What to do, what to do...

For several weeks I have been trying to figure out a theme to make a series of videos.  I came up with several ideas and have started sketching up storyboards.  However, I don't connected with any of them.  Here is what I am looking for:

• Educational
• Way to demonstrate my ability to use multimedia
• ~3 minute videos with a theme
• Want it to serve a purpose besides just using in a portfolio for me

Essentially, I would like to develop a series of videos that I could publish on youtube and link to my website or CMSimple site.  My purpose in doing this is because I would like to have a career aligned with the objectives of my graduate program.  So far, I have experienced some challenges in that.  Mainly, not having (x) amount of years experience and/or several examples that meet the requirements for some of the jobs available.  Basically all my experience has come from being a student vs. employee.

Any ideas?  There is more competition in the job market and it would be nice to have a broad range of examples.  Through this program I can demonstrate my ability to use most of them, but nothing in the way of videos.  I feel that I need to have more instructional video production skills.  Everything else I have experience with and can give examples.  Also, I have theoretical knowledge and research based information, but that is hard to elaborate on when the next person applying for the job has actual videos or clients that can provide references.

How to

For those of you that are closet socialites there are easy ways to expand your social network.  Personally, I don't think it is about numbers or associations but rather the quality of people you meet.  I would rather be associated with a small network as long as their is a high value in companionship vs. large network with very little value in companionship.

With that said, recently I got online and joined a local meet up group interested in outdoor activities, which I enjoy.  They are the TRREC of Greenville, NC.  The members all have their "specialties" which isn't to mention their professions.  They (and me) hike, backpack, kayak, scuba, exercise, and are involved in local conservation movements.  Their mission and objective aligns directly with my own so it was a given that I would be attracted to them.  And let me tell you not only did our desire to be outdoors align, but from what I learned they had similar backgrounds as my own.  It makes sense.  So, if you are interested in meeting new people then find an online social network with similar interests.  Odds are they will have similar backgrounds and there will be a connection.

Wikicommons

Now I would like to add my limited experience with couchsurfing.  No, I have not couchsurfed.  No, I haven't hosted couchsurfers.  I would do either one of those if it was in my control.  I am a member, and I just found out my roommate is as well.  He couchsurfed all over Oregon, NC, and a few other places.  He talked about his experiences and they were all wonderful.  What better way to go to a foreign place and almost instantly have someone that opens their doors to you.  Good food, great conversations, and an insider about the area.  Italo, my roommate, is one of those guys you meet and almost instantly feel comfortable with and know that you can trust him.  I can see how he has good feedback.  It just means that there are probably other Italos out there couchsurfing whom I would invite in to my home.

An odd coincidence

I was at a coffee shop the other day just surfing online before my meet-up meeting with TRREC.  My couchsurfing home page was up and I was also looking at other parts of the world I would like to travel to.  As I was on the site a lady sits next to me and her eyes lit up, "Oh your a couchsurfer too?"  I am not yet, but we talked for a good hour about it.  She was probably in her mid 50's and just got back from northern Israel and couchsurfed there for several weeks.  Her and I too talked about the value and mission in couchsurfing.  Her intentions were both to travel and also I think to be immersed in other cultures.  A non-commercialized touristy feel.  I agree, when I travel I want to experience it all.  Their religion, customs, rituals, landmarks, language, and the spots that the locals visit not all the tourists.  Total immersion.  From what I understand that is what couchsurfing offers.  It is a self regulation community across the globe where people host "guests" and show them their community.  Naturally, everyones intentions or experience with couchsurfing is unique.  However, from several people I have heard the same thing.  "Actually, a friend of mine couchsurfed [to such and such a place] and had such a great time."  Now, I want to be that friend that couchsurfed and is telling others about my experience.

Misconceptions (deel twee)

To answer a previous question-yes I have experienced some misconceptions about the natural world by students.  Recently, I found out from several students (as in 70% of them) that carbon dioxide comes from the sun and the oceans.  Hmmm.  We worked through it and established that there were several sources of carbon dioxide and the sun wasn't one of them.  I am still somewhat confused about the source of that misconception.  Often times I think the misconceptions I hear about are from a lack of knowledge vs. genuinely believing something.  For instance, the age of earth.  Sometimes students think it is anywhere from a few million years old to just over 4,000 years old.  There are reasons for both misconceptions.  Personally, I am interested in where their ideas originated.  However, as a public school teacher I don't think the classroom is the place to track there origins down.  As interesting as it is, there is also a high probability that it will lead into something that detracts from an academic environment.  Then of course there are some misconceptions and powerful judgments about the theory of evolution and global warming.



Click here to take a quiz.  See which misconceptions you have.

