Voice Thread and Wiki Spaces

I tried using Google Sites and I am either missing a lot or it is not as flexible as a Wiki.  I did not see where I could embed html code.  Is that possible?  So  now I think I will try to use a Wiki Space instead of trying Google Sites.

I think Voice Thread does not work well on purpose. I think they want people to pay to use it.  Someone suggested that I go to each student computer and login for them.  This is not a good idea if you want the students to use outside the classroom. I think as a paid customer, everything will work perfectly.  

Here we go again......

In trying to complete my voice thread today, I ran into the same issues with the failure of the microphone to record my voice. Again, it would only record 1 - 2 seconds of voice and then fade out. All the microphone settings are set to high and I have referenced the help menu of voicethread.com and have even watched their tutorials on microphone set up and still have not found a solution. Patrick has so graciously has offered to visit Parkdale to assist me with the microphone set up and connections. I hope this will solve the problem......

podcasting and such

hello all. i'm writing from the hospital after having baby anya yesterday and getting my laptop today so that i can connect to the outside world without going crazy in here!!! i wanted to send out this link http://ccps.org/teachers/mbrogan/broganblog/MICCA09.html that may help you with voicethread stuff. it's a webpage for one of the talks i went to at the micca conference and i found it helpful. i have mapped out my voicethread, but haven't tried recording voice yet, so i'm not sure what problems i'll encouter. well, i'll be in touch next week once i'm home again. good luck with everything!!!

p.s.

p.s. i would not give out my password to students either. perhaps you can create another identity that all your students could use for their comments?

Podcasting

Yesterday, we held our last session, a work session. In this session, we continued to refine and edit our works in preparation for the Gallery Walk. Patrick was very helpful in addressing my issues with pod casting. One issue for me was the continual re-taping as the microphone failed to record my voice for the thread. Patrick played around with the microphone settings and we discovered that in order to successfully record a voice thread, the microphone settings must all be set on the highest levels. This helped tremendously. I now feel a little motivated to complete my podcast.

At any rate, what happens in those times where you don't have someone like a Patrick or a technology coordinator to come alongside of you to help you with software/hardware? It leaves me feeling stuck at times when I don't have accessibility to that type of help. I am glad that Patrick was there to provide the help we needed. Both he and Tiffany have been of great help to us as we have worked during this year.

Google Docs, Blackboard and Wikis

So I decided to chime in on the ongoing conversation related to the transferring of data and site information from Blackboard to Google Docs and/or a Wiki site.

At this point, I share in your sentiments. I am not looking forward to transferring everything over myself. Is there an easier way to do this? I wish there were. It has taken me approximately 7 years as well to develop and maintain a very robust Blackboard site. However, I will agree with one thing; Blackboard can be difficult to set up. Entering student names and id numbers is very time consuming. It would be great if students could simply access and log on to a page. At this point, I am unsure as to what I will do. I have so many things on Blackboard. This may be a year long process for me.

We shall see.

Google Website

I too will have to move my Blackboard site to Google Websites. I have been on Blackboard for at least seven years. It will take me all summer to relocated all my information. It was a problem when new students were not in the system. One thing about Google is that they save your information forever. I guess I will have to make sure I don't have any typos.!!

Wiki Update

From conversing with my fellow step participants, I have now decided to move my operations for my blackboard to possibly a google website or to work to maintain my wiki space. I will miss the ability to create online assessments and surveys, but some of my students cannot access blackboard and have not had blackboard access all year despite my attempts to get them enrolled. In addition, some students are not able to post in the discussion boards because the box for them to type does not open properly. Others have complained that they cannot open PDF files through blackboard. This is going to be an arduous task to transfer all of the information, learn a new system, and enroll or invite my students to it. In the long run, I believe the work will be work it because all of my students will have access to the same information. Currently, I provide students who do not have access to blackboard the needed materials. Somehow I still feel that I am still leaving them out especially when it comes to the discussion board posts.

Voice Thread

I had a lot of problems working with Voice Thread. I think the problem is that my computers do not have the latest files uploaded, such as Quick Time and Java Script. The computers in the library need to be upgraded. Also, my tech coordinator is unaware of what software is approved for use in the county. So by the time I write the tech coordinator who says the software can not installed, then I have to write the County IT department and then write the principal who then he has to talk to the tech coordinator so in the end, the software will not be able to be uploaded until next year. I like Voice Thread however and the few students who used it liked it to. I hope my computers will be upgraded enough next year to use it.

Podcasting Troubles #2

I thought I would jump on Ms. Swift's bandwagon.

