Week 3 of 530

Week #3 of 530 involved more picture taking and learning about proper presentation techniques.  As we are three fourths of the way through our picture taking adventure, I'm finding that I have to be a little more creative with my pictures.  When you're focusing on one subject (my daughter), you quickly realize that the normal routine for a little girl doesn't always lend itself to a ton of different photo opportunities.  Our big assignment for the week, revising our PowerPoint based on concepts used in the class (mainly Presentation Zen concepts) was a bit of a challenge, but certainly made the presentation more concise and effective. Also, as the concept of Zen intrigues me, the more of this book I read, the more interested I become.  I was also a fan of the Animoto short that we had to do.  I certainly agree that this program does seem to make a presentation into more of a movie trailer.  However, my major complaint with this resource is a poor music library.  I only recognized one song, and wasn't able to import any songs from my iTunes Library.  Chapter 7 from DigiTales also was interesting, as it laid out some basic elements for effective storytelling.  Finally, I found the concept of Pecha Kucha to be very intriguing.  In a way that I find comparable to a Haiku poem, Pecha Kucha promotes simplicity without hampering creativity.  Overall, I feel my presentation creating ability is increasing; and I am enjoying the nature of this class thus far!

Week #2 of 530

Along with the continuance of our picture taking expedition (which I've come to enjoy), week 2 was full of worthwhile activities.  For example, the readings from Presentation Zen made some very clear, informative points on how to give a presentation that people will remember.  I particularly liked how credibility and simplicity made their way on to the list of "sticky" concepts.  I also enjoyed looking up the different mathematical/technological lessons.  It's always good to expand your arsenal of lesson plans, learning from others who have tried and succeeded in the past.  However, what I enjoyed working with the most would have to be the Digital Stories from Voicethread.

I was a little skeptical at first, but it really wasn't that difficult to use.  I found it very interesting to work on the preparation aspect (away from the computer mind you), then converting it to the actual presentation, audio and all.  I could certainly see this type of digital storytelling being used in my classroom as a means of making presentations in the event that I cannot attend class.  Also, I can see myself using this site for several different types of group projects.

First Blog Post of 530

I thought the first class of Digital Storytelling was a pleasant change of pace from our normal class protocol.  Don't get me wrong, I've learned a great deal from our previous classes, it's just nice to have a class that has a little bit of a different focus.  I certainly like the idea of having a class that focuses on improving presentation techniques.  I've enjoyed listening to the various stories, and the readings have really hit a chord, helping me realize the things that I do well, and the the things I need to improve upon.  I particularly liked the activity that had us comment on our version of the future.  Not only did it help us focus on our storytelling abilities, but it also allowed us to visualize how to achieve our future goals.  I also was a big favorite of the zen fables, as I found them morally stimulating.

By the time this class is over, I hope to have a much better grasp of what makes a truly good picture.  I'm typically a take and shoot type of photographer, with very little regard to light, setting, or whatever else makes up a good picture.  I'm also looking forward to improving my presentation capabilities.  This is an extremely important area of expertise for any educator, given the prevalence of presenting content material.  Above all else though, I hope that this class helps me get one step closer to becoming a complete instructional educator.