My Final Project

Eleven hours later, and I am finally finished my final project. Aaaah, feels so good. There were more than a few bumps along the way, and there is no way that I could have completed this assignment without my wonderful camera man and critical friend Robbie. I don't think I can give him enough credit! Viva social learning!
I learned how to use a video camera, use a firewire to transfer the footage into iMovie, and then how to edit the images. I had to download an older version of iMovie since I was told the new one is very confusing, and because my camera was not compatible with the new version anyway. I have learned that video editing is a verrrry tedious task, unless you really know what you are doing when you film in the first place! I had no idea that it took about an hours worth of footage to make a five minute film. I am disappointed by the quality of the actual film, the pixel concentration (if that is the proper term) did not translate to YouTube. Although this project was a lot of hard work, it was so much fun to do it with Robbie, troubleshoot technical issues, and learned about the programs. Here you are, hope you enjoy:
P.s. The bloopers were just added in for fun, and are probably not as funny to you as they were to Robbie and I. :)

Tech Task #3

Like everyone else, I did not know until recently that we were assigned to find a blog that we were interested in. I went on a search and looked in Educational Blogs. I found out that there are many types of blogs, photo, fiction novella, pet's POV etc.. So then, I narrowed my search to literature. Anyone that knows me, knows that I have a very odd obsession... and that is grammar. This blog is highly entertaining in that it covers common grammar errors, etc. I love it, and you should check it out-- perhaps it will help you when you are making your next Facebook status. :)
http://thegrammarvandal.wordpress.com/

Social Learning Reflection

At the start of the year, Dean had told us that students from previous years had said that they had got to know their peers in a very profound way. This sounded all fine and dandy, but never, until I actually experienced it, did I understand the power of social learning.
Throughout the course, there were various times that my classmate Robbie and I got together and either worked on techtasks, or sat through the Elluminate sessions together. For my biggest feat, Robbie was there to help me and teach me about the tools I need to create my final project. Robin also helped me at various times throughout the semester with tech tasks. (Thank you!!) I wish I could say that I had a lot more technological prowess to offer my peers. Regardless, my experience with this class, although stressful at times, has been a positive way. Getting to know my new peers in Arts Education in such a personal way, bonding through "stressful times" is exciting.

Final Project- Sew What?

So! I haven't filled you all in on my final project idea! ... wait for it... a How-To Video on how to use a Sewing Machine! Ok, so it may seem super lame to those of you who don't know the context. First of all, I decided to take a final project from Education Aesthetics course, and make a technical spin on it! For EAES, we had to do a personal arts project, something that we've never tried before, and I decided to learn how to sew my own outfits. The result was a fantabulous apron, well I think it was fantabulous because it took a lot of time and energy. You see, I am a SERIAL non-reader of instructions. ... I guess it's a way of rebelling against myself- "I can figure this out on my own!" I would think to myself. haha. So, that was a feat in itself. When I heard about the personal arts project I went online and tried to find an instructional video on how to use my brand-new sewing machine I got for Christmas. However, what I found for how-to's was extremely disappointing. Have you ever seen that really old-school art show, usually on saturday mornings (in sindication anyway), of Bob the "fro guy" who teaches you how to whip up scenic pictures using dark sienna #22, and minted green #45. Aaah, I loved that show. I always took solace in his calm, soothing voice telling you to add a "little lonely birch tree" in the bottom right of the canvas. "Yeah, just like that...". Unfortunately, his wonderful dryness did not translate to the lame instructional videos I found on You-Tube. Sewing can be fun! And better yet, I will demonstrate a NEW model of a sewing machine, not an ancient beast of a machine from your grandmother's days. I want it to be simple and understandable. No longer, will you be a slave to Old Navy. My goal with this how-to vid is to inspire and introduce you to a way of personalizing, customizing and creating your image. ;)
My new sony video-camera, iMovie and last but not least, my awesome friend Robbie will be my tools for this Final Project.

My Story #2- VoiceThread Storytelling Tool

I thought that VoiceThread would be a better tool until we realized the tool did not contain a music option! However, I don't think we failed. We explored wayyy more than two storytelling tools I tell ya! Unlike OneTrueMedia, this tool was a bit more confusing in terms of layout of the website, but still easily manageable! VoiceThread is great for voice-over options, however, the fact that you can't add music is a bit disappointing. AS WELL, very important- There is no slideshow option for viewing that I found. I would prefer if I did not have to keep clicking next every time to see the next photo/audio.

