Week 4-Final Leadership Project Post

Well, here we are at the end of week 4, month 11.  It is hard to believe.  I have finished my speaker notes, and added a few items to my keynote, and wanted to share the link to the final product with everyone.  Here is the linkP:  McGovern_Cheryl_LeadershipProject_Keynote
I also apologize for my quick Wimba departure.  I had a family emergency, and had to leave my house unexpectedly. I didn't get back until nearly the end, so I had Heidi Faber and Cindy Price provide detailed feedback via email to make sure I caught anything that needed to be added or fixed.  Thank you all for everything.  Have a great week.  Cheryl

Week 4-Comment

Friday, August 26, 2011

Week 4 Reading Chapter 9-12

Sometimes people feel the need to have everybody agree with them. This especially happens to people in authority who are accustomed to having everything go their way. The problem with this is that even though people do what you say they do not do it willingly and it is demonstrated in their attitude and demeanor. If you truly want somebody to participate actively in anything you do you cannot make him or her do it; you have to have them want to do it. The only way to do this is by enrolling them and making them feel like they are an essential part of what is going on and that without them things would not be the same.

If this does not work then we have to begin to assume responsibility for our actions and we have to take control of the situation. The only way that we can control the situation is by becoming the board. When we become the board, we no longer point fingers or put excuses. We do not let the circumstances dictate our actions but we use the circumstances to further our purpose.

We have to not only be open to possibilities but also inspire others to do the same. When we change our frame of mind others can be inspired by what we are doing. Like Nelson Mandela said, what we fear most is what we are truly capable of. Many times we underestimate ourselves and close the doors of possibility because we are afraid of what might happen. We are scared of the success or the responsibility of achieving something could bring to us. If we would take down our barriers and strive for everything possible then maybe we would be in awe of ourselves instead of scared.

When we do this we have to be aware that we are not a one-person army and that we do depend on others to help us along the way. Whether we are the leaders or we are not we depend on each other to make our collaborative dreams possible. When we fight on our own our strength wanes quickly, but when we have others working together with us we can make miracles possible.

1 comments:

Cheryl McGovern-BookWorm said...

Marcos: I don't think if you searched far and wide that you could find a better quote than the Nelson Mandela quote that you used. It is wonderful! I love it! Your comments on working together and making miracles happen reminds me of the book "It Takes a Village". How true. Great insight.

August 26, 2011 6:57 PM

Week 4-Comment

Week 4- Reading The Art of Possibility

We must make our activities desirable to others, as desirable as a banana is to a monkey!

I have to say that I absolutely loved this book. At first I was skeptical but the further into the bok I got, the more I enjoyed it!!! This book could be related to all of our lives in one way or another, especially if you are in education.

The authors made a great point about using we instead of I. This is something we all need to learn to do. We are all in it together, good or bad. In order to be successful, collaboration and teamwork is needed.

Enrolling or sparking others is a must. Educators should create a spark in their students. To get anyone to do anything, we must create a desire in them. Make it endearing and intriguing. Our students must be provided with an anticipatory strategy to hook them in. As with any activity, the participants must be reeled in hook line and sinker. They must want to participate.

This is a must read for any educator! I firmly believe that this book will be beneficial for all of those in the world of education from administrators to educators to paraprofessionals.

1 comments:

Cheryl McGovern-BookWorm said...

Cindy: You are so right. We are charged with lighting a spark in those around us, and I also agree that there are many others out there who would benefit from the reading of this book. I was also skeptical when I started, but I must admit that it was an enjoyable read and I would recommend it to others. The "we" is a major part of dealing with people (not just in education, but in everyday life as well)!

