So Much to Learn...So Little Time

My Super 2nd Years

A couple of weeks ago I set my S2 french class a homework to tell me about their daily routine. I specified that I wanted digital versions, but would also accept a traditional version (i.e. pen and paper).

When I introduced the task I reminded them that many of them had already used animoto and goanimate and I also introduced bubbleshare as a way to create slideshows to which text (and supposedly voice but the kids say that doesn't work).

I have to say that once again they have overwhelmed me with the high standard of work produced, not only linguistically but creatively. I emphasised the need for accuracy in their French and the vast majority bore that in the production of their work.

So

to 2S.

If you are interested and want to see all the digital works go to RateMyMates.

Cait's film below is a work of pure genius and I can happily say I had no hand in the production of this at all.

Emma's use of the puppet is also fantastic.

Basically what we have here are SUCCESSFUL LEARNERS (without a doubt), CONFIDENT INDIVIDUALS and very EFFECTIVE CONTRIBUTORS.

BubbleShare: Share photos - Find great Clip Art Images.

A Terribly Creative Events Day

Last Friday I had the pleasure of accompanying 8 students to BBC Scotland's fantastic new building on Pacific Quay, Glasgow, to attend an animation workshop at the Creation Station.

The Creation Station is a facility set up by BBC Scotland's Learning department to get children involved in creating media. At the moment there is a choice of 3 different workshops: a movie in a day, animation and podcasting and news making. It's run by L-J who is brilliant. She knows how to talk to the kids and they get on well with her. During the day I discovered that she is currently brushing up on her French with Coffee Break French and as a result we have 2 mutual friends, Mark and Ewan...Scotland really is a small place and I should have known that someone involved in the media and creation would know those two. My students (and myself) were fascinated to find out that she had done work on those cool Sony Bravia ads.

Anyway the day was really good and we got a tour around the building as well, which is very, very smart. Here are the results of our day. I would like to add that these films really are the kids own work. Myself and LJ assisted on some technical matters but they did all the rest... well done indeed.

Pic: BBC Scotland, Pacific Quay, Glasgow by Fatcontroller

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Non-Web Applications I Use - Part 1

This is going to be a biggie. Please have patience. (This also my first use of ScribeFire)

I've been meaning to do this for a while, as a follow up to the post I did back in October about web tools that I've used. The purpose of this post is to look at the computer based apps I use day to day or in putting together special projects. Unfortunately for you PC users I use a MAC so most of them are mac-based, however I'm sure there are PC versions of some things.

So here we go. To make it easier for me I'm just going to list in alphabetical order, as I go through the applications menu.

Audacity
A great, FREE audio editor. You can record directly to it via your computer (use internal or external mic), voice music whatever you want. You can also import audio files from other sources such mp3 recorders etc. Once your sound file is in the editor you can cut, paste copy etc until you have the sound file you want. You can also import copyright free music from various websites (google podsafe audio and see what it comes up with. Now to export your file as mp3 (the most commonly used and recognised form of audio compression) you also have to download and add a Lame 3 encoder. You only have to do this once and instructions come with the download. Click here for features, here for screenshots and here for tutorials. If you use a variety of different computers there is also a portable version which you can download to your usb drive and use on any computer. Here is the mac version.

My aim is ensure that at least one suite of the new pcs in school has Audacity uploaded to enable the students to use it in school. Asked for it ages ago, but we only have one technician and then I've not been there.

Audio hijack
Does what it says on the tin, records to record any audio on your mac. If your macine can play it, audio hijack can record it. With the pro version you can create podcasts containing music clips and skype / iChat recordings. You can record your vinyl or cassettes and have the recordings sent direct to iTunes. You can even record from multiple sources. As yet I have only used this once to record a skype chat with Joe Dale. The sound quality seemed fine. I think though that I would like to investigate the pro version further, I wonder whether it can't be used to record input from multiple microphones, then I could use it to record conversations with more than 2-3 voices and upload to garageband to edit.

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Disc Label
Lets you produce labels, covers, case inserts for cds and dvds that look seriously professional. It can import track lists and track info onto your design. You can use pictures from iPhoto and it is LightScribe compatible. Used it to produce  cover for the fundraising DVD I produced towards end of term, for the schools chosen charity, Spinal Injuries Scotland.

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(Photo copyright Slacker)

DVD Player
It plays  DVD's!

