SmartBoard Again...!

SMART Board interactive whiteboard is a product of SMART Technologies. It is a large, touch-controlled screen that works with a projector and a computer. The projector throws the computer’s desktop image onto the interactive whiteboard, which acts as both a monitor and an input device. Users can write on the interactive whiteboard in digital ink or use a finger to control computer applications by pointing, clicking and dragging, just as with a desktop mouse. Buttons launch a popup keyboard and a right-mouse-click menu for more input options. The interactive whiteboard is usually mounted on a wall or a floor stand and is used in face-to-face or virtual settings in education, business and government.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SMART_Board_interactive_whiteboard

As others, i have been in the short course for the SMART board before. This time it seems to be more exiting and i feel like really really want to learn more. Maybe because i have the previous experience with that thing. Honestly, the knowledge that i have gain is just a small part of what the Smartboard will offer to me.

SMART Board provide an opportunity for teachers and students to communicate interactively. Everything can be shown clearly and interestingly. What i really mean here is the learning process will be more meaningful since the technology support reciprocal interaction within students and teacher. Every example can be shown in clear views. Plus, the functions in the toolbox and the templates that can be easily download from the internet making teacher's life easier and more time saving..! Plus no more worries for the dust from chalk and blackboard..!

Movie & tHe ProgreSSioN...

Through out the week, i have been sitting in from of the laptop, continuity complete my movie. Thanks to some friends who give me the Power Director, which is now replacing the Window Movie Maker. Thanks guys..
My strategies was i collected the materials needed for the movie, completed the story board, and then started to do movie editing. I asked my sister to become the "model" in the video and my brother as the only "production crew". Besides friends and course mate, it is really enjoying when sometimes, completing assignment with the help of own family members. Personally, the process of collection materials, capturing pictures, and recording clips are really valuable moments, especially when most of the things go smooth. Much more valuable when we get great score for the effort..! Hehe..
Until now, the movie is in 75% completed. I strongly hope that the objective of the movie can be achieved as well as applicable in the real classroom. The main idea of the movie is to guide the pupils to make their own photo craft. For me, the video is suitable for young learner. For instance, the video shows the pupils to paste paper using using glue neatly, to draw, to decorate and to paint. All this small elements actually able to enhance pupils creativity. This will also develop their fine motor skills since most of the activity in the video requires them to use their hands.
Here are some info about motor skills:

What are fine motor skills?
Fine motor skills are those skills which require a child to manipulate and gain control over a range of materials and tools. These are often for communication purposes both functional and expressive, eg writing a name or message, manipulating a computer mouse, creating a sculpture. Opportunities to develop these skills exist in all six key learning areas of the primary curriculum. The components of fine motor skills can be considered to be:

* Grasping -eg using a crayon, pencil, brush, glue stick, beater, blocks
* Manipulating - eg playdough, clay, paper, sewing, scissors, fingerplays
* Hand-eye co-ordination - eg writing, cutting,using a glue gun

Structured learning experiences such as developmental play and learning centres are opportunities for teachers to provide a range of activities which will help develop the fine motor skills of children. These will often include materials such as playdough, clothes pegs, sorting, Lego, construction toys, bottles and lids, paper, pens, paints and other media, computer-based technology.
http://k6.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/linkages/ContentLinks/links_fmskills.html

ToOLs of Century..

This week, I have watched some of the videos in the 21st Century Connections Presents the Winners from the “Be a Video All-Star” Contest. The contest challenged students to create a two- to three-minute public service announcement that illustrates why digital tools and technologies are important in the schools and curriculum The one with the title Century Tools attract me much. Personally, I dare to say that the video was successfully developed with sincerity of the students and the pureness of the messages. I only watched the video once and they were already able to make me understood that the students were demonstrating their desire to use technology in the classroom to make learning fun, interactive, and meaningful. I agree that they are simple yet have a big impact...! Then, my thought slowly moving into my video development assignment. It is not much different from the “Be a Video All-Star” Contest, except there is no a laptop from Lenovo featuring Intel® Centrino® Pro processor Technology and Adobe Digital School Collection software given to the winners. Huhu… In the progression of developing the dynamic video, I feel very stress out because of the problem that keep on happening… I don’t know whether window movie maker gives me the problem or because of me myself, the one who gives problems to the window movie maker. Sometime, the storyboard cannot accept the video clip that I wanted to put it. At another time, the sound that I want to include was rejected. Stressfully, the window movie maker cannot read the project that I have saved and some of the video clips that I have included in the video clips cannot be opened. I don’t know what the problem really is. I told Izzudin about this difficulties and he replied by asking me to read his blog. He wrote:For those who want video editing software, Cyberlink PowerDirector Ultra 7. Just tell me. I think this software is much more better than MS Windows Movie Maker. For those who want to try it, just bring your pendrive later :D

