Embedding Video in Posts.

Where were we in 2010?
I have used video to embed in my class blog in a low key way so far.  We have a Canon digital camera per class for photo taking and video clips.  It works well and as a low budget option it is very good. I might take clips of an event and choose clips to put together using Windows Moviemaker.  This works reasonably well, and a title, text and music is able to be added. This year I have bought another low budget Canon digital camera as now students are beginning  to include the idea of some simple video making into their reportoire. Here is one example of what some of them did in December.

I have used Photostory to put photos, voice and music together to make a simple video.  Many of my students used Photostory in 2010 to make book trailers. These worked really well.  However getting round some roadblocks slows down the process. We do have a small room the students can use for recording, which is helpful, but using one computer and one mic it takes awhile to process through a class with 30 students.  I still believe it was worthwhile and will do it again. Photostory is a great free piece of software.

Occasionally I embed video that we have not made but is worth embedding. Last year I found an excellent video made at School Tube on using Glogster.  This had been made by another teacher, and was perfect for the purpose.  We watched it together, then students could go back to it as needed.  I have also embedded a video on cardmaking by a teacher in Greece, from You Tube.  We then made some similar cards, organised an animoto with them and alerted her to come and share our success. 

So what of 2011? 
This year it is my main goal to make and embed a variety of video.  Firstly I want to make some video myself to share with parents some of the changes in learning since they were at school.  I have a Canon DSLR that I want to use for this, I just need to learn how to use it properly first! I also intend using some software that gives me a lot more choice in editing.  At this point in time I am veering towards Vegas Movie Studio.

I  also want to include the students in helping me to do this.  Firstly I will include them in sharing Maths learning with parents.  If anyone has seen Mr. Salsich's videos, these are the ones I hold up to myself as a model.  I want the students to prepare these, getting them thought out first, writing scripts and then shooting and editing them.  I am really looking forward to trying it.

That's my starting point!  Who knows where we will end up?

Please fill out the survey. I am very interested.  Also any hints that you have, I would be very interested to hear.

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.