BP14_iMovie Advanced

Here are some advanced features and suggestions I learned from the Lynda.com training:

The green screen feature can be used to apply backgrounds that were shot at another time or for staged backgrounds that aren’t in the budget to create or shoot in real time. Green screen could also come in handy when the important part of the video is the sound. A clip shot in a quiet, well-lit space can maximize the sound quality. It can then be over-laid on the otherwise noisy background for a high quality final result.

Frequently videos filmed inside have an imbalance of white in the shot. This can easily be fixed in the inspector by selecting a pure white or pure grey color from the shot. It can also be adjusted moving the point in the white point wheel to make adjustments as desired.

When making adjustments to clips, users can apply adjustments to multiple clips from the same filming settings. This is done by copying the clip changed and then pasting the adjustments. Individual adjustments or all adjustments (video, audio, effects, etc) made can be applied.

The edit tool, available in the advanced tools, is a quick selection tool for adding video clips to the project.

The keywords feature acts as a tag for various clips. Multiple clips can be added to clips. Keywords can be used for quick reference when looking for a specific type/topic for a new video project.

Chapter & comment markers are useful for finding specific points in a video project. These are particularly helpful for longer projects.

To replace a video clip in a project that has been timed to play correctly, drag the new clip over the clip to be replaced and choose ‘replace at start,’ ‘replace at end,’ or ‘replace at playhead.’ This option inserts the new clip with the same timing/length as the one replaced and doesn’t move any of the other clips. The normal ‘replace’ option inserts the entire clip and moved clips after it.

BP13_iMovie Basics

Below are some things I learned through the Lynda training:

iMovie basics

Transitions should only be used where necessary, for example, to change locations or to highlight a specific scene. Most professional videos use very few transition effects and simply switch between most clips - too many transitions, especially flashy transitions are a sure indicator of an amateur.

In precision editor, users can fine tune the transitions between video clips as well as adjust the entry and exit transitions of the audio from each clip. If there is audio from a video clip that isn’t being shown, it can be used as the audio in an adjacent clip.

Beat markers can be added to edit/create a video that flows with the music selection. Beat markers are not determined automatically and have to be added manually in the clip trimmer. 

Note: automatic transitions have to be turned off in order to use the ‘snap to beats’ function.

iMovie effects

iMovie can analyze video footage for clips that are shaky and won’t likely be good for a video. After the clips have been analyzed a red wavy line shows at the bottom of the section. These sections can be hidden, by clicking the ‘show/hide excessive shaking’ button, so they aren’t accidently used in the video. The amount of stabilizing done can be seen by the color code in the corner (black for very little, orange for moderate, red for significant) or a slash shows that the section wasn’t able to be stabilized.

Note: Stabilized videos cannot be used to create freeze frame clips.

The maps in the background library offer additional transitions and effects that can be added to a video. The animated maps can be used to identify a location or highlight a route taken on a trip. The same effects that can be added to pictures and videos can also be added to these maps.

BP12_iMovie keyboard shortcuts

Here are some helpful keyboard shortcuts for iMovie:

Keyboard Shortcuts

cmd+g – to view in full screen

iMovie

[ - to play 1 second around the playhead

] – to play 3 seconds around the playhead

/ - to play a selection

\ - to play selected event/project from the beginning

cmd+opt – to access fine tuning functions (then drag the handle left/right to trim/add up to 1 sec from clip – shows frames & new time when tuning)

opt+left/right arrow (when mouse is at beginning or end of clip) – add or remove 1 frame at a time

cmd+shift – to add sound effect from video library

m – to add a beat marker to an audio clip

Advanced Tool Keyboard Shortcuts

Inspector

e – to select/unselect the edit tool

f – to select/unselect the favorite tool

u – to select/unselect the unmark tool

r – to select/unselect the reject tool

BP11_OMM_GoAnimate

GoAnimate takes storyboards to the next level. Check it out in my one minute message.

BP10_Comment for Luz

Check out my comment on Luz's blog.

BP9_Comment for Kelly

Follow this link to my comments on Kelly's blog about Footnote.Publish Post

BP8_GoAnimate

GoAnimate homepage

With GoAnimate, a two-dimensional animation tool, users can animate their own stories. Teachers could use GoAnimate to demonstrate lesson concepts, model procedures, explicitly teach students social skills, or demonstrate experiments that may be too dangerous or expensive to do in the classroom. Students could use their animations to demonstrate their understanding, express their thoughts, or reflect, analyze, and synthesize new information in a way that allows their creativity.

Each user develops a personalized profile where their animations are stored and displayed. Other users can check out the published animations, make comments, and share them with others.

Mr. August's Profile

GoAnimate allows users to demonstrate and practice many of the different intelligences and could be used as an alternative assignment to the written paper or the physical project. For example, they use their verbal/linguistic intelligence as the students add text or speech, their spatial intelligence as they organize each piece on the screen, their kinesthetic intelligence as they manipulate the objects and utilize the features of the tool, their interpersonal or intrapersonal intelligence as they work with others or alone.