Movie MakiNg..

At the moment, I have a feeling of comfy as Prof. Raja Maznah entered the computer laboratory; she was very sweet as she was talking to us with her calm voice. Honestly, it’s true..! After this two week, the technology class seems to be more interesting and exciting to me as I gladly view the lesson as hands-on and trial and error activity. Moreover, it is really supportive with the classmates who are willingly sharing their familiarity and expertise in the technology, especially when I am stuck with something that I am not used to. Thanks..!

This week, there are about tutorial for movie making and how to do storyboarding. It is really helpful for those who are not yet mastered with the use of movie maker application. The only software that I am used to in making movie is Window Movie Maker. I would like to try other software such as Power Editor. At the same time, I have never take into consideration about what “dynamic video” is all about until Miss Ng explained that dynamic video is a video that consist of clips that have movements, animated cartoons, and not just static pictures.

I am glad since my intended objectives for the video is accepted and I can proceed to the next level of video development. So as my other group members. All five of us are planning to develop the interactive education videos for children. The remaining period of the subject has been used for discussing n sharing ideas of own plan in developing the dynamic video. Correcting and commenting each other is very essential in the process of gaining the best material before we develop the storyboard of the videos. We are working together as a group to develop individual video clips. It is interesting, isn’t? From now on, I will start gaining stuffs and ideas in developing this dynamic videos with the hope that I will move on without much shortcomings..

Thought on technology..

This is my thought on how technology is going to affect the students and how me, as a teacher will be learning.

At the moment, i am thinking about learning in 3D laboratory. what i mean here is students just have not to listen to lecture and taking notes but they can feel the joy of learning in the real situation of what they are learning on. Let me put this in an example, as primary school pupils are learning about wild animals, especially those animals which are going to be extincted, the teacher may prepare the students with materials that can be presented in the 3D laboratory, such as the habitat of wild animals in Africa. I am wondering whether this kind of laboratory is existed or not. There are many reasons for this kind of application to be highlighted .

I believe that many of us may argue that it is better to bring the pupils into the real environment compared to the 3D laboratory. i totally agree but if the environment is harmful (wild animals) or poisonous (chemical stuffs), it is better to use technology of 3D instead of the real nature. As i surfed the internet, Barney Dalgarno, Lecturer in Information Technology of Charles Sturt University agrees that the 3D virtual learning environment has a big potential in educational method, "the 3D environments, which have become almost ubiquitous within the computer games industry, have the potential to harness these technological developments and facilitate new levels of learner-learner and learner-computer interaction".

I agree that technology is changing our life. In term of teaching and learning process, technology really gives us benefits. through technology, i can easily get knowledge and keep in touch with friends universally, sharing ideas to upgrade our related knowledge. What i mean here is current software application, method of teaching, and latest skills that is really help for our job. At this point, we can always ask and share with one another in chat room and forum. Through this, teacher are exposed to the other's style of learning and teaching. At this point, i feel that teacher should urge themselves to improve skills and knowledge in technology through short course, reading, workshop, etc. This is for the sake of the students achievement and their overall performance.

In the end, even though we are moving into sophisticated technology, i still believe that traditional method like flashcard and OHP are always have their own benefits especially when the failure of technology happen.

i am done....!

i'havn't done this kind of stuff b4 but i've done it with only 20minutes plus2... yuhuu...