View of the bay using the automatic setting.
For this blog I used:
Iphoto, pinterest, storify, Twitter, animoto, youtube, my camera, and Weebly,
This class is really annoying. Its not like I have a lot of time with both work and school as well as a graduate project that needs to be done in order for me to get a baby blue cape and hood (seriously, the only real reason I opted for a to do this program). Oh, don't get me wrong. The demands aren't out of whack its that the more I work on this stuff the more I want to work on this stuff. Take right now, for example. I really should be working on my action research (the grad project) and during my break instead of getting up, maybe walking around and taking taking the dog out, I jumped on to my pinterest to see what else I could add. I saw some pictures and became inspired so then took my camera out and shot some pictures of the view from my house (various images I have included) using the automatic setting. I then decided they were ok but hazy and/or out of focus and looked online for a video of the basics for manual settings (included below).
I stowed that for later and started to think about how I could change and use my project idea to be practical with an actual history class. Maybe get the kids disposable cameras and have them research then shoot images of historical places with attached events and compare them with old photos or primary source? Maybe have the kids create a storify or pinterest like I have of then and now to accompany important periods in US history (if that is the case)? Maybe even have them present and teach all of us about what was going on in their area with respect to their own family experiences using online information, presentations, and images! Ninety minutes later and a full page of ideas written down I realized my fifteen minute break was over. As I went to minimize everything I had been looking at I got side tracked and spent another twenty minutes looking at Animoto, wondering if this wouldn't be an awesome tool for both students and teachers. The worst part is that even after I started to get back to work I thought 'maybe I should blog this so I remember what my train of thought was' and am now back and involved with the class and sharing my video and pictures only ten minutes later. Point is, I already have enough to do without the distraction of following some of my own interests in education. The only real way to learn is to hear, copy, document and regurgitate and this is taking time away from my AR. Ok so, I kid though it does seem that the wheel we all run looks a lot like the other guy's. I probably shouldn't say that since I do actually realize that each of our AR projects is unique to us and our immediate students. Still, though, the formal process does sometimes seem like a bit of a formula.
Rant's over. So- "the Cannon I shoot from" title. If you think the title is more than a little Kitchy (see: http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=kitchy) I agree. If it and this blurb are still here then I got sidetracked and didn't change it. I suppose I didn't need to say that. Either way, it came from the hip and after I typed it, it even elicited a groan from me.
Ok, so I admit it. I thought all of this social networking was going to be pointless and boring but is actually not. I have connected some of my own passions to others with regard to education and have already done some really interesting networking. I have also learned about a lot of things in a lot of directions quickly. The learning, while challenging with limited time, has also been fun. Herein lies a personal lesson I have learned about all of this. The fact is that despite having so many other things pulling at my attention (just like my students) I have enjoyed engaging and learning about my local history in the last couple of weeks using these tools to organize and showcase. Showcase, is important here since I equate it with a student motivation to create for a larger audience. Just like we have.
Without further adieu: The video watched about my camera and some MORE pictures.
I like these pictures but realize that in the first the tree is the focus, when it isn't supposed to be and that both are slightly off focus.