Week+04+Reflection

Week 4

__Reading__: (Marc Prensky) Am I a **Digital Native** or a **Digital Immigrant**? I was introduced to the computer early on, but wasn't necessarily born with it. I remember using one in primary school, getting my first email address in grade 6, and learning how to chat in grade 7 and 8. Is that the norm for Digital Natives, or does this make me a Digital Immigrant? I'm not necessarily sure that I, and people of my generation, fit into either category. We may be very comfortable with technology, but I find that most of us are still a little hesitant about how to use it and are weary when it becomes too complex.

I'm doubt that I have the Digital Immigrant accent since the examples of accents amuse me as they would a Digital Native. However, the description of a Digital Native does not quite suit me either. I do not prefer games to "serious work" and I do not necessarily function best when networked. I therefore think another term is more appropriate for my generation... perhaps //First Generation Digital Native// since I still retain some characteristics of a Digital Immigrant.

I agree with the reading that any subject/topic could be translated for this new generation into a game or method of acquisition that is more suitable to their learning styles. Although some may be easier than others (such as language courses where content can be manipulated), this does not mean that teachers should not make an effort to translate their material.

__In-Class Discussion__media type="file" key="mondayafternoon_0001.wmv" align="left" width="300" height="300": In class today we learned how to use video cameras and make short movies in **Windows Movie Maker**. The cameras themselves were very simple to use and Digital Natives easily figured out the functions within minutes. The most challenging part was coming up with in idea for the movie. Students may have trouble focusing on the movie as a whole and envisioning the final product, thus teachers should ensure that the students plan the script and story board before filming. Teachers should also verify the story board before filming since students can sometimes go overboard with their ideas and stray from the focus of the project.

This software allows students to edit clips in order to make a video. You can add transitions, effects, sound, video clips, and still photos. Another benefit is that this program is standard with PCs. It is very easy to use. Students can create professional looking videos with titles and credits with their own footage or downloaded videos.

The only problem with the program is that it does not seems very stable as many students noticed that it crashed. I am reminded of the **computer basics** listed on the class' wiki (week one): always have a back-up plan, and never rely on technology (6a). When my group was finished making the first version of this video, the program froze before we had time to save it as a .wmv file. Restarting the computer was quite possibly the worst choice since we consequently lost all the files except the original movie clips. Thus, the members in my group were required to make a second version (above is the version I made). I hope that this version is superior to the original as my editing techniques improved with practice. I will definitely remember this problem when I am a teacher and insist that my students save their work as frequently as possible and that they they save it on a drive that does not erase itself.

The following link is to a powerpoint presentation that I found online that provides a variety of ways to use and incorporate Windows Movie Maker in the classroom: [|Technology in the Classroom]. A create video to learn how to use Movie Maker can be found on teachertube.com: [|Tutorial]

Teachers should also consider teaching **presentation tips** since most of these projects will be presented to the class.

_________ Additional Thoughts on Class in Response to the Schedule for Week 4
 * 1) 2 A - No, I don't see myself using podcasting because I prefer to write than to speak, although podcasting could be faster, I prefer to edit a text to ensure clarity than to edit a podcast and have it sound choppy.
 * 2) 2 B - I could use podcasting on the class website or from class projects, particularly in a FLS classroom where pronunciation is important.
 * 3) 2 C - Some of the perils of podcasting include any of the problems associated with posting information online. Parents may not be happy about what has been said and they now have a copy it, or technical difficulties may not allow the teacher to post the podcast quickly.
 * 4) 2 D - The advantages of podcasting are that students who are auditory learners have better access to the information, students using it for projects can edit the final product, and students can listen to it in different locations and do not need to be reading from a screen (For example, they could download it onto their ipod and listen later).


 * Codec** = encodes or decodes for editing or transimision.
 * Container** = who data is stored (for example: .Avi)
 * FPS** = Frames Per Second - the frequency at which the images/frames you see are flashed before you per second. More exciting movies generally have a higher FPS.

In order to make the above video, we have to first use **FormatFactory** to change the format of our video files since the .Avi format is not suitable for **Window MovieMaker**. FormatFactory is a free to download program however is seems expetionally simple but not very user friendly.