August 26, 2011 6:48 PM

Week 4-Free Post-PLP

my leadership keynote

Let me start by saying that anyone in our emdt cohort at this time in our program knows that I strive to be "Johnny On The Spot" with my assignments.  Being late or running the wire is just not my style.  I usually have had my blogs done by Monday.  Today is Thursday, and I am still working, so it tells you how my week has gone! Besides having an absolutely CRAZY week at work, I have also been having panic attacks over this leadership project! I really couldn't decide which route to take.  I am very uncomfortable standing up in front of a bunch of strangers, but I also feel like my writing is not of a publishing caliber.  Big dilemma.  After agonizing over all of this for quite some time, I decided to go with the presentation and really stretch myself.  I am going to apply to present at the FAME (Florida Association of Media in Education) conference. I have been a FAME member in the past, but due to budget cuts, that was taken away from me, as well as the opportunity to attend the conference, so I thought this would be my best chance.  I have at this point gotten the keynote done, and now I need to add my speaker notes.  Getting the keynote together I am positive took much longer than my speaker notes will.  For this I am thankful.  I will see you all tonight, and share my ideas with you.  Until then, know that you can do it! I am rooting for all of you! Cheryl

Week 4-Reading

My favorite part of this weeks reading was that we need to generate a spark of possibility for others to share (hence my photo).  Chapters 9 and 12 were for me the most meaningful.  Besides the spark in chapter 9, I also liked the story of the hyper ten year old doing soooo well at conducting! My youngest son has been very active his whole life, and now he is the top order puller at his warehouse job nearly every month.  As educators we need to remember to look for what our students can excel at and help them find that level of achievement.  In chapter 12, we are told to approach all issues with "we" instead of "I".  Now that I am dealing with 3 paraprofessionals, "we" has become a favorite word in my vocabulary! The other part of chapter 12 that I loved was the story of the girl telling the lady that she knew what she wanted.  After thinking, the lady went to the store and brought back a can of beef stew.  It was exactly what what was wanted, and sometimes we need to remember to give our students and the people we work with that can of stew.  It can change attitudes and whole days.  Have a great day! Cheryl

Week 3-Free Post

 

Ok everyone! Here is week 3's free post.  This is a great picture, as it really depicts me this week! I am moving every single book in 2 different libraries, and am feeling buried in books! The students start back to school on Monday so I have my work cut out for me.  I have 2 brand new assistants to train, and the mountain of books facing me.  Wish me luck! Oh, and don't forget the leadership project which is really throwing me for a loop right now! I am going to have to review the guidelines for the 4th time and keep trying to figure out exactly what I am going to do.  I would love to do a presentation, but I don't see myself at a conference.  I would not mind doing faculty or even administration, but the whole far away conference and lots of strangers is very intimidating to me, as anyone who knows me knows that I don't do crowds and parties or anything like that well.  Maybe I should do publication, but I like the creativity of a presentation better.  Well, much to think about. If anyone out there has a suggestion, let me know. Thanks for listening! Have a great day and if you don't hear from me, send out the search party to dig me out from under all of the books! (ha! ha!)

Week 3-Comment

My comment on Heidi's post: 

Monday, August 15, 2011

Wk: 3 Reading Blog: Art of Possibilities

Chapter 5. Leading from Any Chair: We're all leaders. How can we make a difference in the people we influence each day? How do we listen to those who help us make our dreams become reality?

You need to ask yourself, “How can I make them engage” don’t ask “How great am I doing? How much greatness am I willing to give?” A leader listens to suggestions and can instill a sense of pride into those giving the suggestions.

Chapter 6. Rule Number 6: Don't take yourself so seriously. Life is a journey--enjoy and learn along the way. Live, laugh, and love!!

Rule Number 6: don’t take yourself so goddamn seriously. I love this line. I am reminded me of a time I was in an argument with someone. In a fit of rage, I threw a bag of un-husked corn on the cob at him. After that the fight was forgotten and laughter ensued at the absurdity of throwing a bag of corn!

Chapter 7. The Way Things Are: Sometimes settling for the way things are is a lowering of expectations, sometimes it’s finding a starting point so that one can make things better. Where are you in this continuum?