Misconceptions

As a teacher and fellow human being I understand that people have misconceptions about phenomena in nature. Or preconceived notions about the results from a series of events.

I would surmise that misconceptions are the result of any number of reasons.  Some misconceptions are inherently found in various cultures.  Anthropologists have been writing about this for years.  Perhaps they come from a lack of fundamental knowledge about a subject.  Or, somehow knowledge is passed on from one person to another and it is assumed to be the truth.  Even though misconceptions can potentially lead to even more misconceptions or an embarrassing moment they also offer a teachable moment.  With the right skills, misconceptions can be used to promote inquiry.  Discrepant events might lead a student to come up with an explanation and thus exposing their misconceptions.  Then that is where the prepared teacher can promote inquiry and learning.

New media and emerging technologies can be used as tools to guide a student.  Whether it is a learning module using simulations or a network to communicate with professionals, there is potential beyond my current framework of understanding.  Looking at visual models of events or animations can be more effective than hearing about it in a lecture.  Traditionally the knowledge is transferred on a linear path from those with information to those without information.  Now, the model is different.  Students can essentially manage the learning experience and use multiple sources of information.  Information can be text based, virtual environments and simulations, new media, or networks to name a few.  I believe that as new generations begin their learning experiences they bring with them new expectations on how they want to learn or "be taught." 

Exposing misconceptions and replacing them with what may be considered "the truth" at the time is possible via a conversation or video.  However, how long will that information be stored in the memory before it is replaced by the old misconceptions? 

Current models of cognitive learning suggest that the more input from multiple sources the more likely you are to reinforce that memory.  In other words, just hearing something once doesn't necessarily mean the learner will remember or has learned.  If they can interact with the content, have multiple sources of stimulation, and reinforcement then the neural network has a greater potential to last longer and thus stay in long term memory.  The final result would be extinction of the misconception.  Currently, there are more opportunities to make this happen than there were in the past. 

You mission, if you choose to accept it......  Find meaningful ways to apply instructional technology to enhance learning. 

SL adventures

Thursday night I met up with two other classmates for an informal tour of Second Life.  Our objective was to find some islands that offer simulations and virtual models.  I have a few landmarks, so we tried them out first.  We went to the Imperial College London for Medical Students, the Genome Island, Nuclear Reactor Center, a random island, Chilbo,  Alice in Wonderland Island, and ISTE island. 

At the Imperial College London Zee and I didn’t see anyone nor did we find any simulations.  The buildings were easy to find and there were directions to simulation rooms, reception areas, and other rooms one would find in a common hospital.  After touring around without any luck of experimenting or meeting others we left the island for a simulation of a nuclear reactor.  Once again, the island was empty and we didn’t find a way to manipulate the controls on the reactor.  I believe you have to be registered with them and then have special permissions granted to experiment with the simulation.

As a biology teacher I really enjoy going to Genome Island.  It is in a region that is surrounded by other science related islands and research centers.  On Genome Island there are several educational resources and simulations.  There are “treasure hunts,” areas where you can perform test crosses and see the offspring (as opposed to just a Punnet Square), set up experiments, and manipulate variables to see how it affects a population’s allele frequency.  You can see the results of both the phenotype and genotype as numerical data or observations of the population and their offspring.

Of course, I have to mention Alice in Wonderland. It is entertaining, awkward, and funny all at the same time.



 At 6pm (SL time), Zee, Veronica, and I made it to a SLED event for educators.  It was a great experience and even though it is for beginners I believe that it would be a great place for anyone interested in using SL for education.  They are very supportive at the ISTE educator's island.  I asked someone there, what are the top 5 places I should visit while in SL.  They offered several links to educator's sites, simulation islands, cultural events/places, and other islands that may prove to be interesting.  One thing I noticed is that we communicated via text chat and not voice.  I was wondering if that is considered proper etiquette to text when you first meet somebody?  I didn't get a chance to ask, but I assume it might have something to do with having too many people trying to talk at once.  It would probably be hard to moderate or keep up with several conversations.  Then again, if it was happening in a class or we were all in a physical location together then there are ways to moderate and communicate-so I am not really sure why the text chat as opposed to voice.  I assumed if a person is savvy enough to get on SL then they probably have the proper equipment (such as headset/mic) to use voice chat.....

If you are in SL, my name is Orgon Jishnu.  Look forward to more experiences and finding new and creative ways to use SL in education. 

Embed and Blogging

Sites make it easy to embed content from one site to another. You don't even have to know html in most cases. Take Youtube for instance. They let you pick and choose what you want to display and then offer you the embed script.

Take this video I just uploaded to Youtube.