My Story #1- OneTrueMedia Storytelling Tool

This is my first story I made using OneTrueMedia. It narrates my journey of travel, and although I have been to many more places than this, these are the places that are special to me for one reason or another. I found this storytelling tool, and found it was super easy to use! However, there was no tool to voice-over. I found this our after I was far along (woops!), so I decided to use text narration as a substitution. Uploading music and photos was effortless, I definitely recommend this tool to anyone!!! Oh, and excuse the blurriness of the photos. :S

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

iLike Podcasts from iTunes

Ok, so I am a self-proclaimed grammar fanatic. When looking for an educational podcast, I found Grammar Girl! She has easy tips and tricks for better writing, in punctuation, style, and of course, grammar. I feel like I have met my best friend as I giggle at her pet peeves of common inaccurate spellings. :) I'm a nerd, I know.

The second one that I checked out was a Yoga one. I have actually used it twice since I found it! This is a video podcast, and sure beats the same Pilates DVD I've been using for as long as I can remember. Perhaps I will find a great Pilates series on Podcast. I'm very glad to have been introduced to Podcasts!

I couldn't figure out how to embed a podcast form iTunes, and in fact, it might not be possible, so I added this link for you to check out the Yoga series!!

/Users/sarahmeyer/Desktop/Shoulder Therapy with Neesha- Inside Yoga Today Ep. 27.mp4

My Google Map- Let me take you on a tour of my home town of Emerald Park!

View Larger Map


I added a picture of my school on the pink thumbtack!

Mastercard!

Inner Beauty--"Podcast" Attempt

This is Robbie and I's attempt at a Podcast. However, as you can see, it's not a Podcast... we decided to post it on YouTube until we figure out what to do! Last night's marathon was extremely productive, and as forcasted, lasted until 3:00 am. There are two or three techtasks, such as the Mastercard one that we have to figure out with Dean on Wednesday. But all in all... feels gooooooood to be caught up!!!!

Tech Task #12- I Heart Huckabees- Video Elements

I <3 Huckabees is one of my favourite movies, and as you can see from this trailer, it is a very eclectic movie. In the trailer there are various shots ranging from close-up to long. In the movie, not included in the trailer, there is a canted shot, which in essence means that the screen seems to be on a diagonal, and is usually slightly overhead. There are various editing techniques used as well, and the disintigrating letters in the trailer are only a glimpse of the odd editing used in the movie. ie. peoples heads are "chopped" on several planes horizontally and float around in the air. This editing acheives a greater purpose as it stresses the notion of existentialism, and existence as dust particles in the universe, in this odd-ball film.

Tech Task #10

TED Talk- Tech Task #8

Robbie recommended this TED talk for me, and I'm glad he did.  Searching the term "passion" he discovered a talk from Isabel Allende, entitled, "Tales of Passion".  She speaks of the power of passion, and its ability to overcome various setbacks in our lives.  Her mission is to inspire, and this, she does achieve.  Not a regular emotional cry-fest, she inserts humour to engage the viewer. Her ability to capture the attention of her viewers through humour, and true passion of her own is her greatest skill. 

There really is no specific topic, however, over the 20-or-so minutes, she covers feminism, human trafficking, physical abuse, and Sofia Loren's legs- and the matter of being in between them. Her humor and self-deprecation is truly endearing.  She respectfully tells the stories of people she knows and who she has heard of, to communicate the importance of passion and self-determination to persevere, in every subject, across various facets of life. 

On a Mission!

The price of procrastination.  Robbie and are starting our catch-up of multiple techtasks! Only a few set-backs, including an exploding transformer, which kept Robbie's power out for a few hours, and a horrible day of weather. Set with a few bottles of red wine and an eagerness to get it DONE, we are SET! There will be a concluding post, which at this rate, will be at about 3 o'clock in the a.m.. Wish us luck!  

Lost: Motivation/ Found: Motivation

I'm back at this Bloggin'!  I'm going to catch up on my techtasks, and really need to get started on my final project... One month left kiddies! Buckle up, and get down to business!!!