Downward Spiral Talk…rampant in Education. When I started teaching, I was full ideas and innovations, but in staff rooms and meetings my voice was drowned out by jaded, seasoned teachers complaing about this and that, until one day I found myself sucked into the Downward Spiral Talks. Of course it doesn’t help that our complaints and negative thoughts increased as working conditions decreased.

Chapter 8. Giving Way to Passion: Control says that the only way to avoid disappointment and frustration is to not care at all. No hits, no runs, but most importantly, no errors. What are you doing in your daily life that expresses your passion or the things you are passionate about?

I am passionate about art and nature. In the brief freedom of summer for my girls (before they go back to school and are sucked into a world mostly devoid of these things), I try to instill as much of these two high held passions as I can. This is one of the main reasons I chose Portland, OR to move to. This city is as passionate about art and nature as I am. I try to combine my passions, by teaching my kids that nature is full of art; nature is art. Finding and experiencing the beauty that is nature is experiencing art.

Labels: Art of Possibilities, EMDT, Full Sail, MAC

1 Comments:

At August 18, 2011 3:18 AM ,  Cheryl McGovern-BookWorm said...

Heidi: I totally agree with your vision of many seasoned educators being negative. But looking at the glass as half full, there are many who remain positive about their profession as well. We need to surround ourselves with those who are positive and upbeat. I understand that even the most upbeat, positive person can also have low times, and that is normal. That is when a good friend can help by picking that friend up and helping them regain that positive outlook. With the economy in the tank the way it is, we can all use a little pick me up help from time to time! It is awesome that you are teaching your girls about the beauty of nature. That is one of the sometimes forgotten aspects of life. It doesn't cost us anything to appreciate the beauty all around us. Every area of the world has a different sort of beauty and no matter where we are, if we look around we will see that particular areas beauty. Have a great day! Cheryl

Week 3-Comment

Week 3 Reading - Art of Possibility

I was intrigued by the author’s hypothesis that our long childhood and the personality that develops in defense can get us out of childhood in one piece, but underneath wreaks havoc with our adult psyche. As I’m currently at a workshop where we are learning to teach children to write about the “small moments” in their lives, I decided to see if I could pull up one of my own early introductions the calculating self. The act of writing this story about a time when the spiral into a dim situation with the "calculating self" was cathartic. Recalling rule number 6, I lightened up trying for humor and read it to my peers here at the workshop hoping that the "central self" of those around me would hear the transformation seeking whispers of my own small moment.

“Tra la la boomsi eh…I got my tits today” he sang, chanted, taunted as he dodged before and away from the beeline I was making from the school exit to the playground. “You think you’re so funny, don’t you?” I yelled back while the tears threatened. Why me? I thought, why do I have to be the only girl in third grade with boobies. It isn’t fair. I was itchy and hot despite the temperate weather, it was only April in Kansas and the horsetail clouds easily beckoned the others to a game of kickball. If only they would swat at Chris Ridder like the nasty horsefly he was. Kooite-ridden knat! Oh, why me? I needed to get away from Chris so he wouldn’t see me pulling at the bras already two sizes too small. Those, my feeble attempt to disguise my womanly demeanor. When at last, he ran to the field to join the others in the footie version of baseball, I surreptitiously snuck a hand under one of the two bras that I’d strapped on that morning to hide behind and relieve the pain. In that brief moment, I could tell that the skin under my enormous bosoms at the end of the day would look like the tops of my calves at the end of gym class. You remember, when we would all pull off those elastic-man tube socks and sigh in unison? Why is it that they say, those lines are caused by water retention? Did we actually retain water in grade three? Yet another thing that was unfair about grade school!Being present to the way things are, what is happening and present to our reactions, no matter how intense is probably the most challenging thing that our transformative selves attempt. If I had a dollar for every time I said, I was going to try and live more in the moment, well let's just say, I'd be rolling in it. I love the author's advice that the simple question, What do we want to do from here? be our new mantra when faced with adversity (as was the case with the rained out golf vacation.) I imagine such a query would open up a world of possibly. Following the week's reading, I will endeavor to be satisfied with the few dollars already in my pocket as I picnic in the present.

