PowToon, TechEDGE, GetEPIC and Twitter Chats!

Flipped Classroom? Maybe not yet...

I truly hope this is easier next time, but here is the link to the corny PowToon video I made for my writers and readers!

Seriously Folks. It took me a day to make this and it's a template!

I was agonizing over what my first screencast topic should be! I went with prepositional phrases, because they are tested heavily in Unit 2, and every year they are a struggle. Furthermore, my students need all the help they can get with forming complete sentences.

The thing I wanted to do most was incorporate quizzes and videos, but that didn't happen this time. I have lots to learn and it should be an exciting process! The thing I thought most bizarre, was the fact that you are expected to do the voiceover first! So, you write a script, record it, then make the slides.

That was just too backwards for me so I had to go through quite the process to complete my PowToon. I made the slides first. The animation is a tedious process which took me forever, yet it did get easier throughout. Once my slides were complete, I then had to record the movie on the iPad as it played on the computer. This is because you cannot do the voiceover while watching the video. :/ So, the voice over recorded is based on the video that was taken on a different device. It certainly worked better than doing it blind, but it isn't a perfect match at all times.

The second thing that freaked me out was the fact that you have to record the entire voiceover in one shot! Oh my! Recording each slide or while viewing the video would have been so much easier. Maybe this is why it is not one of the tools recommended in class?? Silly me. Not sure why this one appealed to me. I think I would try it again. Once you put in the work, it's there to use repeatedly.

EPIC!

My students love EPIC! When they get their own devices, I will be able to log them in and with their four-digit code, they will be able to access their books of preference at any time. Nice! I love how students get to choose books that they are interested it. I will be learning more about this during the coming months. Love that it's free for teachers.

Twitterbug in Twitterverse!

I've participated in several Twitter chats the past couple weeks. They are fast-paced and can be fun, if you love the topic. As a technology newbie, I just listened and learned during the #edtech chat, but on the #SpEdChat and #nebedchat, I felt I had something to add to the conversations. People are friendly and enthusiastic. They encourage participation. It seems like a great way to connect with like-minded professionals, who are also obsessed with teaching and education.

TechEDGE Conference tomorrow!

No doubt about it. It will be information overload, but I'm looking forward to it. I want to more about Google Everything, Epic and online Storyboards. I'm exhausted, so I should check out the break-out sessions and charge my devices.

Edit 10/18/15: At the TechEDGE conference, my co-worker, Molly Barnett, was the one I learned the most from! Her introductions of Nearpod and Blendspace were perfect! I wish I could have gone to another session that was taught by one of my classmates, but it didn't work out.