As I mentioned in my earlier post, collaboration is a great tool in helping to address and solve tech problems one may inevitably run into, but after speaking with Ms. Johnson our trusted Library Media Center specialist and Ms. Swift, they too were baffled.

I was quite excited about developing this podcast as I have seen them used by a wide range of specialities and fields. I believed it would simplify my teaching in some ways, but it seems to have complicate things somewhat. Of course, accessing help from the voicethread website could be of help. However, time always becomes the issue. Maybe we need further training on how to upload the voice recordings or maybe we need some high grade microphones :)

Podcasting Troubles

Okay. In addition to my previous attempts, I have been working on my podcasting/voicethread for the past three hours now. I am beginning to become a little frustrated with this. I think my issues are similar to Ms. Swift's issues with the equipment. Each time I attempted to record my voice, it only captures the first 2 - 3 seconds and then stops playing. In this case, this would create an excellent opportunity for collaboration via the blogs, the wiki, etc. However we are all having the same issue, without remedy. As a result, my voice thread appears incomplete. Understandably, it has become even more difficult trying to get my students to record any voice samples as well. In the meantime, I will continue trying.

Technological applications and advances are of great benefit. However, when they fail to work as we anticipate, it can lead to great frustration. I can appreciate why some teachers may be reluctant to use, learn or incorporate new technologies into their lessons as it can become time-consuming and unproductive in light of a teacher's already hectic schedule. Any feedback? I just had to vent a little. :)

By the way, I truly believe that the voicethread is a great instructional tool, it is just not the simplest application to use.

Podcasting Reflection #2

I am not sure if the headsets are defective or if the computer is having issues or if the voicethread site was having issues. What I found with some of my fellow STEP particpants is that when recording your voice, what you say seems to get recorded partially. when playing back my directions, I only hear the very beginning of it and the middle and tail end is inaudible. I found this process frustrating because I have spent more time trying to record my voice than anything else related to the podcasting.

Podcasting Reflection #1

I was really excited to conduct the podcasting, but found that I ran in to a few roadblocks after the initial training. I had originally set up the powerpoint to upload to voicethread a while ago, but did not get around to doing it with my students only until recently. I honestly found the voicethread website confusing to navigate because I did not start on the podcasting immediately after the training. The time span between the training and using the voicethread site was muddled with my daughter's 3 week illness. I had to reacquaint myself with how voicethread is set up before I could have my students listen and comment. I do not like the idea of giving my students my login id and password which was suggested during the training. I gave my students a quick tutorial on how to navigate the site, listen to my instructions, and then make comments via microphone or typing. I then logged them in myself, but felt that some students may have been watching me on the keyboard as I typed. After class was over, I immediately requested that my password be changed. I understand that the voicethread must be kept private in order to keep anyone from posting, but there should be some alternative. Students should be able to get to the podcast on their own and make comments. Is there a way to just make your podcast accessible to your students without the entire www knowing about it?

Orchestrating the Media Collage

This is the title of an article that appears in the March 2009 issue of Educational Leadership: Literacy 2.0.  This article talks about how students need to know how to read and write using multiple forms of media.  Writing for the web highlights the importance of written expression by "recasting it in a more compact concise form."  It says blog writing helps people write with clarity, brevity and prioritization. I think students need to have more opportunities to  write.  Then, perhaps they can learn how media techniques influence perception and thinking.  They need to know how to use digital tools like blogs ect, but also when and how to use them.  I have heard some teachers say they would ask students to write more, but don't have time to read their responses.  I had one teacher use my Blackboard site to have students write and she was able to read everything.  Perhaps,  if more teachers had Blackboard sites, they would give students more chances to write. 

Mastering Multitasking

Please read the March 2009 issue of Educational Leadership.  The cover title is Literacy 2.0.

I really like the article titled  " Mastering Multitasking: It's part of every digital native's life. Can we help students do it right?".  We have the policy of telling students to not use electronics in school.  Of course, every other student is walking around with headphones.  I really like this article because it said that "just say no", is not going to work.  I totally agree.  There are over 2000 students here and you can not get to all of them to take their headphones from them.  So, this article suggests way to help them learn how to manage their electronics.   First we have to teach them that using electronics while trying to learn is not helping them, but hurting them. So, the article says to teach them how their brain capacity is lower when listening to electronics.   

"Students who are managing their busy lives may think they are accomplishing more by multitasking, but they are actually need more time to achieve the same level of performance on an academic task." 

So many times, they students say listening to music helps them think.  But, if I ask them if they have all A's they have to say no.  So,  this article suggest lesson plans to help student learn how to put their electronics away so they can learn something.  I am going to refine the lesson plan and give to our Advisory Committee, so hopefully we can implement it school wide next year.