Source: Creative Commons playground image http://www.flickr.com/photos/enerva/4359850130/lightbox/
Rose available for free download from dreamstime.com http://www.dreamstime.com/stock-photography-rose-rimagefree17567066-resi3743232

1 comments:

Cheryl McGovern-BookWorm said...

Christina: Thanks for sharing your story. We as teachers need to be reminded to stay vigilant about children teasing, as we need to help nip it in the bud when possible. No one is immune to this. I fell and broke my nose in the 4th grade and they taped a white x across my face. It was extremely humiliating, and I heard about it for the rest of my school years. Very traumatic. Accepting what we have now, and understanding that it is the way things are and what we do from here is up to us (rule 6) is sound advice.

August 17, 2011 3:28 AM

Week 3-Reading

Well, week 3 and it is chapters 5-8.  There were many tidbits that I picked up from this reading of "The Art of Possibility".  I will share my favorites with you.  The first major ah ha moment for me came when the author told about getting in the taxi and the passenger tells the driver to hurry! They need me everywhere!!!! This is so true in life.  As a mother or father, you are needed everywhere all of the time! You wish you could grow 8 arms and 8 legs.  As a teacher it seems that every student needs help at the same time on a different problem.  The next one that struck me was that power is the ability to make other people powerful.  This thought we have heard before, but maybe not in this way.  We may have heard it as give a man something to eat and he eats right then, teach him to grow his own food and he will be forever full.  Here is another: grab what you love and give it everything.  So often we tend to meander through life, giving what we feel comfortable giving, but to give it everything possible leaves the possibilities completely open!  As I continued to move through the reading I came to a spot where the author asks us to think about putting Martin Luther King's "I have a dream" before every remark we make.  Can you imagine? The last chapter was all about letting go.  That is where this week's picture came from.  We have to jump without worrying about every little thing to reach the highest and furthest that we can.  I think of the movie "The Great Outdoors".  We often forget that very simple command to let go.  John Candy is water skiing and after giving his son lessons on safety and letting go of the rope if you get into a situation, he totally forgets this himself and his son is screaming for him to let go of the rope but he doesn't.  I hope all of of us this week can let go of our ropes and travel further and accomplish more than we or anyone else could ever expect! Have a great week! Cheryl

Week 2-Free Post

This week is a week where everything gets started and in motion (including me)! I have officially started my new position as a County Media Specialist serving the 3 high schools in this county.  The students will be back in a little over a week, and the frenzy has begun.  I hope that all of my fellow EMDT program people have a wonderful week, and I wish everyone a positive, successful school year. 

Week 2-Comment

Here is my comment to Sheri's blog:

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Wk 2 Reading

Image by Sheri Brinkerhoff

All of the structure and ideals we use to bind ourselves into our lives are invented.  Only looking beyond the proverbial box can help us see beyond our immediate world.  I have often thought about how we create our own world based on our experiences. “The Art of Possibility” by Rosamund Stone Zander and Benjamin Zander is one of the most amazing book I have ever read. Unleashing the possibilities within should be the goal of every person.  It really is all invented.  Someone created the ideas we use to guide our lives.  What could we accomplish if we did not know fear?  Assumptions are the biggest hindrance for me in opening up to the realm of possibility.  It is so easy to make a judgment about someone or a situation.   

During the last week, I have focused on trying to stop making assumptions about situations.  I find that when I do this I have an easier time giving someone an ”A.” I have found that I have more patience with people because I try not to make assumptions or judgments about behaviors and actions.  It helps to think about how you are contributing on a daily basis.  I loved that the idea of being a contribution releases one from the cycle of success versus failure.  The chapter where the author describes his class after giving everyone an “A” is very intriguing.  I have toyed with the notion of presenting this idea to my students.  Though I do not think my administration would be receptive to the idea, I like the affect on the students.  It releases them from the cycle of success versus failure and brings them to a place where they can focus on their personal journey.   

