30 + digital storytelling tools

Visit ilearntechnology.com. This is a collection of digital storytelling tools - some new, some old.

Approaching the end of the second course!

It is a good feeling to have all of my assignments turned in. Now I can just sit back and explore other content and tools for future use. Last night's Skype was fun and informative. In the past, I just used Skype to talk to members of my family: Great niece and nephews. However, last night showed me how Skype can be used as an educational tool. I am looking forward to Skyping Siberia and hearing feedback on our digital stories, as well as finding out about our contact. I wonder if there is anything else we can share with them. On a humorous note: My son jumped on last night, after I left the class, to communicate with one of the dogs. "Carter. Come to bed. " Ears perked up, he looked at my son on the screen, and marched up the steps. Dog training 101. He's such a good dog.

Last night was just what I needed: closure. I am grateful to my colleagues who stuck it out to the end to view all presentations, and for showing patience by paying attention while we were presenting. We all put in numerous hours to complete work we can be proud of. I also want to thank Dr. Ackerman for joining us last night for some "refreshments" and good conversation. Fellowship and collegiality are also a part of learning. I started this course with a billion questions and anxiety. I now realize, that's exactly what I was supposed to do: question and discover. So....what else did I get from this class? Hmm? Well I doubt I would have started my own blog - who would want to read it? I doubt I would have started a web site - but I did! Maybe we should have started the class with hard hats - Danger: Construction Zone!

Art Festival/Digital Story Telling Saturday Workshop

The trip to Brigantine was well worth it. We first went to The Rod and Reel for dinner. Good food and good company. It was a short drive to the Arts Festival, but an amazing experience. It brought back memories of teaching 7th and 8th grade. What fun! I especially enjoyed Italy. Verona, Italy is the home of Rome and Juliet. I have a photo of my mom standing in the Capulet's garden next to a bronze statue of Juliet. For good luck, tourist rub the statue. You can just imagine where the shiniest areas are located! We stopped to see Skype in action, but there were some "technical" difficulties. How well I know that feeling!
This morning (Sat.) was spent trying to add a video from a flip camera to Movie Maker. Five of us spent hours trying to find a way(s) to add a video. No luck! Until....Judi arrived with her personal lap top. Eureka! Success! Three hours later, we decided it was not possible to complete such a feat on the school computers. I then moved on to my web page. I felt pretty successful. Until.....Amy emailed me back to say it wouldn't open directly to the page. "What?" I said (and a few other no-no words). "But, Rita, you saw me open it." "Yes, I did", she said emphatically. "Whoa! Why am I looking at two screens at the same time?" "I think it's just too weary. Time to go home."
5 hours spent at school: $200.00
5 hours spent trying to implement one component: useless
5 hours spent with colleagues: priceless.

Comments on Thursday's class: We are slowly forming a cohort! Yeah! Josh, Loved the video. Today I finished the annotated bibliography and submitted it. I learned we all going in the right direction by participating in the MAIT program. We are a world of global learners - get used to it! That's three down - counting this blog. I also played around with iMovie. That was fun. I tried to e-mail it, but it exceeds 25 MB. What ever that means. Dennis, Thanks for your comments to the board and to John Moore. You are right - They are getting their monies worth - and then some. Since we all need to laugh and love every day, check out the video. These two are a hoot and I LOOOOVVVVVVEEE them. Watch it till the end and see what the Weim, Carter, does to the Whippet, Bentley. I am going to try a voice over using the same video.

To work or play. HMMM?

I finally got started on one of my projects - the annotated bibliography. I sent several articles to my g-mail account. I found several interesting articles using the Stockton data base. Now I need to decide to use tables in word or excel. Both should be pretty easy. Next step is to set up a website and web quest so I can blend every thing together. Sounds interesting and challenging. My goal is have everything in one package. However, today is too beautiful to sit in the house , so.... have Mac will travel - to the backyard to spend time with my two dogs. Maybe I'll do a little gardening.

I really enjoyed the presentations, and to have the opportunity to talk to the participants. Most said they worked on the project for one year. The paper was a total surprise to me! It was reassuring to hear Mary Irwin admit she was a digital immigrant. I wonder what the straw was for? The Ferris Buehller in me wanted to shoot it across the room. I restrained myself - I didn't want to embarrass Rita. I also noticed that they worked as a team: supported each other, helped with the presentations, really new each other. They also confirmed for me that Amy is there to help us. We just have to ask. I also learned a new word: andragogy. I noticed the presentations had specific sections: Theoretical Perspective, Intervention, Evaluation, Results, and Lesson Learned.

Okay! After wasting two days just trying to open this blog, I started another on WordPress, only to be able to open this one! Wasted days and wasted nights. I could write a song about that. My draft contract is also posted on the discussion board. Honestly, I doubt if anyone wants to have a discussion on my contract - boring. I will take a lap top with me so I can stay in touch with my History of Instructional Design team. I think that's what we are called.