Week 6 Reflection

This week, although we did not attend class, our pod got together and watched our finished digital story and got it loaded onto YouTube. One of our pod members created an account and then we loaded our video. After a few minutes of processing, we were all able to get out video linked onto each of our classroom websites. We were able to put this project together using technology we have previously learned in class. Through our pod discussion group we are able to communicate with each other and plan meeting times when we need to get together to finish off our projects. Through our documents that are shared we are each able to take care of our assignments at our convenience. These two technologies have helped our pod communicate throughout the process of building our digital story.

This week, I have discovered a way that I can use digital stories to achieve my classroom objectives while helping my daughter with her science fair project. I asked her if she would like to create her own digital story to show with her display. We had taken pictures of her as she worked on her project and made a couple of videos of the actual experimentation stage of the project which I showed her how to import into Movie Maker. She went on the internet and found additional pictures she wanted to include for additional information. Next, she created a storyboard with the narrative for each slide all on her own. She plans to use the video to complement her science fair display. My daughter was extremely motivated and wanted to do the work on her own once I demonstrated how it was done. Students could easily use this technology to demonstrate what they have learned and what they are doing in our classroom as well as on projects. This would enable parents to become more aware of what we are doing in our classroom.

Unfortunately, the video link on the classroom website did not work; however, I did find a video on YouTube. The video titled Millennial Generation that I was able to watch on YouTube was created by Motorola Corporation and showed that students of today are moving ahead with technology. The students asked questions as to why certain things were not possible yet with technology. The students said that when their parents needed help with technology, they came to them, the students. As a non traditional student with children the same age as the students featured in the video, I can relate. When I need help with technology, I turn to my kids for help. I feel as though I am getting additional technology information that will be very useful to me as well as my classroom. As a future teacher, it is important for me to be in a position to know about technology and be able to teach my students instead of them teaching me. I cannot afford to be left behind in my technology skills.