Fine Tech in the Classroom

Today I conducted two sessions at our statewide Alabama Association for Gifted Children’s Conference.  I had a great time teaching my colleagues in using Windows Movie Maker and blogging.  One session was called The Age of YouTube.   The description was - Students can use the Windows Movie Maker program to capture video, images, and audio clips, which they can then edit and arrange into their very own movie and even upload them to TeacherTube to share with others!  I wanted to get them to see the importance of digital storytelling.

I could not help but to include Discovery Streaming in my session.  We ended up talking more about what was available to include in a Movie Maker from DS than how to create a movie maker.  I believe I got a few more followers of Discovery Streaming (through APTPLUS.ORG) today.

I finally used my eBeam with my students today.  Mind you - I teach 4th grade gifted in an urban school - so they can be easily impressed.  I hooked up my laptop and projector and connected the eBeam - magic!!!  First, I had a tour set up on Google Earth (which none of them had ever seen) and they were so hooked.  When I went up to the board and touched it to start and stop - they wanted to know how I did that.  Then I pulled up a doc and drew on it and changed the color and then highlighted with the stylus - it is so cool.  I have not used a whiteboard before - we have none in our school -so this was new for all us.  I have a lot to learn still on operating this but —- Kudos to eBeam.