Posts

Showing posts from 2017

New Year’s resolutions... Google Certified Trainer

Image
Hi everyone, Resolutions It’s been a bit since I’ve posted... but I have been working on my resolutions, or just goals. So, I thought I would post a few of them here, so maybe I will keep them. Firstly, I want to take more photos this year.  I want to be more creative, and spend more time working with my camera.  Post to Instagram more often. I also want to blog more.  Frankly, I have been slack after changing jobs, and I have to work towards documenting my ideas more. I want to experiment more with robotics and programming this year.  I have been playing with Ozobots with my Hour of Code project.  I will be posting more with that in my next post soon. Winter Break project Google Certified Trainer Application I have been working to certify as a Google Certified Trainer.  The process has gotten easier since I last certified.  The tests are fewer, and less expensive. So, why should I certify?  Well, you build skills.  You delve into Google products that you might no

Build your own teleprompter!

Image
One of my jobs this year is teaching a media studies class for 7th graders.  I have about 13 kids right now, and we are working on creating a news program for our school.  One of the things that might help my kiddos this term is the ability to be able to see their words on screen as they record. Here are my steps in getting a teleprompter for my classroom.  Maybe you can make one too. My school has a great 3d printer, a Makerbot Replicator Mini.  I thought, well maybe I can print one. I found this project online  by speedy777  and downloaded the STL files.  I had to modify some of the parts, so that they would print on my Makerbot.  It took a couple of days to get all of the parts together, glue some of the pieces that I had to cut, and cut down some bolts to fit more nicely.  The glass, shown in the video, is from an old photo frame, and I covered the edges in electrical tape. I downloaded the Parrot Teleprompter app , and I control the play pause with a Sae

Just tell me! Working in Chrome with your voice...

Image
Have some text that you want your Chromebook to read?  It can! Your Chromebook can read passages that you highlight, if you have an extension called Select and Speak . Talk to me please! If you install it, you can highlight text, and get the chromebook to tell you what the highlight says! Highlight the text and press the extension button on the top of the chrome window.  Watch the video for more detail. Google Docs can do the opposite.  You can talk to your chromebook, and it will type what you say. Go to Tools, and Voice typing.  Give it a try! Just remember to say words like 'period' and 'question mark' and it will add the punctuation. Remember, this does not take the place of your editing work!  Check to make sure that it is using the correct words, (for example:  to, too, and two). Hope this helps you to use your Chrome browser or Chromebook more effectively.

Summer School Animation Course

Image
This summer, I had the privilege of working with some great kids experimenting with Animation.  Students were encouraged to tell their own stories, and just have fun! Here are a few of the students in action.  Many were doing camera animations.  Tripods were nice to help hold the iPads, but I also was able to borrow a few wire book holders from the library.  This helped the students to keep the camera still. Cardboard, post-it notes, whiteboard markers, tape, and a few toys made life easier. Here are the apps we used: Do Ink Animation (iOS)   This makes great hand-drawn animations.  Its a paid app, but worth the money.   Stop Motion Studio Pro (iOS) I recommend the paid version, it allows you to draw on the photographed frames, and the possibility for sound effects. This is also available as a free app, and is also available for Android devices. There were a lot of great products created.  See the link below to see their work! Animation Showcas

Green Screen Animation using Keynote and iMovie

Image
Spinner on Green Screen Sometimes you want to create digital effects for a movie, but... you just do not have any fancy software to create your video effect. Well, if you have a mac, you might be able to create something that may meet your needs... in Keynote and iMovie.  Basic Mac apps from Apple. Here is my Video Tutorial, broken down into small parts. There may be other applications for doing this method.  If you have ideas about how you might use this, add it to the comments section!

Starting and Stoping YouTube videos with custom web address

Image
Sometimes videos are too long.  And, you just want to watch a small part.  I love TED Talks, but I do not think there is enough time to watch a whole TED Talk in a class.   There are lots of ways you could edit a video... some not exactly respecting the wishes of the person that uploaded the content, and mostly time wasters.  But here is a way you can code the web address to give you a player window that just creates a snippet. You can then use this as a link during a Keynote, Google Slides, or just sending to your students so they can focus on the important part of the video. Here is a video walk through... The process described here will create a new window, with a full screen player. It will have a start and end to the video. This is an older video, but the process is similar. Follow the text below for the update. First, Go to your video on YouTube… press share. The Area shown in blue is the ID of the video. Look at the code below.  Parts are c

Tech Tip: Google Sheets

Image
Google Sheets is the G Suite's version of a spreadsheet.    Spreadsheets are an electronic document in which data is arranged in the rows and columns of a grid and can be manipulated and used in calculations.  In MS office, Spreadsheets are created in Excel.  Most formulas that work in Excel, also work in Sheets. Here is a simple tutorial of some basic functions, in under 5 minutes.    

Teaching new Tricks with YouTube LIVE for Professional Development

Image
Teaching tricks. I have a loveable little dog.  Her name is Molly.  It takes her a bit to get something, but once she gets it... she knows it.  She doesn't do tricks, but she sits and stays. She is a good dog. I get a treat after this, right? Well, as a Technology Integrator, I have been trying to find ways to teach my teachers 'computer tricks'.  I am new to my school this year, but I feel like I am getting there.  Winter is nearly over, so new doesn't cut it anymore. The schedule at my school is a bit difficult to meet with many groups on a regular basis, and my teachers are busy.  And asking them to attend a training is difficult. So, I started using YouTube LIVE.  I have been planning Professional Development sessions, and broadcasting a live version on Tuesday afternoons, which I have been calling 'Tech Tuesdays in the 803'.  I use a Google Site to promote, send the link to the live stream, and send the teaching session materials.  I archive

T.H.I.N.K before you post...

Image
Everyday, someone gets hurt by someone else's words.  We sometimes say nasty things.  Sometimes, hurtful, harmful things.  These things can really stick with someone. I try to think... "would I say that in front of my Grandma?"  I realize that not everyone has the same Grandma.  Mine helped me learn to bake, milk cows, drive a tractor, and taught me some manners. Maybe you have someone else you have in your life like that... that you would not want to have them think any less of you. Would my grandma be proud of what I just posted online? Not actually my grandma. Many students and teachers have accounts for many things.  Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube,... the list probably is longer than my arm.  Sometimes multiple accounts, based on who might read it. I want to make my grandma proud, every time she opens her computer and sees something I posted.  If you want to T.H.I.N.K. of a way to remember if you should post something... try this approach.