Taking the Bridge to the Next Level

I've been swamped lately, working on a contract to help design a statewide contest for young filmmakers. It's been wonderful work - merging many of my interests (filmmaking/video, youth/education, health education, research, and more). Most of all, I have been working to address digital divide issues that are specific to video and youth I've worked with in the past.

For example, many of my students don't check their email. They prefer to keep in constant contact via myspace - and see their yahoo account as just something you sign up for so that you can get a myspace page. So we're building an rss feed (via twitter) into the contest page. It will allow us to post everything that goes into email blasts onto the site - in an abbreviated form.

Another example is the submission requirements and rules. I've been working on that a lot - researching what technologies *most* youth are using now. (This is in comparison to what technology the experts and magazines recommend, but kids can't always afford.) So I'm making room for kids who might want to shoot a film on a cell phone and edit online because they don't have a computer at home.

Today I found a really helpful list that gives a wonderful 'big picture' view of this sort of troubleshooting. It applies directly to my current project, but also applies to many many more.

Blogger the explicit posted Simple questions to ask when planning a contribution-based project back in January and then added an Installment #2. He also writes about setting expectations for contribution-based projects and then revises his thoughts. All of the links contain wonderful food for thought - for projects big and small. It's kind of cool how much consultants and teachers have in common :)

Learning Film Making Online

Courtesy of Ken Radio
Great site that provide a real-world education of the complex world of motion picture production through a series of easy-to-understand, yet comprehensive videos, workbooks and resources. By partnering with industry leaders in the creative and technological fields, we strive to teach real, cutting edge techniques to filmmakers around the globe. We also seek to build an online community of filmmakers to help forge long-term connection between filmmakers from all disciplines.
http://www.powerfilmmaking.com

Less Text, More Video in Online News

Nice set of links in the Lightstalker discussion boards about online publishing trends - specifically about more demand for video. Turns out NPR is retraining it's staff to do video as well. I guess the revolution will be televised...

Crossplatform Application for your Digital Photos

Courtesy of Lifehacker Downloads : Shape Collage is a Seriously Fun Photo Collage Application: "Windows/Mac/Linux (all platforms with Java): Desktop application Shape Collage creates customized photo collages with advanced options that will have you creating fun posters in seconds."

Replace Cameras and Laptops with Smartphones?

Industry Pitching Cellphones as a Teaching Tool:
"On Tuesday, Digital Millennial will release findings from its study of four North Carolina schools in low-income neighborhoods, where ninth- and 10th-grade math students were given high-end cellphones running Microsoft’s Windows Mobile software and special programs meant to help them with their algebra studies.

The students used the phones for a variety of tasks, including recording themselves solving problems and posting the videos to a private social networking site, where classmates could watch. The study found that students with the phones performed 25 percent better on the end-of-the-year algebra exam than did students without the devices in similar classes."

This article is mainly about the (potential) benefits of smartphones. However, self-evaluation through VIDEO has long been proven effective. This component could certainly be executed with many different phones - and would not require Windows Mobile.

Classroom 2.0

Classroom 2.0: "Welcome to Classroom20.com, the social network for those interested in Web 2.0 and collaborative technologies in education.

We especially hope that those who are 'beginners' will find this a supportive community and a comfortable place to start being part of the digital dialog.

If you are new here, please consider introducing yourself by going to the introductory forum message. You should also feel free to explore! Here are some starting tips and a 'Tour of Web 2.0' webcast video, or you can ask help of a 'host' below."

--- Seems to me that this site (and Ning) are popping up everywhere the last little while. Next big thing? ---

Langwitches � Best Web 2.0 Applications for Elementary School

Langwitches � Best Web 2.0 Applications for Elementary School: "Thanks to an amazing list of “The Best Web 2.o Application for Education-2007” from Larry Ferlazzo’s Website, I decided to create my own list of the applications that have been the most useful or promising in the Elementary School scene."

Social Networking in the Classroom?

For most Teachers/Schools, Social Networking sites like Facebook, Myspace, YouTube and Imeem are not allowed. But that may change soon. Recent research has been showing both the benefits of online connections and which fears have been misdirected. (Turns out bullying may be a much bigger problem than solicitation of minors.)

No matter whether I'm teaching computer programming or digital editing, I try to find a way to work in a conversation or two about how the youth/students are using social networking - and strategies for using it responsibly. Personally, I think it should be a standard part of every school's curriculum. Here's a great guide from the FTC that can be easily adapted for the classroom: Social Networking Sites: A Parent’s Guide

Exploring these issues can also make an excellent video or multimedia project.

Keeping up with the trends...

10 Ways Social Media Will Change in 2009 - ReadWriteWeb: "'Social media' was the term du jour in 2008. Consumers, companies, and marketers were all talking about it. We have social media gurus, social media startups, social media books, and social media firms. It is now common practice among corporations to hire social media strategists, assign community managers, and launch social media campaigns, all designed to tap into the power of social media.

But social media today is a pure mess: it has become a collection of countless features, tools, and applications fighting for a piece of the pie."

Using Digital to Make the "Old" Technology - Books

What Kids Can Do is a wonderful non-profit in Road Island that is helping kids to publish amazing books. Look. See. Be Inspired.

It's Not Just About the Software

Adobe has an excellent suite of resources for iTeachers. Not only is there a wonderful gallery of work, but white papers, curriculum, and direct links to an employee volunteer program and software donation and training for educators and non-profits. Phew! Definitely worth checnking out.

Adobe - Adobe Youth Voices Gallery - Resources: "Adobe and its founding Adobe Youth Voices partners — Educational Video Center, Listen Up!, What Kids Can Do, Arts Engine, and iEARN — offer a variety of free and low-cost resources to help you integrate youth media into your classroom or out-of-classroom programs."

Technology and Music

From the Desk of David Pogue - So Many iPhone Apps, So Little Time - NYTimes.com: "Once you install and open this program, your iPhone's screen displays four colored circles of different sizes. These are the 'holes' that you cover with your fingers, as you would the holes on a flute. Then you blow into the microphone hole at the bottom of the iPhone, and presto: the haunting, expressive, beautiful sound of a wind instrument comes from the iPhone speaker."

A surprising example of iPhone as musical instrument.