An excellent education teaches students how to live beyond the course material.  This class is an excellent example of the concept.  Though the course is titled “Media Asset Creation,” I feel as though I have learned more about how I want to live my life.  Lessons taken from this week’s reading have affected my personal thinking in ways that will extend beyond the course itself.

 

2 comments:

Marcos Alvarez said...

First of all I want to say that that picture you took is beautiful. Assumptions truly can hinder a person and it can even make them prejudice. When I was doing my practice in education I was warned by a couple of “professionals” to be careful because the school that I was going to was right between two residential housings for underprivileged people. They would have comments like, “you know how those people are with their addictions” or “keep your wallet close at all times” and “you can never be too careful around those people”. Once I got there I found that those kids were the most loving and kindhearted kids I had ever met. They would spend there lunch hour with me and tell me all sorts of stories. Sometimes we are too quick to judge and never really give the others an opportunity.

August 10, 2011 6:59 PM

Cheryl McGovern-BookWorm said...

Sheri: I agree with you that a teacher takes their students beyond classroom learning. I can also see where administration would frown upon giving all students an "A" to start out with! Could you just see their faces, and the faces of parents? If you could film those reactions, you could make millions off of that video! Creating our own lives through experiences would really put a new perspective on things for many people. I have long believed that life is what we make of it! Cheryl

August 10, 2011 7:13 PM

Week 2- Comment

Here is my comment to Richard's post:

My thoughts on the book The Art of Possibility/ Week 2 reading

The Art of Possibility  a nice book by Rosamund Zander and Benjamin Zander.

 I love the fact that this is not a how-to book or a happy feel-good book. The book is a little difficult to describe but I believe the author puts it best by saying; “…the object of this book is to provide the reader the means to lift off from the world of struggle and sail into a vast universe of possibility.”

I also love the fact that this book is written by the perspective of two different people, one a music conductor and the other a therapist. The conductor makes it great point about practice. In today’s society we do not need to practice much of anything anymore. Everything today is almost instantaneous, if you need to look something up you go to the web. Besides, music, dance, sports, and theater we as a society do not practice much of anything before we go out and do it. Here is another excerpt from the book that explains practicing. “ What? You been practicing it for 3 minutes, and you still can’t play it? Our practices will take a good deal more than 3 minutes to master.” This is a great rule of thumb, life and goals require little more than 3 min. a day of practice before we can master them and put them into our repertoire.

 The therapist also makes some great points, I love her analogy of “ out of the boat”.

“ Out of the boat could refer to something as simple as losing all memory of ever having been on exercise program, or could referred to floundering in the wake of a management shakeup.” It also refers to not only being off-track, but it means you don’t know where the track is any more. The therapist goes on to say that you’ll need to call on something that has been established in advance, like in oar, friends, or catchphrase, like “toes to nose”. I believe the idea is twofold, we all need help once in a while and that we all need to step back her once in a while to regain our point of reference.

 The next several chapters go on to discuss how her brain works and how people can view the same situation totally different. They discuss the shoe salesman’s in Africa which is a cute story. They also discuss the 9 dot puzzle which I had forgotten about as a child. The highlight for me was an old quote from one of my favorite artists Pablo Picasso. “Recognizing Pablo Picasso and a train compartment, a man inquired of the artist why he did not paint people the way they really are. Picasso asked what he meant by that expression. The man opened up his wallet and took out a snapshot of his wife, saying, that’s my wife. Picasso responded, isn’t she rather small and flat?”

I love this picture. It is a picture my wife took of my youngest son Nealon and I found it to be a great example of what the authors were talking about in The Art of Possibility. Some find the picture disgusting and ask, why would we let him put a frog on his face? Others thought what a great picture of Nealon having fun with nature.