Cuban Sunrise

Reading Week Has Come to an End :(

So, I'm back! It was a great trip, and I did take a million pictures!  Anyway, I was wondering if anyone else is as stressed as I am about school projects coming up? AAAAahhhh! Anywho, talk to you all on Wednesday!

Buenos Dias...taco...peso... cervesa...

... yes, this is the pretty much the extent of my very limited Spanish vocabulary! I'm going to Cuba next week, Wednesday actually, and I am verrry excited. Now, I am feeling overwhelmed with school work right now, and in a way, I feel guilty for taking a week for myself. My goal, is to not worry while I'm there! In anycase, I will not be in next week's class. I will listen to the recording when I get home, but if there's anything I missed that's super important, I would appreciated if one of you guys could fill me in!

You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours.

I would like to thank Robin Howell for helping me out with my tech tasks. I was so confused! In turn, I taught her techniques for pen and ink for our EAES class assingment. In the end, we scrathched each other's back. This reminded me of a story that my friend Jon once told me on the way to Pemberton Music festival. "They" (I love saying that, it's so funny-who are THEY?)... Anyway, they once did a study researching what makes everyone happy. They examined accross various aspects of diversity, mainly culture, of a universal cause of happiness. In the end, it turned out that everyone agreed that reciprocation was a universal cause of happiness. Everyone wants to feel like they can contribute, and in turn, they want to feel appreciated for their contributions. Which brings me to another point. Connotations of words. Most people think that "selfish" is a bad word. It implies the evilness that I was just talking about. However, the word selfish, which is in the end really what drives us to survive and get what we want, is not a bad thing. Helping out at Souls Harbour gives people a warm-fuzzy feeling... this is selfish. They are hoping to get that feeling, and this is not a bad thing. ... Wow, that was a rant-and-half. In any case, the moral of the story is, reciprocation is the key to happiness. So go ahead, do something nice, spread the good karma.

K-12 Online Presentation-

Steven Kimmi Salina, KS, United States
Blog: http://expeintech.blogspot.com

Bio: Steven is a fifth grade teacher in Salina, KS. He graduated from Kansas State University three years ago, where he pursued many other majors before choosing on Elementary Education. He is the author of Experiments in Technology and In Transit(ion). He is in the process of creating numerous open source resources for teachers in his district and beyond. However, he is the parent of three children under four, so his time is…well, time is…of the essence.


Presentation Title: “Traveling Through The Dark”
Description: This presentation examines how to get started using educational technology through metaphorical analysis of William Stafford’s poem, Traveling Through The Dark. Through this analysis we will look at the obstacles teacher’s face, the process of implementing technology into the classroom, and the role that others can play in the process.

Trevelling Through the Dark is a poem written by William Stafford. It is about a man who is driving along a narrow country road,. with a deep valley on one side, and a rising cliff on the other. He encounters a heap in the road and he steps out to examine it. It turns out to be a deer. It's actually a doe, a pregnant doe. He can feel that there is still a baby living inside of it. He is in a difficult predicament, he can either stay and help this fawn out, or he can push the whole heap into the valley and go about his way. He is not sure what to do. There are a lot of things to take into account, he is not sure if other cars are going to be coming, will they not be expecting him. Does he have the capabilities to deliver this fawn. In the end, he makes a decision that is surprising, but it's a quite honest decision.

This is a poem about making decisions. That is something that educators do every day. However, many educators choose the easy way out. Why does this happen? Like the driver in this poem, we are all travelling through this darkness. The world is changing so quickly, that it's impossible to keep up, and ultimately we are out of balance. So choosing this path that leads us into this darkness is very risky and scary. Teachers choose the path they have already been down, because it's easy, familiar, and safe. But what are the implications? What will happen if we always go down a familiar path, we never venture out into the darkness to make sense of this changing world. We are going to create a world of citizens who are not prepared for their, and even our future. A student body that will become disengaged while they're in school. Education will become an institution that will no longer be relavent.

Teachers must keep up with this everchanging world, not always taking the easy way out. This will ensure they don't cheat their students, or themselves. He says that getting started with educational technology is the easiest and hardest thing to do. Because there are so many options, this makes it so easy and hard at the same time. You must narrow down what it is you really want to do. So many people get overwhelmed by the possibilities that they just quit altogether.

