For my final PE with iMovie I went online and began looking at ways other people have used this platform above and beyond what many of Mac's tutorials (and even Lynda.com) have provided. Basically what I went looking for were unconventional ways to use iMovie to create special effects within the movies themselves. A lot of them referred to iMovie HD which apparently was the iMovie '06 version. Everyone loved all the special effects that could be used and from the tutorials I found I was amazed at what you could do, and surprised as many others seemed to be as well that since the '06 version all those special effects were dropped out of the later versions including the '09 version I have. I also found that you there are numerous sites that offer a free download of the '06 version. I so want to download that version but I am worried that it might screw up what I have on my computer already. I might try to back everything up and then download it. I would love to have all those special effects in HD plus the ease of use in '09. The best of both worlds is always nice to have. So if any of you Mac pros out there read this and know if I can have both on my system without them conflicting let me know.
As for what special effects I found that correspond to iMovie '09 ... not much. The green screen and the picture in picture are the big effects of '09 which are great effects. BUt, compared to what was offered in iMovie HD ... they are not enough. I did find a site where the site creator teaches how to make someone look like they are walking through a wall and also a picture showing live action. For my final one minute movie I will be trying to do the last one I mentioned ... the moving image photo. Wish me luck! I will post it in here after I have made the movie. I hope it works or I will be late on my last assignment of this ETC class. That would stink .. so let me go get started.
I love iMovie and I love my Mac! I was a PC man for the longest time and was always told how user friendly Macs were and how thier software was a cinch to learn and use. I didn't listen and I am shaking my head at all the wasted time I spent learning programs similar to Mac (like movie maker) and getting frustrated at things it couldn't do. But thanks to Full Sail I have taken a bite of the apple and I am hooked! As stated in my previous blog, Week 4 - Practical Experience (pt 1), my goal for this assignment was to work more with Mac's iMovie platform and become more familiar with green screens. What a great time I am having with this! I started by using Mac's iMovie tutorials to learn how to do this and then moved on to Lynda.com for more hints and tricks. Getting the green background was the hardest part of this practical. I had to use a light green wall we have in our living room and the picture quality of the filming wasn't coming out clear either. So when everything was combined the video is pretty shoddy, but at least I was able to do it and understand what needs to be done the next time I try. The actual post production of the video was so easy I couldn't believe it. I will do my best to buy a green shower curtain (suggestion fro another friend who is familiar with iMovie. Either way, once I figure out how clear up the image on my little Full Sail digital camera, I will be loving the production of my green screen iMovies!
After my epic fail with trying to understand Adobe's Flash program, I decided to lighten my load and use a more user friendly program and work to improve my prowess in iMovie. This is the first year I have ever touched a Mac and Mac related software so all of these applications are very new to me. Since the start of my coursework at Full Sail I feel like I have not had the opportunity to truly play with iMovie to its fullest. Some things I am looking forward to trying is working with the green screen. Another application that interests me is stop animation which I became curious of after reading Alima Saffell's practical experience blog and seeing some of the video she has created. I too would like to experiment with this as well. Finally, I will be using Lynda.com to investigate all the little aspects and intricacies of iMovie that I didn't really understand and utilize effectively while creating all these iMovies that have been required in these past courses. So, stick with me as I journey into my iMovie practical experience in week 4!
In my third post for this practical experience I am going to have to admit defeat with this software application. Even after viewing 8 of Lynda.com's 24 Adobe Flash training chapters I still was struggling through Flash. I made a shape, some lines and some text, but by the time I got to chapter 8 (Creating Frame-by-Frame Animations) it was 2 1/2 hours later and I was getting pretty lost with all the explanations. I am honestly bummed that I had such a hard time with this and I don' think I am going to pursue Flash for the Week 4 Practical experience. I will try something else and look forward to week 6 when there will be someone there who can actually guide me through it with baby steps (I hope) rather than in leaps and bounds like these videos provided.
Well, I definitely think I bit off more than I can chew in this assignment. Flash is extremely daunting upon first view. I was right in the aspect that it is an animation builder and used in web design, but that was about it. The nice part about this program is that it has a learn section that introduces a person to the Flash platform. Of course it is nice until you click on them and notice it is just as daunting to utilize as the program panel itself. I chose not to wait until the third post to use Lynda.com as I was completely clueless on where to even begin with this program. I watched several of the tutorials under the Flash Professional CS5 Essential Training videos and feel I have become more familiar with the program tools, but after the third video I was already forgetting some of the things from the first two videos. I am really interested in getting to know this software, but I am having a feeling that I will need an instructor (in week 6) to help take me through this program a little more slowly and much more hands on. But I intend to press on and watch a few more videos and hopefully play around with this in an effort to at least create something. But, for those of you actively viewing the progression of this blog post, I would warn you not to hold your breath. I think this training will be carrying over into the next practical experience segment in week 4.