 I hope you enjoyed the first five chapters as much as I have. Let’s hope that the rest of the book is as much fun as the first chapters. I look forward to next week discussion.

1 comments:

Cheryl McGovern-BookWorm said...

Richard: You took some great parts of the reading to write on! I love the fall out of the boat part also. Especially because I tend to fall out of the boat frequently! (eating chocolate, buying fabric and books, procrastinating cleaning for computer Solitaire) I also like the 3 minutes. There is no way that anyone can master something in 3 minutes, but as a whole we are training children that they don't have to wait for anything! I liked the picture of your son. I think he is totally brave, as I can't even begin to think about a frog on my face! I would totally flip out!

Week 2-Reading

This picture depicts this weeks reading exactly as I interpret it.  Life is what we make of it.  We choose the direction.  There were many things in the reading that I enjoyed.  I loved how the author described success and failure as a two sided coin, but if we choose contribution instead, it is a one sided coin and therefore a win-win situation for all.  I also loved the wording well heeled and down at the heel. I had never heard that before.  It must be the way that other countries describe the highs and lows of life.  Something else that would do us all good to remember is to "engage people in your passion for life", and "don't speak to cynicism, but to passion" (Art of Possibility).  I try to envision a world where there was no cynicism, only passion for life, and it is definitely a mind blower! The thought of giving all students an A the first day of class was awesome! Can you even begin to imagine the look on a bunch of kids faces the first day you handed out all A's? Talk about a jaw dropping experience! The thought of throwing your arms up in the air and exclaiming "how fascinating" when you make a mistake is also cute.  All in all, I think that this weeks reading had the intended effect on me.  It got me thinking, and at just the right time. School is beginning and this was a great reminder that life is all a story, and it is all in the way we choose to tell it! Have a great day!

Week 1-Free post

I want to comment on this assignment.  I have had to comment on blog posts before, but I think they were the same ones every time.  This time I am going to select them at random each week.  I really enjoyed getting some new information on some of my classmates.  A good example of this was Missy Cooper's blog post.  I visited her blog this week, and what an awesome picture she had on there.  As I read her blog, she mentioned that she is an artist.  If I hadn't read her blog, I may have gone through this entire year long program without knowing this about my classmate.  I am looking forward to reading the different ones now and seeing what I can learn!

Week 1-Comment

This was the post and comment I left for Missy Cooper.

Wk1 reading: Copyright issues

Via flickr



Copyright basics have always made enough sense to me to understand. Especially being an artist, I can see why when you create something, you want to protect it, and get recognition from it. But the legal jargon and the extent of it have always confused me until my readings/ videos for this week in MAC/FSO. All the complexities associated with it, for example fair use, baffled me when I noticed how others used other’s works. Mayer & Bettle adorably explained it as well as the producers behind Creative Commons (which can be found in the links below).

Inspiration comes from all over and sometimes ideas need to be tweaked, copied, and remixed to get creativity flowing or to learn the necessary techniques to eventually develop your own style. All art was influenced by another idea so I can see how copyright issues and personal censorship of one’s material can hinder creativity and the progression of our culture as a whole. The videos have shined a new light on how difficult it is for certain material to be continuously publicized to newer generations if the funds are not there; which was a sad result. That’s like your parents telling you to learn from their mistakes but never telling you what their mistakes were.

Creative Commons have made this whole issue, especially in the digital age, with fair use easier for artist/creators of all types. It’s brought back a willingness to contribute freely to each other. It is something I constantly use & highly grateful for when it comes to looking for inspiration and reference photos effortlessly.

If copyright laws are too strict on top of our art & music already being written off as insignificant and disposable in our educational system, our students’ creativity is doomed. If you have the time and need a better grasp of the copyright issues and fair use, I highly suggest these links as well.

