A Final Goodbye to ECMP 355...

I would like to take the time to write a final post while an ECMP 355 student with Dean Shareski at the University of Regina. I would like to thank all my classmates and my PLN for assisting in my growth and success over this past semester. I am saddened that this semester is actually finished! I remember having to come back after internship, thinking that this semester could never end soon enough... Yet here I sit, after my final ECMP class, having mixed emotions about my departure! I am no longer an undergrad - you are looking at one of the newest teachers that the U of R has educated.
I will be setting up a blog about the experiences of a first year teacher - I encourage you to follow my posts as I am sure it will be a journey like no other!
I would like to end this ECMP 355 class with a final goodbye as I step into the realm of teaching...

"Until next time...."

Final Project Completed!

My ECMP 355 project is done and my results are ready to be shared.
First off, I will repost my projects below:
Project Part 1: One True Media

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Project Part 2: Tabblo
http://www.tabblo.com/studio/stories/shared/30756/vrcdl7ej3amsofq

Project Part 3: Xtimeline



Originally when I started this project I said that I was going to rate these programs on 4 scale: setting up an account, uploading images, actual making the final project, and embedding the program into my blog. So how did they size up with one another?

Setting Up Account
Easiest: Xtimeline
Middle: Tabblo
Most difficult: One True Media

Although all were relatively easy to set up, I would say that One True Media had more options to sign up for which could distract users as they are setting up their account. Tabblo, as it is set up by HP, also had some distracting options yet wasn't as extensive as One True Media. Xtimeline was simple and to the point - students would really benefit by setting up an easy program like this!

Uploading Images
Easiest: One True Media
Middle: Xtimeline
Most Difficult: Tabblo

One True Media was all about the images and videos - it was easy to upload even though it took quite some time to complete. Xtimeline was a little more difficult in figuring how to upload videos - I almost didn't know that I was allowed! However, tabblo limits to images as it is actually a poster design program.

Making Final Project
Easiest: Xtimeline
Middle: Tabblo
Most Difficult: One True Media

Xtimeline was simple and easy. I did not have to look into how to use the program - everything fell into place! Tabblo was also easy, however, I did have to search in the beginning to see how I wanted to set the Tabblo up. One True Media was by far the most demanding - this took me a couple hours yet has a completely different presentation!

Embedding into Blog
Easiest: One True Media
Middle: Xtimeline
Most Difficult: Tabblo

One True Media has so many different options of presentations in regards to how you want your video to look in your blog. Sizes, colors, and graphics are all optional with one easy lick of a button! Xtimeline was able to be embedded yet I had to resize it 10 times in order to have it look acceptable on my blog. Tabblo, on the other hand, could not be embedded into my blog :( I could have taken print shot screens of each image yet think it is just as easy to check it out with the link below.

Best Over All Choice for Type of Project:
Xtimeline - Seeing as I was wanting to show off what I learnt and explored through this project, a time line was the perfect way to do this. One True Media would have been more helpful if I was creating a video on a certain aspect on my project - I would have chosen this if it was representing a "glance" at something in my project. Tabblo would be helpful if I was blanning on printing this off for an assessment yet I found limiting to images and not videos a little upsetting - If you check out my xtimeline you will see the many videos I found that were powerful in regards to censorship and youth!

So why did I choose to do my project this way? All in all, I was inspired by the presentation that we had on 50+ Ways To Make a Story. Orginally, I was planning on just creating a movie in movie maker that explained my journey throughout this project. However, when I learnt the many many ways a story could be presented with technology, I knew that I would be limitting myself if I chose to use a program that I already knew something about. Thus, I chose three random programs from the 50+ Way Wiki and decided to see what each project was about and compare! I also wanted to learn how to use a wiki throughout this project as I interacted with them throughout my mentorship program. Thus, this project made sense and was motivating with my EFDN 303 (moral education) project.

From this experience, I walk away with a whole tool box of knowledge! In the beginning, I knew a minimal amount of presenting information with technology. Now, I have experience and have mastered understanding of movie maker (as I used it coincide with onetruemedia), wikispaces (www.censorshipofliterature.wikispaces.com), One True Media, Tabblo, and Xtimeline. I also have some experience with Joggle and Ourstory, as I realized that they are not tools that I will want to use within my classroom! All in all, I am impressed with the amount of things I have learned from this project.

Before tackling each project, I had planned on creating a "finale" using the program that I find best out of these three. Well friends, I do not think that there is a best program out of these three options! They are all wonderful and if they weren't wonderful, I would have chose another to compare with the others. What I have learnt is that there are many many programs out there for use. However, you must search through each program and learn what it is about before choosing one for you and your students. For example, One True Media and Xtimeline would not be used for the same purpose - nor would Tabblo! Thus, they are all great but for their own purposes.

