PE3_iMovie

Hey, everybody.

Well, I finally completed the Lynda.com iMovie'11 training.  And here's my certificate to prove it:

Hey, I'm kind of proud of myself for being able to complete this project.

It was not really that hard.  Really, it wasn't.  But with time running out and suffering from a severe summer cold and having to turn in everything according to Pacific Standard Time, it does get difficult.  But here's a "teaser" of what I created:

You might not be able to see it clearly, but on the Event Library I have "OMM Prototype," "OMM Prototype 2" and "OMM Prototype 3."  This was not a difficult trailer to put together, but I did not want to just add the same shots over and over again.  So I had to refilm for more shots, hence the versions 2 and 3.

You can watch the full trailer at the "BP7_OMM" portion of my blog.  What can I say, I'm trying to promote my video..........

But I think it came out pretty well.  It's definitely something I will show my students this school year.  And I think the trailer theme worked out pretty well for this assignment.

I'm just hoping you all approve.

Thanks for watching.

As Stan Lee always says, "'Nuff said!"

PE2_iMovie

Hey, everybody.

Wow, this project has been a bit of an adventure.  Here's what I've done so far with the iMovie tutorials:

And so far, this what I have been doing with the iMovie part:

I kind of like the Indiana Jones theme in iMovie.  Hey, it's still a work in progress.

I just have to warn all of you, I don't think I'm going to have my movie ready until almost the final minutes.  Hey, that's what I get for living in California.  I have a 3 1/2 hour loss, which means I have only until about 8:30 p.m. my time to turn everything in.  Talk about vein under the gun, right?

Talk to you all later!!!!!

BP4_Second Web 2.0 Tool Review

Hey, everybody!

For my second Web 2.0 tool review, I'm going to use a fan favorite - Second Life!

I know we have been using Second Life (SL) since the start of our Full Life journey, and it's been a program that I really want to use when we get back into school.  I think the students would love to see some of the places they see in a textbook come to life "virtually."

Since we have been using SL, there have been a couple of updates that needed downloading.  Here is what the login page looks like now:

With Second Life, I've called it a "Facebook on steroids."  It's a virtual environment where people from all over the world can communicate with each other via the Internet and via virtual environments that have been created by the same users of the program.

In this software, there are many virtual environments you can visit.  There are places that are "real," which means they exist in the real world.  Let me show you an example:

As you can see here, this the virtual environment of Abbottabad in Pakistan.  And if you don't know what that is, this is the compound where Osama Bin Laden was killed by U.S. Special Forces not too long ago (Go U.S.A.!!!).

For what I want to use this program is more on the historical side.  There are also virtual environments that are geared for history.  For example, the Great Wall of China is here in SL:

You could also visit somewhere more "local," like Mount Rushmore:

The program has to be downloaded onto your hard drive.  The other option is to either choose the free or Pro option.  The Pro option has many more options available to the user, but you are charged $9.95 a month for this subscription.

I want to use SL as a way to show, like I had stated, worlds from a more historical perspective.  I would like students to see history a little bit differently, more differently than just what is in textbooks.  I think that students could use this program to "talk" to each other while at the same time explore the different environments that SL has to offer.

So far, I have used SL only here through Full Sail.  I have not had a chance to explore more of the lands in more depth and scope.  I have found the Great Wall of China, Mount Rushmore, the Statue of Liberty, and the Presidential Oval Office among other worlds.

Well, that is SL in a nutshell.  Answer back when you get a chance.

Thank you, everyone!

PE1_iMovie

Hello, everybody.

Here we are, Week #2 on our Month 4 journey through Full Sail University.  Man, how dramatic!

This assignment has been driving me crazy!  I guess that's because I went off on vacation for five days to Disneyland and didn't have time to really work on it.  Oh, well, at least I had a whole lot of fun!

But, I have managed to catch up a bit with this assignment.  So far, I've been working on Lynda.com trying to learn more about iMovie '11.  So far, this is what I have do so far:

As you can see, I am almost done with the "Working with Effects" portion and am ready to start the "Working with Audio" portion.  I knew that the training was long, but even so, it's been an eye-opener.  I didn't know iMovie could do all of what I have seen.

Well, here's what I have from iMovie so far:

I know, I know, it's just the beginning.  But I know this video will get better.  If it looks familiar, that's because it is!  It's Second Life.  It's the software that I would like to introduce to my sixth graders this school year.  So I would like to make this presentation great not just for the class, but also for the teachers and students that will see it.

OK, stay tuned for more updates on my project.

Thanks for reading!

BP2_Edublogs

Hello, everyone.

Looking through the Web 2.0 technology, I think I found something that both students and teachers can use.  It is called Edublogs.  This technology allows both students and teachers to write their own blogs on the Internet.  What makes this technology unique is that you don't need an e-mail address in order to have your own blog.

Here is what the Edublogs introduction page looks like:

And this page allows you access to Edublogs once it is filled out:

As you can see, on the part where it asks for an e-mail address, it asks whether you have an e-mail address or not.  You can still create your own blog, but without the e-mail address it will not allow you to reset the password.  So, for students, it would be imperative to save their passwords.

Once they have logged on all of their information, you name your blog, and that is basically it!

After you have logged on to your blog site, you will get this page:  the Dashboard.  Here at the Dashboard you basically have everything you need to start your blog.  It has all of the basic information (e.g. blog posts, number of posts, links for customizing your posts).  The good think about this Dashboard is that to the right of the page the user has links for getting started with Edublogs, including help with getting the blogs started to getting students to start their own blogs.

In fact, Edublogs already gives you your first blog post.  It looks like this:

On this blog, Edublogs gives you a bird's eye view of what Edublogs and a few good words about how Edublogs works.

It's a very simple style of blog, which may be a good start for students.  It keeps all of the clutter of too many fancy fonts or pictures on the page.  Sometimes simple is better.

For Edublogs, both teachers and students can create their own blogs.  Students have the advantage of having blogs with no e-mails attached; students just need to remember their passwords.  It is an easy program to use and simple to set up.  With more practice, I believe that students and teachers can start using this program at school and help them communicate not only with each other, but maybe with others at different schools throughout the county.  Teachers have the option of taking the Pro version, which allows for more options.

Let me know if you all could you use this.  I know I can.

Thanks, everybody.

Don't forget to comment!

BP3_iGoogleScreenShots

Hey, everybody.

Here are my screenshots of my iGoogle.  It's definitely the way to go with all of the stuff we have to do.

Enjoy.

Oh, and yes, I'm a Chargers' fan, a Finding Nemo fan, and a Halo fan!!!!

BP1_Welcome to my blog

Hello, everyone!

Well, we're in month four in our adventure across Full Sail University.

(sounding like Captain Jean-Luc Picard) Our 12-month mission:  to explore strange, new technology; to seek out others for help; to boldly go where no student has gone before!

Wow, sorry about going all "Star Trek" on you guys.

Anyway, this blog will follow my studies through Full Sail University and will also chronicle the 2011-2012 school year at my school, Rockwood Elementary School.

I just found out that we're going to have a new principal for the upcoming school year.  Is that good....or bad?  Hey, your opinion counts.

Well, I'll end this piece for now.  So, for anyone reading this, go ahead and follow me as we take on another school year and our trek (no pun intended) through Full Sail University.

See you all online!