Ttyl - Missy

Readings/Video Links:
http://web.me.com/edm613/m11/wk1-reading1.html
http://web.me.com/edm613/m11/wk1-reading2.html
http://web.me.com/edm613/m11/wk1-reading3.html
Courtesy of Prof. Bustillos

1 comments:

Cheryl McGovern-BookWorm said...

Missy: The creative commons information was really great. I can see how you would find all of the copyright information useful with you being an artist. It is something that teachers tend to "not think" about frequently as they "borrow" a lot of material and creative commons will definitely help with this.

August 4, 2011 3:28 PM

Week 1-Comment

Wk 1 Reading-Copyright- Sheri Brinkerhoff

One of the ideas that stands out to me during Larry Lessig’s Talk about Remix Culture is that we live in an ‘Age of Prohibitions” where we live life ‘against the law. ‘  He discussed the message we send our children by pushing the remix of our culture underground.  The use of digital media created by or culture has changed the way we view ourselves and copyright issues.  The biggest problem is the mixed messages in our society.  A good example is the remixing of famous music by Girl Talk and the Techno Bregga movement discussed in the movie, “Good Copy/Bad Copy.”  How much of an original work can be reproduced and considered original?  Previously, I would have guessed that both examples would be a clear copyright violation.  However, the albums are released and sold for profit affecting the commercialization of the product.  It could be considered a positive benefit or free publicity but who decides?  Even though it only a small amount of the original music that is recreated, the original artist is clearly identified.  There are no predefined terms of time limit and copyright varies by county.  I whole-heartedly believe an artist has the right to his creation.  Does this include the corporation who represents the artist? Who has the right to make this decision?  I believe we are on the verge of a revolution in the copyright industry.  When the young people of this generation become the leaders of our country there will most definitely be changes.

-TED Talk video: ReMix Culture by Larry Lessig, retrieved from http://www.ted.com/talks/view/id/187 on 8/3/11

-Blip.tv video: Good Copy, Bad Copy Directed by ANDREAS JOHNSEN, RALF CHRISTENSEN, HENRIK MOLTKE (http://www.goodcopybadcopy.net/), http://www.blip.tv/file/359180/ retrieved on 8/1/2011

-Copyright Image

 http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/images/results.aspx?qu=copyright#ai:MC900282170|mt:0|

1 comments:

Cheryl McGovern-BookWorm said...

Sheri: I liked that you caught the phrase "age of prohibition". This makes me think of American history when I hear it, which is in total agreement with your theory that the generation coming up will bring us change! They are the tech generation and we are bound to see some major changes!

August 4, 2011 6:17 PM

Week 1 - Reading

This weeks reading assignment was very much on target for me.  I am in the library, and am asked copyright questions all the time.  This was very helpful.  I was amazed at the fact that copyright lasts a lifetime plus 70 years! WOW! That is one long time! It is a good thing that someone came up with fair use! Teachers would be in so much trouble if fair use was not around! Another thing that I thought was that those rappers with all the profanity and sexual innuendos throughout their music should be glad that someone would even consider using any of it.  I won't even subject myself to listening to that in the first place, let alone "borrowing" any of it! I am really behind in the times, as I have never heard of Danger Mouse and the album "Grey". I also did not realize that Nigeria was so involved in the music industry.  I really liked the "Fairy Tale" using the Disney characters! That was my favorite part.

ETC_Final Project

Here is my final video. I hope you enjoy watching it. Have a great day everyone!

Here is the link also if you would like to check it out there:

http://www.viddler.com/explore/Ripples/videos/452/

If you liked the video and would like to know what lesson I did with it, just read on for more information.  You will also find my reflection of bumps in the road that I experienced during this to help you out. Enjoy!

Cheryl McGovern:  Relevant and Innovative Learning Scenario

1.     Target Audience:  The students will be from a multi-level, high school drama class.

2.     Materials needed: Computers, Viddler link, previous works created during class for upload, projector.

3.     Objectives:  The students will:

Create a Viddler account.

Analyze their previous works for upload.

Compare Viddler to YouTube in groups and present data.

