EDLD 5363 Week 2 Web Conference Reflection

EDLD 5363 Week 2 Web Conference

The web conference experience throughout this course has been very beneficial in gaining insight to modifications of assignments.  The web conferences have also provided me an opportunity to learn about the diverse group of people that are participating in this course.  I have found it useful to listen to other participants and to see their comments regarding the multimedia products that we are using in this course.  It seems that many people in this course have not previously used Audacity, LAME, and other open-source software.  I have used Audacity and LAME for read-alouds.  I often read stories a loud and add sound effects to the stories.  My colleagues and I use these stories in class with our students.

During the web conferences, many people had questions on whether the podcast had to be audio only or could it be video.  It was discussed that it only had to be audio in the chat sessions and video was an option.  I chose to create a video podcast since the rubric states, “Successfully exported to a free video hosting Web site, such as TeacherTube.com (2 Points)”.  Here is a link to my Week 2 Podcast:

http://youtu.be/WEvELzwEseQ

EDLD 5363_Week 2 Assignment Reflection

Once reviewing multiple “free” video editing software, I have determined that Windows Movie Maker would be the best choice for this week’s assignment. I have used Windows Movie Maker in the past, but I found it very limiting to the green screening features and overall video quality that I was looking for in my current job assignment. When I use Windows Movie Maker, I usually save the files in a .wmv or .avi file format. This allows me to easily use it for instant playback on any computer at my school or it allows for easy uploading to video hosting websites. Windows Movie Maker also has an easy to use interface and for the more skilled computer users it allows for some advance video modifications. “Of course, most free software does not include the same level or quality of support that you would expect to find with software that you purchase commercially” (Desk-Video-Guide, 2009). If you are into higher quality products with ease of use and advance video editing features, you will not find that in any “freeware” or “open-source” video editing program that I have evaluated.

I have learned from this assignment that it is hard to go back to free video editing products when you have already purchased video editing products that create higher quality videos in less time that it takes to use “freeware” or “open-source” products. As an educator, I think it is important to continue life-long learning on all the “free” products out there. With budget constraints, it is virtually impossible to purchase district or campus licenses for high quality video editing products. As educators, we need to stay up on current “freeware” that will most realistically provide opportunities for our students to learn and apply their knowledge without being out a lot of money. If you wait for your district or campus to purchase the “good” products then students will miss opportunities to learn, because those products will probably never be purchased. Why would the district spend money on something that is not tested on the STAAR or EOC?

Desktop-Video-Guide.(n.d.). Top 5 free video editing software programs. Retrieved on November 24, 2011, from http://www.desktop-video-guide.com/top-5-free-video-editing-software-review.html

EDLD 5363 Week 1 Assignment Reflection

                In EDLD 5363 Multimedia & Video Technology, we learned how to create a personal digital story.  The readings this week allowed me to learn more about creating a script prior to piecing together the video.  I create many videos for my school and for personal memories, but rarely do I write out a “voice over” script for any of them.  This was an interesting experience, because normally my ideas are kept in my head as I produce the videos.

                This week my team and I worked on a group wiki to help facilitate our collaboration throughout this course.  Prior to writing our scripts, our team began an interview wiki page that allowed us to all ask and answer questions.  This Q & A Interview activity assisted us with developing our personal video assignment for Week 1.  We also uploaded our scripts to our EDLD 5363 wiki and gave feedback to each other.  This collaborative effort was very beneficial in guiding me to create a video that focused on my family and me.  It also allowed me to feel confident that in my understanding the assignment requirements, because we were able to give each other clarification.

                There were numerous opportunities for gaining new knowledge through this week’s reading assignments, but I wanted to share a quote that really stuck with me.  Torres stated, “Working in this program has completely changed the students’ outlooks, their lives” (Edutopia, 2002).  This quote stuck with me, because I feel this Masters program has changed my outlook and my life.  As an educator, I strive to find lessons or activities that will make real-world connections with my students.  I want students to work on projects that will change their “outlook” on life and their outlook on education.  I see so many students bored in elementary classrooms, because the majority of their school day is spent sitting in rows and being lectured to.  I want to empower my students and my colleagues to work with programs that will completely change their “outlooks, their lives”.

Edutopia.  (2002).  Multimedia serves youths’ desire to express themselves.  Retrieved on November 14, 2011, from http://www.edutopia.org/print/980.