Images

  by  Thomas Hawk 

Images? Images are great to use in a post. I like to use an image to liven it up. I like it to point to something in the post.

When I first started blogging I didn't know anything about creative commons and using photos correctly so I have done my share of using images incorrectly. However through the Edublogs students challenges, I have a far better understanding. When I begin blogging with students now, one of the first sessions will always be about the use of images. Otherwise it is more difficult to break the bad habit of just using what they like.

If you are still unsure about this, Henrietta Miller a teacher from Australia on her blog, Techiebrekkie  has an excellent post on creative commons, and includes wonderful links. There is a lot to explore and learn in this post.  I have spent some time on this post and will be going back for more.
Richard Byrne also has an excellent post.

I keep a list on the side of my class blog of places where the students and I can go to get images we can use. I recently was alerted to Site point , which lists a number of places that include creative commons. Some of the following come from this, and I will be adding them to my class links.
Open Clipart
Animal Photos
Creative Design Elements
Explains Creative Commons
Attribution on Flickr Search
Veezzle

Image Coder is something I had not come across before. I have not explored it very much, but have tried using it for the image at the start of the post. When you put the url for the Flickr photo, it gives you a code with the attribution.  When you then click on the photo it takes you to the actual Flickr photo. Maybe I will use it again!

I know another controversial topic around images is how we use images of students in posts and in blogging. We have a broad policy at our school, we can use student images with parental permission. We just endeavour to ensure that no students name is linked to a photo. Once last year when I was naming some students who had been selected to participate in a district challenge, I put their avatar pictures.

In my classroom last year we used Photostory 2, free software where we were able to place our photos, add voice and music.  It is a very easy piece of software to use for the students, and we made good use of it.  One of the activities we did was to make book trailers.  I won't put the examples here because I think we should have put attributions at the end and we didn't.  It's all a learning curve, and when you do it, you  can then look at what needs to be improved. Following is a short piece of work some students and I put together in October last year. 


You will notice this is on You Tube.  We do have You Tube open at school, to staff and students, however I now use School Tube.


Finally I had a little quick fun on Animoto, which I also use at times in my class, the Education deal is very good! Free!  And you can link a number of students through your account.