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Griffin Final Vinyl

A piece of software that comes with Griffin's iMic. The iMic is a usb audio adapter that allows you to connect your mac or pc to any sound input device. Along with Final Vinyl this device allows you to convert your vinyl and cassettes into mp3 files. Compatible with GarageBand, iMovie and Final Cut Pro. This could be useful to back up some of the older cassette based resources we have in the department.

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GarageBand

I love GarageBand. It is so easy to use and yet so powerful and great fun, and that's just the podcasting element to it. I've not even made a serious exploration of the music-making side. I've made podcasts, vodcasts, enhanced podcasts, imported from iMovie etc etc.  Well what is it. Its a recording studio on your mac. If you are so inclined you can record your own music by linking real or software instruments (as I say I haven't gone into this yet). With the newest version,'08, there is the Magic GarageBand function which can help you get started. (Here's one I did for a film I made about Huntly Cricket Club).
I really do enjoy being creative with this application. I like the recording process, the way it handles, how you can add images to reflect part of an audio recording (enhanced podcast) and I'm just beginning to discover all the effects and fun things to do with each track. What I love most of all are the included loops, sounds and melodies (all without copyright) contained in the package. I enjoy trying to find the right piece of music to fit the mood. All in all its my favourite toy. Tons better than audacity. Apparently the closest windows app would be mixcraft.

       

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I can Animate
THE animation tool for Mac. Used mainly for stop motion animation (think Wallace and Gromit). You can capture from a digital video camera or a web cam. Clips can be exported to iMovie. You can create animations by drawing within the app and you can also make time lapse films. I've tried stop-motion and time lapse, both of which are time consuming but still fun. Before using I Can Animate I tried a couple of other similar apps (iStopMotion and Frame Thief)
Both of these were fine to use but I Can Animate just felt more instinctive (and I didn't have to pay for a full version..ha!)
Tell me what you think:
Swordfight (Frame Thief)
Murder Most Fowl (iStopMotion)
But my favourite is this one
Yanick Gets His Hair Done (I Can Animate)

I would like to use this in class but the time it requires I just don't have. It's something I'd like to get kids to look into doing at home to get them creating something to which they can add some French. I had thought about an animated pencil case.

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iDVD
When I first got my own pc one of the things I wanted to was transfer stuff from mini dv cassette to dvd. It seemed as if I had to download and mash up all kinds of different apps (either that or I was just daft and didn't understand what I was doing) and it just didn't come together. Then I got the PowerBook from school...
iDVD segues so seamlessly with all the other iLife applications that even one with my lack of nouse got it. Making a dvd is so easy with iDVD. It has some lovely themes, especially the new ones, which sing and dance and make everything look professional.
You can put together a dvd from scratch by choosing everything from themes down to the buttons, you can make a Magic iDVD where you just choose your theme and add your desired media or you can create a dvd direct from your digital video camera and the application does everything for you.
My one gripe with iDVD is that it seems to take an age to swap between themes and options. The new version is better and it now tells you how long your project will take to encode (a long process.) At the end of the burning you also have the option to burn another disc without having to encode it all again.

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LAFTAS and Festival Pocket Films

A little while ago I blogged and posted my presentation for the LAFTAS (Language and Film Talent Awards) promoted by CILT.
In school we are using it as an opportunity for our S4's to think about the study of a language and its relevance to their future working life. I am hoping we get a whole raft of amusing, interesting films to judge.
This morning though this post cropped up in my reader from Liz Kolb's From Toy to Tool Blog. So here's a call to all creatively minded language teachers.
Enter the Festival Pocket Film. For the 4th edition of these awards the organisers have introduced an international section specifically related to producing films for viewing on mobile equipment (phones, pda's etc).
Here are some more details:

Project typology :
  All collective / participatory projects which use mobile technologies such as mobile communications terminals, small digital cameras, etc. and which result in an audiovisual presentation or diffusion of : films, news reporting, video blogs, video casts, webTV...

Examples :
  a teaching, technical or artistic workshop
  an audiovisual documentation of a particular community by its members
  the constitution of an audiovisual cooperative
  an informational relay program regarding environmental, - public health and cultural problems a participatory artistic project...

If and when I eventually get my back sorted an return to work I hope to be able to get something together for this project.

New...Talking Pictures

This looks like a fun piece of software.
Make your photos talk. Check out this preview, also get this software for free (worth nearly $60) if you blog about it before christmas. Click here.

Thanks to AB for the heads up.

Select a text and
click here for voice