EDLD 5363: Multimedia and Video Technology

Reflection on Digital Storytelling

Contemplating the process of telling a story well and then trying to figure out how to tell it with multimedia was challenging and fun. I truly enjoyed the “Digital Storytelling Cookbook” by Joe Lambert. The author furnished many guidelines to adhere to, pitfalls to avoid, and overall, he enlightened me to a world of the multimedia narrative. Lambert was right about “the editor” in all of us. He talks about the fact that “most of us carry around a little voice, an editor, that tells us that what we have to say is not entertaining or substantial enough to be heard. That editor is a composite figure of everyone in our lives who has diminished our sense of creative ability…”(Lambert, 2007). It may be due to this editor that I struggled to find a topic. In the end, I selected a digital memorial to my older sister who passed away seven months ago. She was only 43 and had lived with many ailments most of her adult life.

Even though I have used products such as Microsoft’s PhotoStory and MovieMaker before, I never really thought about the production side of the process. Usually, I just diced up some flashy images, added a dash of music, and hoped that the end result would be satisfying to the audience’s palate. This week has taught me that deep thought and consideration goes into the digital storytelling recipe and that features such as bare truth, perspective, and insight add essence to the flavor.

Actually seeing your story unfold through scripting and storyboarding before you ever touch the computer was a novel step for me. Additionally, using my own voice to narrate was strange. During playback, one’s voice never sounds like you hear it inside your head. Even though my topic was serious and solemn, I recognize that I still need a great deal of practice when it comes to voice-overs. In the final assembly stage, it was really coming together. The terrifying part was posting my final product to YouTube to share amongst my peers. This project was very personal and brought back many painful memories of January. It was also medicinal, in a sense, to revisit my sister and pay homage to her life. Selfishly, this storytelling process was as much for me and my grieving process as it was to memorialize my sister and share that with the world.

I think the key to anyone’s “story” is to write each and every day. Then reflect on your writing, twist it, turn it, flip it upside down, and come at it from other angles. This will spawn ideas you never thought you had inside you in the first place. Of course, script and storyboard it, digitize it, and share it. Be what many of our students already are - Web 2.0 producers within our shrinking world.

Here is the link to my creation:
Yvonne Page - Memorial

Please let me know what you think.

Lambert, J. (2007, February). Digital storytelling cookbook, 1-30. Story Center. Retrieved April 4, 2009, from http://www.storycenter.org/cookbook.pdf

Teaching with Technology Reflection: UDL Lesson Creation

I believe I will begin by stating that I have an even higher respect for teachers, and my opinion was already sky-scraping. Teachers are required to have more skills sets, qualities, and abilities than any other profession I know. Personally, I do not have a degree in education nor do I have a teaching certification. My background is very technical and I have run complex computer networks for much of my career. I have worked in school districts’ technology departments for over 7 years, but only with instructional technology for the past three years. If the CAST UDL Lesson Builder is even an inkling of what teachers go through to plan daily lessons, than I tip my virtual hat to this amazing population of people.

The UDL lesson builder was very difficult for me. It was time consuming and forced me to focus on what a teacher and a classroom of students go through during a day in the classroom. I have performed many walkthroughs with classes, but I have never had to participate in curriculum writing or lesson planning. After this experience, I’m not sure I ever want to again.

Don’t get me wrong… I am richer for the experience. However, this was a first attempt at anything like this for me. I have written many strategic plans in my day, but somehow, this was very different. I had to get inside a teacher’s mind and play out scenarios with students of various learning abilities. Additionally, having to remember accommodations and supports for learners with physical or mental impairments was also a challenge to include in the lesson.

I don’t think I ever thanked Mrs. Corpstein, my elementary school’s Enhanced Learning Program teacher. She was way ahead of her time and helped many of us excel in ways very similar to the UDL methods. Thank you! I now understand why you had all that grey hair and still loved your job.

TMS STaR Chart Data

Tippit Middle School STaR Chart Data

This presentation will be used to enhance a presentation of the Texas STaR Chart and Tippit's associated data.

TMS STaR Chart Data

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Texas Long Range Plan for Technology: Infrastructure for Technology

Infrastructure for Technology is one of the four key areas in the Texas Long Range Plan for Technology (LRPT), 2006-2020. This essential component interconnects all four areas of the LRPT. This area describes the vision, needs, and guidelines for infrastructure in Texas schools.

The state has made significant progress in statewide intra- and inter-connections. DIR and regional ESCs have been able to provide innovative resources. School districts have also increased equitable student and educator access improving collaboration, communication, and achievement. Unfortunately, there are still many districts with network infrastructures that are not safe, secure, flexible, scalable, or reliable. They cannot offer anytime, anywhere connectivity or integrate voice, video, and data effectively. They cannot supply a multitude of digital content and software applications to their constituents. Elements such as collaborative learning environments, resource sharing, and a sense of global community are below par and the teachers and students suffer because of it.

Overall trends indicate improvement toward LRPT guidelines. However, most schools have not reached “Target Tech” as evidenced by the Campus Statewide Summary of STaR Chart data:
· Target Tech: 6.7%
· Advanced Tech: 57.2%
· Developing Tech: 34.9%
· Early Tech: 1.2%

One of the main challenges facing Texas education is securing funding to continuously support, maintain, and improve the necessary 21st Century technology infrastructure which requires hardware, software, and human resources. Districts have implemented creative means to finance technology infrastructure. My recommendation would be for the Texas Legislature to increase the state technology allotment above the stagnant sub-$30 per student amount to an amount that would facilitate much needed enhancements. The original promises forecasted an amount over $100 per student by now.