February 10. Vidcast

What: We learned how to make vidcasts using Photostory, youtube, jing and/or a video camera.

So What:  Vidcasts are fun to learn about and use in a classroom setting.  They can be a really fun way of teaching a concept to a student.  I think it is an important thing to learn because it allows the teacher to be more resourceful with ways of presenting ideas.  Kids like variety, and the more different ways that a teacher can present an idea the better.  I also think that Vidcasts could be a fun project for the student if they are learning a concept or doing a report.  If they are making the movie about the concept they are learning, they are more likely to remember the information.

Now What:  As a teacher, I think this is something I would use in the classroom, but I would use it more as a project for the students rather than as a teaching tool for me.  I think it's a fun, interesting way that allows students to present ideas.  Because the students are going to be younger, it would be a simple version of a podcast, maybe using photostory, but most likely just a videocamera.  Each student could prepare their "vidcast" and we could have a class recording day.  It would also be fun to put all the vidcasts together and make a movie.  Say we are doing a unit on Ancient Rome, each student could be talking about different things from that time period, make a skit about it, and then put it all together as a movie.  This would not only be fun, but can also make the students really think about what they're doing because they will be performing and recording it, and it will also make a great study guide, because all they'd have to do is pop in the dvd and they have the information.