Visual Learning and Inspiration

Your understanding of learning theory and technology integration is really starting to come together. You are learning that technology is not used in K-12 classrooms just to make learning more fun. Technology tools can be used in conjunction with good teaching strategies to address various learning styles and student needs.

What is your learning style? Take this online quiz to find out.

Today we will be looking at visual learning software -- Inspiration and Kidspiration. Both tools allow PreK-12 students to see a concept and its connecting themes and ideas. During class today, we will create an "All About Me" concept map. These will be turned in at the beginning of class on Tuesday.

For the class project, you'll create two activities for your subject area/grade level -- one for a whole group lesson and one for a small group or individual lesson. You'll need to find out more information about visual learning by reading the articles distributed during class and read more about the Kidspiration and Inspiration assignment before getting started on your project. You'll also want to install the 30-day trial CD that was distributed during class.

The Inspiration/Kidspiration project is due Thursday, October 6 at the beginning of class. Don't forget -- the best 2 projects out of my 4 classes win an Inspiration t-shirt!

Finishing up iMovie and Digital Images

9:30/11:00 classes - Digital Images

Over the past few days you have utilized a number of technologies on the computer. In each of those programs you probably worked with images and animations (clip art). You either inserted clip art from the library within the application or navigated to the Internet to gather clip art. Fortunately with the advent of digital cameras (and scanners) we are able to insert any number of various images into computer applications.

Today we are going to spend some time working with digital images. Why use a digital camera in the first place? This page lists some advantages and disadvantages.

Once you make the decision to use digital cameras in your classroom, what is the best way to proceed? There are a number of resources you can take a look at to see how others have used them.

• Students with special needs
• ESOL students
• Science
• Math
• Writing

This page offers a compilation of various lessons across grade levels and subject areas.

The Apple Learning Interchange offers an abundance of lessons and ideas on using digital images. From the home page use the key word iPhoto in the search box. From there you should have several pages of lessons and ideas to look through. Here are 3 different ones for you to take a look at:

• Past and Present
  Social Studies, grade 9-12
• Fabulous Fairy Tales
  Language Arts, grade 4-6
• Mystery Numbers in Everyday Life
  Math, grade K-3

Once you have a digital image there are a number of ways you can manipulate them. Office applications have various editing tools we will use. However, there are several other programs out there: Adobe Photoshop, Microsoft Digital Image Suite 10, Picasa, and iPhoto are just a few.

Today you will spend some time locating digital images to use in teaching. The images you find should relate to the content area you have chosen to work with for the semester.

Download the digital images template. Use the template to create a lesson idea using digital images. For example, you may have an image of a house being built. That image may serve as a story starter for your students. A math teacher may insert several pictures of buildings with odd shapes. The purpose of that lesson could be for the students to identify whether the angles and the buildings are acute, obtuse, or right angles.

Use the images you found today to complete your assignment. The Digital Images assignment is due Thursday, September 29 at the beginning of class -- you should bring a printed copy of the completed template.

For Thursday:
Your digital images lesson idea and your iMovie teacher information sheet are due at the beginning of class on Thursday.

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12:30 / 2:00 classes - Final editing

Finish editing your iMovie. Export a copy to each group member's key drive and to the editing station you have been working on.

For Thursday:
Your iMovie teacher information sheet is due at the beginning of class on Thursday.