"The best teachers don't expect kids to learn the way they teach. The best teachers teach the way kids learn." - Dr. Pedro Noguera

Google Tools

So, I've been checking out the Google Tools, and I must say, they are awesome! No sugar coating here, I really think they are easy to use... and to someone who is utterly technologically illiterate, that is a grrrreat thing!

I like the idea behind Picasa. I'm not sure exactly how I would use it in the classroom, but I would definitely use it for personal use. It's intelligent design actually locates and sorts photos on your computer, then organizes them into simple titled folders based on the dates they were taken/added. I have a million photos, so this would be a great tool.

It took a while for me to wrap my head around the idea, but as I explore and add to my own blog, the more I think that utilizing Blogger in the classroom would be helpful. The use of technology in classrooms frankly overwhelmes me, and scares me. This is probably based on my view that the inclusive use of technology in the classroom would create a cold climate, in which students would forget to be human... but as I explore these new functions, I realize that technology is made to compliment daily lives, not create robots out of children. (If that makes any sense.)

Google Calender is a great tool for staying organized, as well as communicating with students so they know what to look forward to in future classes, so they feel prepared for their semester. Teachers can say "ok kids, don't forget to bring your pencil crayons on the 3rd of February for Social Studies."

In anycase, no matter how confusing all of these tools seem now, the more I explore them, the more comfortable I will be.

test

How to hyperlink to TED.

Pets

This is my questionnaire! I have a dog named Gus. :)

http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?key=pFTWPP1t4_hswOpi46QRpOw

iGoogle Page

This is my iGoogle page!
There is a Delicious and Google Reader gadget, as well as a YouTube, weather, calender, Gmail, comics, tv guide, world news, local news, and entertainment news. I love this page because it's a one-stop-shop site to keep organized and just check things out. I will be adding more gadgets as I explore this tool out!

HoPi Shindig

i almost forgot. it was the houston pizza staff party on sunday night.  

kareokee+ $2 bev's=blast

 Here's a pic of a couple of my favourite ladies, Allie and Marianne---> 

the big bad wolf followed me...

ok, you caught me. my life isn't that mysterious...

so, this weekend, my family packed up to go visit my dad's mother, or grandma margaret as we like to call her, in kerrobert, saskatchewan.   we didn't get a chance to see her this past christmas, and she seems awfully lonely after the passing of grandpa art.  there were three firsts for me this weekend:

First, I went to a Wildlife Federation Dinner.  It was interesting... What was on menu? Porcupine, Goose, Bear... Oh my lanta.... let's just say I stuck to the taco salad. It's not that I'm not adventurous... far from... but I was particularly missing my dog, Gus, this weekend, and wasn't in the mood to eat odd meats. 

 Second, I went to church for the first time in about a year.  I'm sure it made my parents quite happy... maybe they thought I would magically re-convert.... In any case, I was surrounded my passionate people united by a cause. The main message this time was about shunning fornication, and the evils of mass marketing and advertising. 

Wait a minute... selling an idea to a large group of people by using scare tactics such as "If you do/use this, this will/will not happen to you"?..... hmm... 

Third, I learned how to sew on my new sewing machine which I got for X-mas! This was particularly exciting for me because I got to kill two birds with one stone. Bond with "G-ma" and learn a new skill. Neat-o.  Oh! And I'm going to use this new skill for my EAES class.  I'm going to design an outfit, or two, or three and make them! :D Exciting, I know.  Oh, and we have to write a diary entry for my Dance, EAES and EDFN classes, so stay tuned as I kill more than a few birds with one stone!

One Love,

M. Bouv'

the mysterious life of madame bouvier

so, i'm just getting started on this new blog adventure.  this isn't something i would normally do!  when i was much younger, i used to keep a diary.  but as i got older, i swore that i would keep my thoughts to myself, in fear that someone would find them-- a scandalous outbreak of information would plague the regina scene, and everyone would know my innermost thoughts, desires and secrets. how egotistical of me. ha. ... i view this blog as a challenge.  i will strive to be more candid and open about my life. to you, my reader, i will grant you peek into the mysterious life of madame bouvier.