BP#17_20091119_Ben's Blog Comments

I went searching for lesson plans involving science and Flickr. I was sort of shocked to see that there really wasn't any. I did find that teachers are using Flickr to supplement dissections and use images found on Flickr to put into quizzes. I found many lesson plans geared toward language arts and Flickr. I am really excited to surf through Flickr and find images that can be related to the science classroom.

Patrick's Comment
Wow Ben, you are a pioneer! Ben way to be proactive, you are fountain of great ideas. Your students are so fortunate to have such an imaginative teacher. Keep up the good work! Ben in case you want to know, I failed your heart artery test.

BP#16_20091119_Erin's Blog Comments

Erin, what a great find you have in Blogmeister. I think blogging is rapidly becoming a mainstay of education and specific pursuits but I also think that you have shown that blogging can even be much more. The only question I have about Blogmeister is about the security levels it has to protect such beautiful children; do you know what the blog offers?

BP#15_20091119_Karen's Blog Comments

After viewing so many Web 2.0 tools that my head is spinning there are some that stand out from the crowd, I found Aviary to be one of those tools. It offers something that speaks to the creative and collaborative that students find interesting and engaging. It sparks the intrinsic motivations that need to be present for students to embrace life long learning.
Take a look at the short video I have prepared and see if there is something in Aviary for you.
Youtube Video

Patrick's Comment
Karen, I love Aviary products! You have struck a gold mine with this site. Karen I work daily with theses type of softwares and what Aviary has to offer is a lot better than most of the software our district employs and pays top dollar to use. I love your voice and delivery style, you are pleasant yet straight forward, compelling yet laid back.

BP#14_20091115_Coleen's Blog Post

Coleen great job, I love your passion and the passion that you have for what you do and how you want to see what you love change for the better. This may sound a little corny but your words are still reverberating in my head, they have challenged me to mull over changes in my own area of instruction. Coleen thanks for your insights and thoughtful considerations.

PB#13_20081115_Plotbot Commercial

BP#12_20091114_Web 2.0 Plotbot

Web 2.0 Tools
Plotbot

Plotbot is a powerful full-featured Web 2.0 tool for script writing. The reviews on Plotbot were extremely positive, emphasizing Plotbot as a very good script-writing tool for both beginners and experienced writers.
First of all, Plotbot is a stand-alone script-writing tool that formats scripts into industry standards. Plotbot can also take scripts written in word processing programs like Microsoft Word to convert and format scripts into industry standard scripts.
Plotbot is also a collaboration site where screenwriters can invite other screenwriters to edit, write or even add ideas to an existing script, which to my knowledge is the only scriptwriting software that offers this feature. Changes made in the script are tracked with a color-coding system that assigns a color to each of the invited screenwriter’s changes. Changes in the script can always be undone using the revert tab changing the script back to it’s original state.
There are a couple of really brief overviews or tutorials on Youtube but Plot is a very straightforward program that is as simple as using a word processor. Signing up for Plotbot is easy, all you need is a screen name, an email account and a password. When you get your Plotbot account you have the choice of diving into your project or use the option of taking a basic step-by-step tutorial.
Plotbot is all based on the Internet and there is no downloading to your computer. The site is free to use and with the ability to collaborate with others this could be a powerful tool for students working together to develop a script. Plotbot is a Web 2.0 tool for student screenwriters and filmmakers that want to share and work collaboratively.


Reference:

Plotbot, (2009) Retrieved November 14, 2009, from website: http://www.plotbot.com/

Phillips, C (2006) Plotbot collaborative screenwriting, Retrieved November 14, 2009, from

website: http://underdog.typepad.com/wandering_outloud_/2006/06/plotbot_collabo.html

(2009) [Plotbot logo] Retrieved November 14, 2009, from Plotbot website:

http://www.plotbot.com/

BP#11_20091108_Web 2.0 Tool Vimeo

Web 2.0 Tools
Vimeo

Vimeo bills itself as a respectful online community of creative people who are passionate about sharing the videos they make and providing the best tools for the highest quality video in the universe. If you haven’t guessed it by now Vimeo is an online video hosting site much akin to Youtube in both feature category tags and channels but that is where the comparisons seem to stop. Vimeo really is a respectful online community of video makers, as the site is not inundated with all of the America’s Funniest Video/Jackass type videos. There were a few of those videos on the site but not anywhere near the numbers found on Youtube. What I did find on Vimeo were some wonderful channels, groups, categories and projects, all of these features enhance the experience of Vimeo. The channels seem much the same as Youtube channels with great tutorials like editing with Adobe and one that particularly caught my eye called Reading Writing Web, the content was based on social media and its use. The one area that really stood out to me was the project area. The project area is an area where video makers can take a challenge and make a video with specific parameters and post them for adjudication. There is also a forum area for talking over video making, receiving advice on particular aspects of filmmaking or to have technical questions answered. One more area in the project tab that I thought was outstanding was the collaboration area where filmmakers can collaborate on anything video and students could come together globally to put together a video project.
As a hosting site Vimeo does show a lot of promise, it doesn’t seem to have a lot of the Youtube issues that most school districts would find offensive but it does still have some which may disqualify it for school use. Video hosting for educational purposes could be an invaluable tool for students to utilize to have their work displayed and critiqued as well as to view other students work and offer up critiques of their own.

