PE6_Flach Final Update

 

I finally finished the Lynda.com tutorials on Flash CS5. It took a really long time! But time well spent. I can't wait to start using this to create fun tools and movies for my classroom. At the end of this, I still prefer Flash Catalyst CS5, it is much easier for me! I'll still be a trooper and try working with Flash.

PE5_Flash Update

This morning I continue working with Flash and experimenting with new tools. I tried creating a project with out asking for help or referencing Lynda.com. I am proud to say, I created my dog Mocha all by myself and having no drawing skill or eye for sketch, I think it came out OK. I am going to continue with Lynda.com today and see how far I can do with that.

PE4_Flash

What have I gotten my self into now?!

My husband is a web designer and computer animator. He has always used Flash and made it look so easy. So, naturally I thought if he could do it, then I could easily learn Flash. HA-Oh how I was wrong.

I began by asking Chad (my husband) to show me the first steps and basic tools. These demonstrations were very helpful, but soon began flying too fast. So I moved on to trusted Lynda.com (which is where my husband first learned Flash!) The Lynda.com tuts are extremely helpful and patient with me. I have been working on the tuts this week and am proud of my progress so far.

I plan on spending most of my weekend working with Flash. It is nice to begin learning tools that my husband and I can collaborate on! It has added one more level to our relationship. This is such fun software, but I think I still prefer Flash Catalyst!

FV_Listening Adventures

Here is my short documentary on a Web 2.0 tool I discovered!

PE3_Google App Update 2

I have finished the Lynda.com tutorials for Google Apps. I have begun creating forms for my classroom and sharing docs with teachers who I work with on different projects. I am very glad I chose this as my Practical Experience for this week. the forms will be very helpful in my job as well as the shared docs.

BP12_OMM Drop Box

Here is my one minute message on great tool!

PE2_Google Apps Update

 Lynda.com Google Apps Tutorials

   I love the Google Forms. It makes creating a contact list so much easier than the old traditional methods. I have been speaking with my Arts chair, and we are going to use Google forms and docs from now on to create programs for our monthly performances as well as our PLC, LTM and grade level meeting notes and agendas. Life is getting much easier as we move along. I am going to finish the Lynda.com tutorials this weekend and get some docs out to my Arts team that I have been working on.

PE1_Google Apps

 image from www.techworld.com

   I decided to work with Google Apps for these last two weeks. I use Google Docs a lot and help teachers at my school get set up with Google Docs. However, all the other apps are new to me. I have begun Lynda.com tutorials on the Google apps. I watched the Google Docs tutorials and learned a few new tricks. I am now in the process with working with spreadsheets and forms. These extra apps from Google will be a great help to my school and me.

BP11_Comment on Susan's Blog

See what I said on Susan's blog!

BP10_Comment on Cherie's Blog

See what I said on Cherie's awesome post! 

BP9_Drop Box

 

(video from http://www.dropbox.com)

Drop Box

This is a wonderful tool that has already made my life easier this week! Drop Box is free online storage and more. First of all, you begin with 2G of space, then you can invite other to join. If they join and use the tool, you get 250MB more free space. You can earn up to 8GB of free storage space.

It gets even better! This is not only a great storage tool, but also a collaborative tool. You can share folders with other Drop Box users to trade files, work on documents together keeping them in one safe location. You will never have to try and coordinate who will do their part and send it on first, second, last, etc.

I have used this tool with colleagues this week while working on a two performances coming up. We have all enjoyed the ease of adding information, tweaking formatting, adding clips to movies, as well as many other uses.

Another great feature of Drop Box is the live folder. Once you install the software a folder named “Drop Box” comes up in Finder on a Mac or in My Computer on a PC. A message appears on the screen as a quick bubble saying that a file has been added or removed from your shared folder or folders. Once you add a file to your Drop Box folder, or make changes and save to a file already in the folder it immediately updates the changes to the folders of the people sharing that folder.

The other wonderful thing with Drop Box is that it almost completely eliminates the need of jump drives which I lose or destroy on a regular basis.

This is a tool you have to try. I do not think I will ever conduct work the same thanks to Drop Box. I will always have the files I need anywhere I go.