For my week 3 - Practical Experience assignment I am going to present my first blog as to what I chose to experiment with and why. My second blog post will be an initial response to using the platform I have chosen, and the final will be my impression after I have utilized a few of the tutorials via Lyna.com. So, for this little experiment I have chosen to play with Adobe Flash as my experimental platform. I chose Flash because after several years as a yearbook advisor in Florida I became very familiar with several Adobe platforms like Photoshop, Pagemaker, and In-design. When I began teaching in PA I was introduced to Contribute. I know Adobe platforms are very daunting when you first open them, but I have really enjoyed using Adobe's other platforms in the past so I am hoping I will catch on to Flash with some guided help from Lynda.com and my brother-in-law who uses Flash for his job as a web-advertiser. What I know of Flash already is very limited. I believe it is a program designed to build websites and animations? I honestly have heard of the program, but never really knew much of its purpose. I hope I am not too far off my assumption.
For this week's web 2.0 tool I chose to shirk the top 100 list and the web tools 4 you 2 use that Professor Hanaway provided and find one that was dynamic but also obscure. What I found was "Prezi - the zooming presentation editor."
A "Prezi"is more than just another presentation program. It is a new way to show mind or concept mapping in a dynamic rather than static format. With a Prezi you can manually or automatically zoom in, out, move around the map, show only small parts at a time, or show the whole map at once. If you have a white board it becomes a completely interactive tool for showing off your thought process to others as you take them through the map. Its basic platform is also free to any who register and even at its basic, it is filled with many options for delivery. You can embed video, graphics, and photos into your presentation just like most other presentation formats, but what makes a Prezi so unique is its delivery style. It moves and rolls and flips and zooms that sometimes you fell like you are on a roller coaster. Now that is a dynamic presentation. The introductory video for Prezi is listed below if you would lie to learn more. I also posted the Prezi I made back during our MLT class in month two if you want to get a feel for it.
The only downfall that I have encountered with Prezi so far is that is takes some getting used to and I know how pressed for time a lot of you are. There are some training videos and written instructions, but you really just need to get your keyboard dirty and play around with your own to learn. But, it is worth it though once you get the hang of it because it really is a unique delivery platform that will have your spectators interested and focused on what you are doing.
This will be my third year using Edublogs with my students. As a seventh and eighth grade Language Arts teacher I have found Edublogs to be a great tool that engages students in writing, enhances editing skills, encourages peer-to-peer feedback, and creates a broader sense of ownership and pride in their work. - - - - -
Customizable Blogs: Bloggers can change the theme of
their blog site to reflect personalities, promoting ownership.
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Edublogs, like many other blogging platforms, provides a place for individuals to post their opinions, list information, and provide comments to other people's blogs.
Also like many other blog platforms you can customize your blog page to reflect your personality with a variety of themes, a blog page title, and many other customizable aspects such as widgets, banners, and pictures.
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Comments: Readers can leave comments to a blog post,
promoting social interaction, instant feedback, and more.
_ _ _ _ _ What sets Edublogs apart from its competitor's sites is that it is designed specifically with teachers in mind. Teachers can set up student blogs that allow the teacher to monitor student posts and comments to prevent inappropriate content or lack of contributions. - - - - -
Confusing Dashboard: The dashboard is a bit confusing for the
beginner, but the results far outweigh the time it takes to set-up
and get used to the site.
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Edublogs is a great educational platform that allows the teacher to remain in control of student work, but there are downfalls to this platform. The user interface (or dashboard) is very cluttered and confusing to users unfamiliar with its set-up.
It takes a while to get the students adjusted to it and eats up valuable class time. But, the student input and outcomes of the blogs and comments far outweigh the set-up and adjustments to the dashboard so it is worth taking the time and frustration it takes to get them set-up and blogging.
At the time of this screenshot several of my critical friends had yet to accept my invitation to my Diigo page and one member is following me but doesn't show up as following my group. So, needless to say, I am still learning my way through this web tool. Also, I am following Rena's Diigo page, but can't get into the Ripples group.
I have 5 people and Rena invited to this group. Only 2 people are part of the group. 1 member is following me but not showing in the group as a member, and two others have yet to accept the invite since I sent out the invites earlier in the week. I would love it if more people joined my group, but I honestly am having trouble navigating around this platform and that is saying a lot since I usually can figure these things out. Anyhow, if anyone reads this feel free to search for my group on Diigo and follow along. It is titled: "peglows action research project"
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