References

Vimeo, (2009). Retrieved November 8, 2009, from Vimeo website: http://vimeo.com/

Quape9, (2009) [Vimeo logo] Retrieved November 8, 2009, from iconspedia website:

http://www.iconspedia.com/icon/vimeo-logo-4371.html

BP#10_20091108_Web 2.0 Tool Myna

Web 2.0 Tools
Myna

Myna is a freeware audio mixing program that has some very powerful features, great sound libraries as well as being straightforward and easy to use. Myna is a new product that was just released less than a month ago so it has very few reviews on it but the ones that I did read were very enthusiastic about Myna and its features. As a video teacher I am constantly seeking sources that don’t have a lot of the licensing and copyright issues that compound with the fact that I teach on Apple platforms but 90% of my students have Windows based systems at home. The kids love to use Garageband at school and really are quite good making their own tracks but Garageband is an Apple application and not downloadable to Window platforms so programs like Myna become very valuable resources, especially in tougher economic times.
Myna is a full-featured application that has a lot of powerful tools in its tool chest. With Myna you can edit existing audio with the ability to cut, fade, add effects and change tempos without effecting pitch. Myna has an automation section with fades, left to right pans and constant volume gains and losses that can be programmed into mixes. In the effects area you have your standard delays, reverbs, choruses, flanges and parametric equalization. The import/ export section of Myna is not Pro Tools but it does handle all common audio files as well as some less exotic audio files. One other great strength that Myna offers is that its operation is a lot like other programs that I currently use such as Apple’s Garageband and Adobe’s Sound Booth with some resemblance to Apple’s top of the line Logic program. Another feature that I haven’t seen on audio software is the collaboration feature of Myna, which allows multiple users to edit and create mixes.





Aviary, (2009) Retrieved November 8, 2009, from Aviary website:

http://aviary.com/tools/myna#

(2009) [Myna logo] Retrieved November 8, 2009, from Aviary website:

http://aviary.com/tools/myna#

BP#9_20091108_Web 2.0 Tool Engrade

Web 2.0 Tools
Engrade

For lack of a better description, Engrade is an all in one teacher’s record keeping Web 2.0 tool. Engrade shows great promise because parents and students can track academic progress from any computer that is on the Internet. Parents and students can access the program allowing them to keep abreast of assignments, attendance and grades. The student/parent access element is especially appealing to me for a number of reasons but the main one is that students need accountability and there is no greater accountability partner than a parent or parents. Without exception when parent-teacher conferences are held I always see the parents of the students who are doing well in my classes and rarely, if ever, see the parents of the students who are doing poorly. Parent involvement is of the utmost importance and, if used correctly, Engrade can encourage more parents to keep up with student progress and play a vital role in mentoring and encouraging their child’s academic world.
Some other great features that come with Engrade are the classroom schedule element and the attendance record keeping, all of which are also accessible to parents and students on personal computers. The class schedule feature is especially well thought out with a printable calendar of all the assignments, tests and important school dates of the current school calendar. Imagine the possibilities of this feature if you will, how many times have you asked a child if they have any homework tonight? With the classroom schedule accessible to parents any homework assignments that need to be completed on a given night can always be confirmed. Still another great asset in the scheduling part of Engrade is that parents can help students study for upcoming tests. Finally, if a child becomes ill all a parent has to do is look at the calendar for upcoming assignments so the student can keep pace with the class and assignments and the parent does not have to spend time trying to contact each teacher for work that can be done at home. The attendance feature is also valuable in that the parent can always be kept informed about absenteeism and the effect that it is having on a student’s academic progress.
Engrade is a free program and is compatible with both Windows and Apple based operating systems. Engrade is powerful, easy to use and secure.



References

Engrade, (2008) Retrieved November 8, 2009, from website: http://www.engrade.com


(2008). [Engrade logo] Retrieved November 8, 2009, from quark base website:

http://www.quarkbase.com/engrade.com

BP#8_20091108_Social Bookmarking

Social bookmarking is a necessary organizational tool for anyone who is interactive on the Web. As one expands and extends his or her knowledge and resource base information such as articles, sites, blogs, etc. must be catalogued in an efficient manner. Tagging allows the data to be stored in the proper categories for further reference. The “social” component to the bookmarking function is the ability to share data with others who may have that same interest. (Brockenberry, 2009)
Social bookmarking is a collaborative tool whose time has come. I can’t tell how many times when researching a topic I’ve pondered over how many others have gone through the same process on the same subject that I am going through right now and wondered if some place on the Internet is a storage place that contains all the specific links that I have been researching but has been saved by someone else doing the same research, this is just one of the problems that social bookmarking addresses in the way that you can tag and store links and access them from any computer. This ability to have remote access to research opens up a world of possibilities. Social Bookmarking allows a researcher to access the links of other researchers through the tag labels that have been placed on their links. Educators can network with other educators who teach the same subject matter and share link resources to help further their subject knowledge base. Academic departments can create their subject database making a virtual reference library. Students can collaborate with other students sharing research information and developing a research project through that collaboration.

