PSA project

My group decided to do our PSA project on procrastination. We thought this was a good idea because everyone suffers from procrastination at some point or another. Throughout our video, Shea and Josh are the procrastinators, and I am the anti-procrastinator. I remind them about the work that is due or the upcoming work that they have to do or begin. We decided to have grades on the screen as the statistic is read to illustrate how procrastination can truly affect a student's success.

It did not take us a long time to film our scenes which I was surprised about. After uploading our footage onto the computer, we learned that the audio did not pick up as we taped our scenes. This frustrated our entire group because now we would have to dub over the audio. We edited all our scenes, and then we began to record our audio. Shea recorded his audio the quickest, but it was easier for him because during his scene the audience does not see his lips. Therefore, he didn't have to match anything up. Josh and I on the other hand, had a harder time dubbing over our scenes. We did the paper scene in two takes, but the book scene took us a while. It was really frustrating to have to match everything up and make sure it looks alright. After adding the audio, we created the title, credits, added music while the credits scroll. Also, we used the fade in and fade out technique in between the scenes.

Overall, I think my group is satisfied with our video project. We were able to finish it in class and upload it to YouTube. This project allowed me to learn how to use movie maker and audacity. These programs are a lot easier to use than I originally thought, so I am glad that I had a chance to use them.

Video in the Classroom

Video is definitely a powerful tool that both teachers and students can use. As a student, I used video for some projects. In middle school, I created a weather broadcast when we were conducting our unit on meteorology. I was the meteorologist, and I reported on the weather in different parts of the nation. I also made my video creative by including some funny commercials in between the weather reports. For my high school Spanish class, I created a Spanish fashion show. I had my sister and her friends model, as I announced what they were wearing in Spanish. Each student had to make a creative video in Spanish as a project, and toward the end of the semester we watched the videos in class. In social studies and language arts classes, we used video by watching different films in class. In social studies class, we would watch documentaries. In language arts, we would watch film adaptations of the literature we were reading at that time.

As a teacher, I can use video in my English classes like my teachers did and show film adaptations of the literature. However, I can also be more creative and have students use video. I can have students work in groups and act out scenes from a play we are reading; this will be done outside of school. We can watch and critique the videos in class. I can have students write their own screenplays, and then they have to act as director and create the video. It English classes it also interesting to watch videos about the author or the time period in which a piece of literature was written. This allows students to feel a connection to the literature, and it might provide them with a better understanding.

"Video is engaging, can be edited or segmented for appropriateness, and is familiar to students, but more than any other reason, the content can be managed and entertaining," said Lisa Salmonson, a teacher at Florin High School in California's Elk Grove Unified School District.

Working with the Net Generation

Chapter 8 of EduCause discusses closing the gap between members and non-members of the Net Generation. The beginning of the chapter states that not all students would classify themselves as members of the Net Generation. I think this is true because I do not classify myself as belonging to the Net Generation. It truly does come down to accessibility. Not all students go home to computers and Internet access, and it is unrealistic for teachers to think that this is the case.

"Although technology-enabled interactive instruction may be highly engaging, many students, teachers, and faculty have no experience with it. One study found that in spite of the fact that 99 percent of K–12 schools have Internet access, as do most classrooms (87 percent), these resources are rarely used effectively." I thought this quote was interesting because in school I always found it funny when teachers tried to use technology, but it never went the way it intended. They pretended to know what they were doing, but they always needed a student or two to help them out.

There is definitely a gap between current students and faculty, but teachers can try to close that gap. Teachers have to be flexible, they have to take educational issues seriously and most importantly they have to be willing to approach interactive technologies because students will benefit from this type of instruction. Teachers also need to try to make their curriculum relevant to the students' experiences because this will make learning more exciting and worthwhile for the student. If I try to do implement all these things into my classroom, I will be successful with the Net Generation.

I really liked the idea of WeBWork because it provides students with interactive feedback. I think this is a neat way to assign homework, and this method will keep students engaged. I also like the idea of the Molecular Workbench because students will enjoy conducting their lab experiments by using this approach. This tool also allows students to be in control of their experiments.

The tips listed at the end of the chapter will also help teachers be successful with the Net Generation. Revisit assumptions--this will help teachers understand technology better, and it will help them implement it into their classroom. Engage learners--engaging students will lead to discovery and understanding. Relax control--there are no time constraints, the learning process is ongoing. Return to core values--even when technology is in use, teachers can still be the experts. Reflect on the true meaning of learning and model the highest standards--even when teachers are using technology, they have to set good examples for their students.