WR2_Reading

This week I realized I needed to step back from finding articles and seriously think of the search criteria I was using. I also realized I needed to narrow my topic down a little more. While doing searches on EBSCO host and thinking about the image Camaal shared of his wife's organization for her work, I knew I needed to pause. I tried to divide the articles I had by groups like Mrs. Moten did and found I could not do that. So this week I talked with critical friends and now have begun a little different search which has given me some good articles. I have just now begun reading them, so I can not provide summaries this week, but am positive I made the right choice and will still have my reference list on time and it will now be much better!

BP8_OMM Carnegie Hall's Listening Adventures

Please enjoy my one minute movie on Carnegie Hall's Listening Adventures!

BP5_Carnegie Hall's Listening Adventures

Carnegie Hall’s Listening Adventures

A Young Persons Guide to the Orchestra

This is an online game that I found that I foresee being one of the greatest tools I could use in my classroom.. It is an interactive safari through the land of orchestra instruments. You first meet you tour guide Viola and her Uncle Ollie. They talk about the different instrument families and the instruments that belong in each family. Then the first games appears. It is a game to unlock the garage where the safari truck is kept! To gain access to the truck, you have to successfully group the four instrument families based on their members.

From here is where the greatest adventures begin! You travel with the young girl Viola through what resembles Central Africa. You first come upon Woodwind pond, where each instrument in the woodwind family have their own lesson, interactive book of information, sound samples and then the game. There is no two games alike in this adventure. Once the woodwind pond is completed,  you travel to string savannah and have the same format for each instrument. The third leg of the safari is the brasslands then finally into percussion jungle. Once the whole safari is complete, which took quite a bit of time, you come to the ancient concert stage and all the instruments jump out and run to the stage to perform a concert for you, Viola and the animals you had met along the way.

It is very hard to teach K-2 students about the different instruments. It becomes frustrating to remember the subtle differences between different instruments. I find this game to be a wonderful tool to teach about each instrument. With each game being so different and meaningful to that particular instrument, students will better remember the information.

I think so far in my search for tools with the same objective, this is by far the most extraordinary. Children of all ages will love to travel through each land and interact with each instrument. I cannot wait to use this in my classroom. Children would call this site a game, but for me, I call it a genius tool that makes every music teacher’s job a little bit easier.

BP7_Comment on Monica's Blog

Follow me to my comment on Monica's Blog!

BP6_Comment to Cherie's Blog

Follow me to my comment on Cherie's Blog

BP4_ Jam Stuido

 http://www.jamstudio.com

Jam Studio from JamStudio.com

For this assignment, I choose to work with Jam Studio. This is a free Web 2.0 tool that allows students (or adults) to compose their own music while learning about music theory and sound mixing without them even knowing it!

The first thing I noticed about the site, is that you can buy a subscription to access all tools, but after a quick scan through the menus at the bottom of the page, I found that as an educator, I can receive full access for free which is great! The site itself is very easy for anyone. The only computer skill you need is the ability to click the mouse.

The first step is to add chords in the selected box by clicking on in the chord box. For younger students they can choose a key and the appropriate chord choices come into the box. For more advanced theory students, they can choose from the next box over which has all the chords listed that they still can just click on to add to their piece. The composition is a basic 4/4 piece in 16 bars. As you insert the chords you can hit play at any time to hear what you have so far and it is very simple to make changes.

Once all the chords are in, students can add instrument tracks to any liking they choose. They can choose both what instruments to add as well a style from the many different stock styles Jam Studio has to offer for each instrument arranged by genre of music. Again, you can preview as you change instruments and styles by pressing the play button and the new effects take place at the begging of the next bar.

Once the composition is complete and the student is happy with it, they can do a few different things. One being that they can save it to their account (or mine if doing it with a class) to listen to it at a later date. They can also send the recording to a friend or another teacher. I see this as a great tool for homework assignments. They can compose at home and share with me through the share option and I can assess them at home or work.

Since students can save their piece with a name of their choosing, it would be a great tool for learning how to critique music in a safe and anonymous way.

I was very successful in creating a piece very easily. I see this web 2.0 tool being very helpful in my classroom. I also think students of all ages would have a great time secretly learning about music theory and composing pieces to share with their friends and family. I will definitely use this tool with my students from kindergarten all the way through 5^th grade.

BP3_Diigo Group

I have invited my critical friends to join my group...and I hope they will! I have also begun adding materials to it.