References

Brockenberry (2009 July 19) Educational uses for social bookmarking
[Web log message] Retrieved November 8, 2009 from http://urbantechliteracyanswers.blogspot.com/2009/07/educational-uses-for-social-bookmarking.html
Jackson, L (2009, June 5). Sites to see: social bookmarking. Retrieved November 8, 2009 from Education-world website: http://www.education-world.com/a_tech/sites/sites080.shtml

Link to Classroom 2.0 social network discussions. (2009, April 17) In Wiki classroom20

BP#7_20091108_Flickr Commercial

BP#6_20091107_Flickr Lesson Plan

Flickr Lesson Plan

Lesson Plan Objectives

The objectives of this lesson is to have students practice the critical thought process by offering constructive comments on fellow classmate photography work. The critiques must be based on the photography elements of exposure, composition and artistic intent or statement. The intent behind these written critiques is to give students peer input into their photography work, giving the critiqued students points of consideration based on the basic elements of photography. This lesson is intended to be a development tool for critical thought processes of both the student critiquing and being critiqued, careful attention must me be given in the instructions making sure the students know that this is a critical thought development tool.

Lesson

1. Each student is to post five pictures in their Flickr account.

2. Each student must ask three classmates to critique their posted pictures.

3. All critiques must be based on the three basic elements of photography.

a. Exposure

b. Composition

c. Artistic intent or statement

4. All critiques must be performed with in the allotted time frame.

5. The entire class will take part in a plus/delta session to discuss what was gleaned from this assignment.

BP#5_20091102_Flickr

I’ve chosen Flickr for my Web 2.0 application to research and explore. Flickr was a natural for me because first of all I’m a pragmatist and second of all I teach video and photography and it seemed like a natural to explore a site that is a host for video and photo sharing. I’ve always wanted a way to exhibit my student’s work so that those who are not able to come to the school and see our exhibitions and première nights. It also gives the opportunity for relatives and friend who don’t live in the area to experience and see a students work. The importance of a student being able to exhibit their self-expression is immeasurable to the growth of the student and an artist. Flickr can give the students the opportunity to have the very own art show that is capable of having a global audience. I’ve tried this arrange virtual Art Shows before but have always come up against my school districts policy of no hosting of video and photos on the district servers. To deepen the issue each student in our district is only given 1 gigabyte of space for their student files with no public option to access the files. Flickr is a perfect fit for the type of Virtual Art Show I envision. Flickr offer hosting space, security, anonymity, and the ability to leave constructive comments on individual pieces of work or on a collection of art that has thematic cohesiveness, and all from the comfort of ones own home. I’ve pitched the idea to my district and so far the reception has been fairly warm but there are still those naysayers that are worried about control and liability. I am in the process of putting together a show of my own photography hoping to convince some of the hold-outs that the proof is in the pudding, in any event it is worth the effort if we can use such a tool that can encourage and inspire students to go further and farther in the educational journey.

BP#4_20091101_Google Reader

The is the URL to Google Reader subscriptions.

http://www.google.com/reader/view/?hl=en&tab=wy#overview-page

BP#3_20091101_Research Links

Patrick’s Introductory Research Material

http://www.aspergers.com/

This site is a site dedicated to everything the layman wants to know about Asperger’s Syndrome covering definition, diagnosis and local support groups this site was a great starting point for me.

http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/asperger/asperger.htm

This website is from the National Institute of Health focusing on Neurological and Stroke disorders, including Asperger’s Syndrome and has some great ideas for treating those afflicted with Asperger’s Syndrome.

http://www.udel.edu/bkirby/asperger/education.html

This site is an exhaustive links site for educators and contains practical strategies for classroom teachers who have students with Asperger’s Syndrome in their class; the sites even include ideas for lesson plan and curriculum modification.

http://www.aspennj.org/

This site is dedicated to Asperger’s education, support and advocacy. The site has suggested reading lists, seminars and news updates about treatment programs.

http://www.theparentaladvocate.com/aspergers.htm

This site is very educational specific and deals directly with educational concerns for those exhibiting the Asperger’s profile and the social interaction issue that Asperger’s Syndrome presents.

BP#2_20091101_I Google Pages

BP#1_20091101_Blog Welcome

Welcome to my Emergent Technologies in a Collaborative Culture Blog. My name is Patrick Welch and I am doing an action research project of Asperger's Syndrome, please feel free to look around and comments to my Web 2.0 postings.