All I did was start a new post in blogger and then switch tabs from "compose" (which is the default for me) to the "edit html" tab.  Then I opened another browser window and went to Youtube where the video is located.  Then I clicked on "embed", where Youtube offers the code, and copied it.  Then I switched back to my blog and pasted it in the text box where I am currently typing to create this blog.

Other sites like delicious give you the same options.  WYSIWYG and they give you the embed code to copy and paste it where ever you want it to be-whether it's a web page or a blog.  Here is a CMS site I am developing through my course this semester.  I have embedded content from various other sites into my CMSimple site.

If you use Dreamweaver to create web pages you might want to consider getting an extension from DMXzone which offers to embed the code for you.  They offer a pop-up window to search for the video of choice and then they will automatically embed it.  It just gets simpler and simpler.  Joomla offers another option to embed content on your site.  And of course even Facebook offers all sorts of ways to embed on your profile page.




Picasa also makes it easy to share your pictures with others.  Once again, just go to the album you want to share and then look on the far right column.  Just by clicking on "link to this album" you get the embed code to paste into any site you want.  It's the type of simplicity I like.

Delicious

I can't express enough how grateful I am that there is a way to bookmark sites.  Originally, I didn't have a system when I bookmarked a site.  I just added to my favorites or clicked on bookmark.  Then I noticed how cluttered everything looked and if I wanted to find a bookmark it took some time.  So, I created folders for my bookmarks, then after that I started using tags.  Now, I have my bookmarks saved on my browser in a systematic manner.

Recently, I got an account with delicious.  Delicious is an online bookmarking service that allows users to save bookmarks, follow others and see what they bookmark, and create a social environment to show "what is hot" on the web.




What makes this service so appealing is that I travel and frequently use other computers.  Now, all I have to do is log into my account and I will have access to all my bookmarks.  I am slowly starting to go back through the bookmarks I have on my browser and transferring them to delicious.  Another feature that I have enjoyed is just clicking on others bookmarks.  In a way it is like Stumble.  I just click my way around until I find something interesting or relevant. 

Making a video

The goal of my video was to explain what web 2.0 is without using any technical terms.  I decided that I would try to make a correlation between some traditional approaches to communication, collaboration, and socializing then demonstrate how it relates to web 2.0.  I wanted to keep it simple.  For instance, “grandma” can knit a sweater and mail it to her granddaughter.  Or, she can get online and create some dynamic multimedia by collaborating with others.  Then she can send it to her granddaughter’s phone or computer.  Which one will make a lasting impression? 

The relative time between traditional approaches and current practices is something else I wanted to impress upon.  It isn’t so much that traditional approaches don’t have a place in our culture, it just isn’t as efficient (or fun in my opinion).

How did I make the video?  I used my flip HD camera and set it on a desk in my classroom.  After that I marked the white board so that I knew where the edges of my field of view was on the camera.  I didn’t want to just start drawing and writing in a place that wouldn’t be recorded.  The room is artificially lit with several 4’ flourescent lights.  I didn’t do anything special with the lighting.  Basically, I set the camera about 8’ away from me and started shooting.  Not much prep there.  I did sketch out what I wanted to draw so I used a storyboard for that.

The video was then imported to iMovie ’09 where I spent most of my time.  I tried to find a point closest to white on the video and then balanced the colors around that.  It isn’t perfect, but the best I could do.  Most of the video is sped up 800% faster than what it actually took me to draw in real time.  Some scenes-specifically those right before I erase what I have drawn, are sped up just 200%.

The section with the globe turned out a lot better than what I drew on the whiteboard.  For that, I used some special features built into iMovie ’09.  I created a series of clips using their globes in which I chose points and then gave them titles; such as “Oma,” “social network,” and “veterans group.”  I set the speed to about 1 second for each transition from one point on globe to the next.  iMovie ’09 has an amazing interface, so you don’t have to have a lot of production skills or knowledge about movie editing.  What took the longest was choosing which song to use as the background.  At first I narrated the video, but I wasn’t happy with that.  I figured the viewer can use their own mental narration.  We were all probably making different associations while watching the video and my voice would have been distracting.  So I went with music.  I wanted something fast, but not distracting or too much that it would turn some viewers off.  After watching the video several times with different background songs I went with Dave Matthews.

It was very fun to make this video, and I certainly do enjoy video editing.  Initially, it is very challenging for me to decide how I want to present something.  A concept or process presentation can be done several different ways.  But, after I get started I really get into the project.  I will admit, I change things here and there, but it is because I would rather present something as professional as I can.  Unfortunately, I don’t always have the resources to do that.  For this video I wanted certain effects so I had to upgrade my version of iMovie, and I am glad that I did.