Screen Captures: showing more than just your screen

One of my favorite tech tools is using some form of a screen capture. For those who are unfamiliar with screen captures it is a very simple process. Screen capture software is a software that has the ability to take a picture or video of your screen and share it via many different ways.

The one I use most often is by a company called Tech Smith, http://www.techsmith.com/jing.html. Tech Smith's "Jing" can be used in so many ways.

It can capture lecture or lessons for students who are absent. It can give you the ability to "flip" your classroom when you have an activity or lab that will require the entire class period to complete, but students need the information to complete the task. Flipping the classroom is where a teacher provides students with the lesson via video. Videos can be uploaded to YouTube, vimeo or other video hosting sites, or burnt to a DVD. The concepts are learned at home and practiced in the classroom. It also provides teachers the opportunity to enrich students who are above level or on level and provide one on one or small group time for those needing support. It is just one avenue in the blended learning classroom.

QR Codes Quick Reference Sheet

OR Code Quick Reference Sheet
1.) mobile device apps to help you get started: Neo Reader (easiest, most effective to use), QR Reader, Red
Laser, etc…. Search Android marketplace or App Store “QR codes”
2.) QR CODE GENERATORS
• http://qrcode.kaywa.com/ -easiest to use
• http://www.qrstuff.com/ -change colors, visual aspect of code
• http://snap.vu/ -QR codes can be tracked via email or website. Content inside code can be modified without making new code. Requires account-Free to sign up
3.) Enhance classroom resources-Print a QR Code on a sticker and place in a text book at the relevant point. Students scan the QR Code are taken to related material, for example a video, web page or source of further information.
4.) Open house or Parent Communication
o Group work-highlight classroom activities
o Labs-provide highlights of labs, instructions, safety procedures etc…
o Classroom Trailers (like a movie trailer)-show a video of
o to let students preview what a day may be like in the class.


5.) Assignment Calendar

6.) Kinesthetic Reading AdventurePlace the QR codes around the school to encourage movement while reading. Student scan code, read the passage and travel to new QR code to finish story.

7.) Create Virtual Tour of the School

· Put some QR codes around the school.

· One in the entrance - linking to a text of the school mission statement or URL of school website.

· Office-linking to school vision.

· Outside classroom student work, video clips, etc…

8.) Create digital aspects for project displays

Add QR Codes to classroom displays to enrich and make interactive by linking to:

· videos of how the display was made

· Blogposts on students’ commentaries on their artwork, poems, writing;

· Further information about the country, period in history, person etc;

· A Google Form for feedback.

· Links to videos-Civil War reenactment, project diaries

9.) Create your own choose your adventure story

Create a "choose your own adventure" story that has individual QR Codes that need to be scanned in order to advance through the story. Authors have to write alternatives endings and the reader choose which path to take.

10.) Write your own Mysteries-In crime or mystery stories, the reader scans who they believe committed the crime. Author writes the story and create suspects through their writing. Reader scans code to see if they solve the crime correctly.

Back to Blogging-Tagxedo

Many teachers understand the power of an image as well as words can paint a powerful picture. Word clouds are excellent tools to help paint those pictures, so students can examine a deeper understanding. A lot of teachers use various tools like http://www.wordle.net/ or http://www.worditout.com/, but I came across a new tool (new to me) called Tagxedo. It's tag line speaks volumes to me: "Word Clouds with Style". There are many uses of word clouds in education. A word cloud takes a speech, writings, exerpts and creates a image of the words. The more the word is used the larger it will be in the word cloud. Here is an examples:


Check it out and give it a try! http://www.tagxedo.com/

iMovie HD video

Video in the classroom can be an effective tool. I remember in high school that anytime I had a coach as a teacher, video was used. We watched and anwsered a series of questions. That worked, but was rather boring and not so engaging. How can students use video to make the most out of their classroom experience?It is quite simple. Since most students today are familiar and comfortable with technology the learning curve has dramatically been shorten. Apple has a great iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch app called iMovie ($3.99). The iPhone 4G can shot HD video at 720p which produce great quality. Students can shoot experiments, math problem process, interviews, etc....It is really up to their creativity. The other day I filmed my son playing baseball to show its ease. If I can pitch a ball, film a 3 year hitting and running the bases, as well as edit the movie with him wanting to see, it is easy to use. Trust Me.
The uses for iMovie are endless. It is totally up to the teacher and students on where they can take their creativity.