some websites/ programs to work, but a lot of them are there to help, or hinder, your internet-going experience. I like this in some ways: it makes it easy to download what I need to work programs because they can be downloaded on the spot, restart browser and continue working where I left off. It also makes it easy for me to browse different options for toolbars, rather than being bombarded by popups.
     An Addon is a program that is downloaded and installed into the user's web browser that enhances the user's internet experience. The addons are typically search bars, or other helpful tools, such as Diigo, or Youtube helpers, or antivirus software. They can get in the way, though, as many programs from the internet install their own toolbars to the browser and can get in te way with ads, popups, and just generally taking up space. I tend to stay away from addons as toolbars for my browser, so currently I only have the Diigolet addon installed.

     I feel Standard 3d. "Model and facilitate effective use of current and emerging digital tools to locate, analyze, evaluate, and use information resources to support research and learning." This is because this program helps facilitate learning and the outcomes of those learning since students can learn double of what they are researching using the annotations from people around the world on articles they are reading.

     My Diigo Library is posted under my favorite links tab on the right of this post and is open to the public, as far as I know.

Michael Robinson