Slideshare.net: Overcoming an intense hatred of PPT

Background: Okay, I admit it. I hate powerpoint. I am not at all interested in using slides with information on them to outline a lecture that I am giving students. I don't want them to furiously scribble down every word that is on the slide as I try my best to engage them in learning as I expand on the topic. They never pay attention to the information. So, when I started playing around with hyperlinks in powerpoint, and saw the potential for students garnering information through their own journey through the slides (rather than the normal click and lecture presentation) I grudgingly decided to put my dislike aside and give this program another chance. So, we are studying Beowulf, and we want the students to understand Norse culture and mythology. Could I make a Powerpoint journey for the students? Success! The powerpoint presentation is now interactive, asking students to synthesize information and use that information to move through the various topics. Now what to do? Could I influence others to move beyond the typical click and lecture mode of powerpoint presenations? Could I get students to understand the use of powerpoint beyond the hated visual of the lecture presentation? Could they create a product and then share it and comment on its worth? Hmmm....

Objective: Students will create an interactive Powerpoint presentation to instruct others about topics relating to the Canterbury Tales.

Activities:

1. Students, in small groups, create short interactive powerpoint presentations using hyperlinks. These powerpoints should be instructional presentations designed to teach concepts related to their assigned topic from the Canterbury Tales, by Geoffery Chaucer.

2. Presentations will be uploaded into Slideshare.net by the teacher. These presentations will then be shared within the student community.

3. Students will interact with at least two presentations, and use the comments feature to evaluate the content and structure of the presentations using a teacher generated guide, and their own observations.

4. Presentations will be published into the general community of Slideshare to share the concept of interactive powerpoints. Periodic checks will be made over the course of the semester to see the number of views and the number of downloads of these interactive presentations.

Jing helping students understand yearbookavenue

Background: So, I have to teach students how to use our online publishing tool at yearbookavenue.com. Every year I take the students in to the computer lab and, using the LCD projector run them through the site: how to navigate, how to find their stuff, how to create a new page, edit that page, save that page, place pictures, etc. etc. on and on. It is a lot of information in a very short period of time. Worthwhile, but sadly, quickly forgotten by the students until the time arrives where they need to use these skills.

So, here is where this fabulous product Jing comes in. I love the concept of capturing the webpage and creating quick and easy reference handouts for students on how to complete the most common tasks on yearbookavenue! It will save me having to repeat the same set of instructions over and over and over. I will now simply hand them a great instruction sheet with the information on it. Yay, Jing!

Objective: Students will understand how to create yearbook pages using yeartechonline at yearbookavenue.

Activities:

1. Students will be shown the yeartechonline product at yearbookavenue.com, including all skills necessary for completion of their pages.

2. During the presentation, students will be given reference handouts which incorporate screenshots of the website (created using Jing) and labeled with instructional information (using snagit).

3. Reference sheets will also be posted in the room to allow for student access if they have lost their sheets.

Using DimDim for student video evaluation

Background: My co-planner and I have been struggling with a way to manage our end of year project for our twelfth grade English class. We wanted to have the students create videos of an earlier paper project, incorporating new objectives into this extension project. The idea was to have the groups view each others' videos before the final exam day. It would be difficult to manage eight groups all watching videos at the same time in the classroom setting, not to mention the drain on already limited time, as seniors end their school year early. DimDim affords us the opportunity to use the video hosting site youtube which is currently blocked by the school system. With this hosting, and the use of DimDim, students can 'meet' about the videos without having to physically be together to discuss the content. This web 2.0 product solves the problems we were struggling with in reference to our assignment.


Objective: Students will use DimDim application to meet outside of class to evaluate end of year social issues video to prepare for final exam.

Activities:

1. Students, in groups, will previously have created animated videos of their social issue topics as a final product evaluation during class, which will be uploaded to host website, youtube.

2. Teacher and students will set up meeting conference using DimDim. This will allow students to view video and conference with each other about the contents of the videos and the analysis of the videos necessary in preparation for the final exam.

3. During conferencing, students will view videos, and comment on them based on teacher provided evaluative tool. Students should use tool to rank the videos based on these guidelines. The whole conference chat allows each student the opportunity to comment on the videos, providing opportunity for input on evaluation.

4. Recording the conference will allow for replay of information to the teacher and the creation groups.

5. Students will reconvene on the final exam day having completed the evaluation section of the assignment and be prepared for the final day activities.

This is my new blog. Hurrah!