Evaluate at least 2 other classmates’ uploaded videos, and share comments.

            Develop skills to navigate the Viddler tool.

            Reflect on feedback and share within groups.

            Reflect on this lesson and share if they would like to.

4.     Procedures:

Students will have a walk through the upload process of Viddler with the instructor.

Students will analyze their previous works to decide which one best showcases their personal style.

Students will create their Viddler site.

Students will upload their work to the Viddler site.

Students will comment on at least 2 other classmates’ videos, and offer feedback in a positive way.

Students will be grouped to share comments with each other, and compare the Viddler tool to YouTube.

Students will present their comparisons with the class as a group.

Students will reflect on their learning experience and share if they like.

5.     Web 2.0 Tool:  Viddler

6.     Social Participation/Social Learning:

Students will be participating in a group sharing process, and also sharing comments through the Viddler site.

7.     Making Connections:

So many of our students today are on Facebook and YouTube. They are very comfortable in these environments.  They like to share their thoughts, works, and lives with others. In the educational setting, most sites are blocked, and students miss the sharing and showcasing of their talents at school.  I have tested the Viddler tool, and it is accessible at our school, so I think that this will really be a great way to bring a connection to the students.

8.     Create/Produce:

The students will be sharing their works via the Viddler site.  They will also be sharing feedback.  During a group activity, they will be comparing Viddler to YouTube, and presenting their findings to the class. They will also need to create their own Viddler site.

9.     Reflection:

Upon completion of this activity, students will take time to reflect on their experience, and share with the group if they would like to.

My personal reflection on this project after actually implementing it is that it is a terrific idea.  As with any lesson, there are always a few bumps in the road that are unexpected.  The part I forgot to plan for was the fact that the student’s email can’t be accessed from school.  Once they created their viddler accounts, they needed to confirm through email, so this set us back just a slight amount. The students absolutely loved the site, and couldn’t believe that there was actually a video site out there that could be accessed from school.  They were really excited about being able to continue to use this tool.  I am just waiting for the County to discover this and block this site also. That is a concern for the future that I have about this.  As with anything, there is the chance for misuse.  You just have to be diligent and watch what the students are uploading. Would I do this lesson again? Absolutely. They love being able to view and comment on each other’s projects. I know that I like doing these imovies and commenting much more than typing a paper, or taking an exam.  It also is a better way to showcase what you have learned throughout a course.

PE5_Viddler

Happy Monday fellow Bloggers!! I just wanted to go into a little further detail about my next web 2.0 tool Viddler.  As I previously stated, I am going to be using Viddler in a drama class for them to upload, share, and comment on the videos that they create.  One of the first things after introducing Viddler to them will be to set up a group. Their class will be their group, so it is easy to locate all of them. Here is a screen shot of the create a group page: 










After creating our group, we will review how to upload a video:

I will go over how to create a friends/buddy list:

Then I will open the floor to questions. I took a screen shot of the frequently asked questions tab that Viddler has. There are many good questions and answers here. After that, they will begin working on what video to upload and share. I hope you have enjoyed this brief run through of the introduction to this great web 2.0 tool. Have a super night! Stay warm. Cheryl

PE4_Viddler

Welcome back! I have decided to use Viddler as my tool this week. We all have a Viddler account, and I thought it would be neat to share this tool (instead of YouTube) with our drama students who are doing videos all of the time.  When I checked Lynda for tutorials, they didn't have any, so I went to the Viddler site. Here are a couple of screen shots of the main (about) Viddler page, and also of the help screen.

After looking through Viddler, I decided to go to the other site (YouTube) just for grins to see what was out there about Viddler. I am sending out the link to view a video review of Viddler. The star of the video seems to march to the beat of his own tune, but I will tell you this: he knows his technology, and really explains the differences between the two sites well. It is a very informative video, even if it is not very professional. I hope you learn something new from it. I know that I did. Have a great night. Cheryl
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