I am proud of my work and leave this project feeling confident with my understanding of new tools as well as the knowledge that I have gained with exploring tools to find out if they are the proper programs to be using for a desired task! I hope you have enjoyed my final project exploration and encourage you to click on the following links to review my process of exploration!

Note: The links below are arranged least recent to most recent blog posts.

Final Project Plan
Investigating From the Comfort of my Home
Final Project Update
Success In My Project
Update on Final Project
Final Project Process
Moral Education Final Project Finished
Final Project [Project #1 Finished]
Final Project [Project #2 Finished]
Final Project [Project #3 Finished]

Until next time...

Are You A People Pleaser?

Tonight I was looking for a clip to place into my timeline (posted below) that uses the idea of people pleasing in an ironic way. I hope you the folks enjoy this clip as much as I did. I unfortunately know a couple of people like this and would rather be disliked by people for who I am rather than trying to make myself into whatever someone wants me to be.

Final Project [Project #3 Done]

Originally I was going to use the program Our Story to help create the third way of presenting my final project. However, like I already said, that program is very misleading. Unless you plan on purchasing the upgraded account, you are only given 1 timeline to take care of all of your events.... Yes - not at all what I wanted! So, I check out 50 ways to create a story and found another great program: xtimeline. Setting up the account was very simple - just as easy as setting up tabblo. Using the program was even easier than tabblo - it was one of those programs that didn't even need to be looked into to use. I would rate this 5/5 on user friendly.
I will embedd my project below and link in the URL.



http://www.xtimeline.com/timeline/Censorship-of-Literature-Critical-Project-Recap

Right now I have a fantastic feeling, knowing that I am almost done my final project and actually found it very helpful!

Oopsay!

So I guess I missed a couple of my tech tasks - weird...
Let's start with tech task #3. This task was to look at the people within your google reader, finding an article, and responding to it. Throughout all my blog posts I usually was sparked to write a blog post in regards to what others have said. However, I will take the time to throw an example out which is a result of my constant communcation with google reader.

I added many ECMP 455 students to my google reader; many of the 455 students are my classmates and in fourth year education! My friend Sheri Missal has a fantastic blog that covers many educational issues in regards to technology - she also uses this blog as an online portfolio. I just quickly looked through her blog and found an example of one of her great posts: Girl Power With Technology.

Her post comments on how many of the ed tech "gurus" are most often males - why do women shy away from technology? Sheri discusses the importance of trying new things and making technology a tool that is used within your classroom. She posted a great link to a motivational video on how girls are using technology:
http://www.teachertube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=c611904a467b4892806a

I do believe that technology is one of those activities, just like engineering, that many people peg as a "male's activity." Well friends, we are in 2009 and things have changed. Anyone of any gender can do anything - you just have to put your mind to it and work hard! A past prof, Julie Machnaik, worked very hard to learn how to incorportate technology into the classroom. When I met with her this past summer, she stressed the importance of working towards better understanding technology and how far she had come! I believe that just as girls and boys need positive role models in life, they also need positive role models with technology to prove to them the power of this tool!

For a more indepth example of how I often wrote posts off those that I have read, please refer to my "Oh P-Diddy... You Have Won Me Over Once Again." Jaclyn wrote a great post on the power of twitter. By reading her post, which I came across via google reader, and discussing with her the use of twitter and facebook, I came up with a great social learning post!

Now for the other tech task that still must be completed, I appareantly did not notice the second part of tech tastk #11. I created my FIRST story example with voice thread: Through the Eye of the Needle. I did not add music to this story as I find that it only wrecks the story that I am trying to get across! I found voice thread SO easy to use. All I had to do was upload my pictures and then record my voice directly to this program - which made a step easier (as oppose to having to upload voice recording and place them under each file). I recommend voice thread to anyone who wants to tell a story through a quick and easy manner!

Now for the second tool, I used Photo Show. This tool was by far the easiest tool I have ever used. All you have to do is upload a mass of photos all at once and then choose the background and music that you want. I edited captions as I went along - fun times! When you listen to it, be sure to make sure the audio is on! Enjoy :)

Self Evaluation of Social Learning

When this class started, I was aware of the importance of social learning as it was outlined in our ECMP 355 syllabus and discussed in class many times. However, I am not sure that I understood the power of social learning! After the past 3 months, I am confident in saying that social learning is simply taking the time to learn from others within your personal learning network. By commenting on each other's blog, linking others into a posts, and writing posts inspired by others, you are an official member of the social learning club. ;)

I would like to take the time to prove my social learning throughout this experience. First of all, I tried my best to comment on atleast 5 classmates and twitter pal's blogs a week. I am so thankful that Dean encouraged us to set up our google reader at the beginning of this class. Google reader allowed me to check out new posts and then comment on the posts that I found interesting and/or funny! Although I did comment on pretty much everyone's blog at least once, I found myself interested in commenting on and reading Erika's, Jaclyn's, and Robin's blogs more often then others. I think it is because these individuals often took the time over and over again to comment on my blog. I really liked how they encouraged and at times challenged my thinking - that is social learning!
It is almost impossible to link in all the conversations that I have had with classmates over the past 3 months because of social learning - I wish I would have kept track in a google document! Check out the blog posts that I have linked in as just some examples of the comments that I have had with classmates on my blog posts and others' blog posts:
Tech Task 12
So What's The Difference
Is This For Real?
Just Wanted to Let Obama Know How I Feel
Is Facebook Feeling Some Pressure
Podcast Problems
Stop! Collaborate and Listen

Throughout the past 3 months, I often found myself writing blogs inspired by conversations that I have had with others via twitter, blogger, or real life! I find that my best posts were ones that were inspired by others. I have linked some examples below:
Oh P-Diddy You Have Won Me Over Once Again
50 + Ways to Tell A Story
Misunderstood Minds

When completing tech tasks throughout this semester I also found myself linking in other sites in case classmates needed help as they completed their assignments:
Podcasts - What Grindes My Gears
Hammering Out the Tech Tasks

I would be lying if I said that there weren't some major programs that helped my social learning flourish! I found that my google reader, wiki spaces, and twitter encouraged me to write posts on different programs. My tweets were a great source of motivations and I often had conversations over twitter regarding topics that I posted on:
The Great Debate
Using Google Docs Offline
Convinced Yet?

Lastly, the use of my blog poll was extremely helpful in the realm of social learning! I was able to have a better understanding of what my viewers were thinking, depending on the different polls that I put up.

I invite you to explore my blog and view the social learning taking place! It is kind of hard to explain all the social learning that has taken place in one blog posts - I have only highlighted some of the major examples!

I want to thank all that helped me learn so much throughout this experience. I have developed a wonderful PLN and will make sure to maintain and continue to build it throughout my profession as an educator.

Self Evaluation of Mentorship Program

As there is only a week left in my last semester at the University of Regina, I believe it is time to evaluate how well I have done with my mentorship program. I always enjoy this part of the semester because it is the time where you can sit back and be proud of all of the hard work that you have done :)

When I began this mentorship program, I believed that it was going to involve a lot of answering students' questions and pressure for finding enough time to involve the students in my daily routines. I am now able to say that I was absolutely wrong - I have a great mentorship experience. I was paired up with Jessica Lipskey and Paula White - both teachers from the U.S.A. I worked with students from grades 3 to 5 and had unique experiences with each group of students.
During this experience, I tried my best to initiate conversation atleast 5 times a week with each mentorship group; this conversation could be done via wikispaces, commenting on blog posts, or mentioning them in my blog posts. As I have mentioned many times, I had completely different experiences with my two groups of students but each had their benefits.
For Miss. Lipskey's class, I commented on their blog posts and wrote blog posts for them! Please click on the following posts to see my favorite comments that I left:
Patriotic Research
Patriotic Projects
Inferencing Interviews
I Have a Dream
7 Things You Don't Know About Me
I also posted the following blogs for the Lipskey Team:
Mentorship Thank You
Dedicated to the Lipskey Team
Through The Eye of the Needle
What Kind of World do we Live In?

In regards to Ms. Paula White's class, I had constant communcation with them via wikispaces and skype. Check out my wiki page at http://misshcres.wikispaces.com/.
Throughout this experience I would stay contacted with the students via wiki mail and also helped a boy set up his own wiki: http://crozetsolarsystem.wikispaces.com/. I had access to each student's wiki and was able to comment on their wikis. Each student and I have a wiki tab on their page which kept a record of all the conversations we had. :) Check out an example on Sebastian's wiki. Writing to each student did take some time but I knew that it would be worth it!
Please check out the following blog posts that were dedicated to my students in Virginia:
Mentorship Thank You
Hammering Out the Tech Tasks
Tutorial for Mentorship Student
My First Experience with Skype!!
Let the Communication Begin

Lastly, I had a couple random posts that were just directed to the experience I was having with my mentorship program:
Mentorship Thus Far
Mentorship Program

I think my hard work and learning is evident through these posts and connections. I am very happy that I was able to experience a mentorship program such as this - I have many ideas for my classroom in the fall!!