GoAnimate is like the storyboard that special education teachers frequently use to help their students understand and learn appropriate behavior, except with this tool the storyboard can be more detailed because of the animation. A nice feature is that animations can be saved and published to refer to and adjust later as needed.

Special education students can virtually practice their social skills in a safe environment where they can get feedback before they take them into the classroom. GoAnimate animations could be used as an option for students who struggle with verbal or writing skills to demonstrate their understanding of course concepts.

GoAnimate is a great resource and has many features available for free, but there are many more resources that require GoPoints and GoBucks that can be purchased or earned by completing different tasks such as publishing, sharing, and inviting others to join GoAnimate. It has great potential for learning but it also has great potential for distraction, as students (or teachers) might get distracted completing the tasks to earn GoBucks and not finish the animations they’re working on. 


It is also important to note that GoAnimate is a public tool and not created specifically for classroom use - some materials published there are not appropriate for school or all audiences, prescreen animations before showing in class.

Check out this example of what one user has created with GoAnimate:

GoAnimate.com: Windows on the World by vp1234567

Like it? Create your own at GoAnimate.com. It's free and fun!

If the video doesn't load view the animation here

BP7_OMM_Glogster

Glogster is an excellent tool for students, teachers, and schools to communicate effectively and creatively. Take a look to see some of the things you could be doing with Glogster.

Glogster One Minute Message

BP6_Comment for Mark C

Check out Mark Coppin's blog & my comment here

BP5_Comment on Mark D

Check out Mark Dohn's post & my comment here

BP4_Glogster

Glogster, an interactive upgrade to the basic blog, is an excellent resource for teachers to improve motivation for writing. With the posters created with this program students can express their own personality clearly. Pictures, videos, and links can be added to the text making posters a dynamic update to the traditional essay, collage, or poster.

Benefits of Glogs

Every user creates their own profile where their published glogs are displayed. Users can personalize their profile with status updates, personal information and comments, and favorite glogs from the gallery.

Glogs can be created for a number of purposes from a personal biography to a teacher or course introduction to an audio/visual aid for teaching a new concept in class. A benefit of this tool is the gallery of all published glogs – with this gallery students can refer back to a teacher’s glog after the lesson or while doing homework. Students could use this tool to demonstrate their learning, advertise an event, or to persuade their audience. Students can share their glogs with each other and add their own comments.

Glogster Profile

Teachers can set up classes to manage students, projects for students to complete, and then assess the finished glogs for students. With the premium membership teachers can also access students accounts to manage glogs and progress, message students in classes, and assess students’ published glogs.

Gregg v Georgia Glog

The resource of Glogster can be used to help students improve their ability to communicated with visual aides while focusing the text to just the most important information. It can also be used to help students with difficulty with verbal communication practice and improve their verbal skills.

BP3_Edmodo

This week's Web 2.0 tool comes from Edmodo.

Edmodo is like a classroom version of Facebook. Teachers and students each create their own profile accounts. 

Edmodo Homepage

Create Groups for Classes

Teachers create a virtual classroom/group space that the students use to access Edmodo. Every group space has an access code to manage students entry into the correct groups.

Edmodo allows teachers to post notes, links, and assignments for students to complete. There's even an option to add alerts to communicate important information quickly. Each of these can be sent directly to specific students, teachers, or groups. Teachers can easily see and access students' completed assignments and replies to posts.

It provides a safe location for students and teachers to communicate with one another. There's also an option for teachers to maintain access and communication with their students using a cell phone application. There's even an option to maintain an Edmodo grade book and library for teachers to access.

Through Edmodo the community begun in the classroom can continue build when the students go home and encourage every student to participate. In this safe environment that many students are already familiar with through their use of Facebook, instructor can allow students more freedom of creativity in their assignments while giving them the opportunity to further develop their teamworking skills and their ability effectively use the internet to enhance their learning and knowledge.

BP_Diigo Group

This is the beginning of my AR Diigo Group. I'm currently still waiting for my critical friends to join me but I do think this is going to be a valuable resource as I continue with my action research project.

BP2_iGoogleScreenShots

A sneak peek into my iGoogle world...

FSO - Home

ETC

FSO

Action Research

In iGoogle I have begun to organize my program and AR project information. I'm hoping this will be a resource that will make integrating all the pieces together in a way that I can use them best. Unfortunately I haven't been able to get them all working yet but I'm still in the works.

BP1 - Google Reader

building passion

Educational Games Research examines many of the current technologies that are available or are being used in classrooms. I chose to follow this blog because of the potential access it may provide to new technologies I can use in my action research (AR) project as well as in my classroom. Not only are the most popular technologies discussed but some of the difficulties and alternatives as well.

ESL Technology.com discusses many ways technology is being used in the classroom and how those technologies apply to the teaching basics and integrating some of those technologies together. I chose this blog because I am interested in discovering some new methods for implementing more technology into my classrooms as effectively as possible.

TED Blog provides discussions of the innovations happening at TED. I am intrigued by the creative perspectives everyone brings to TED and I think it would be beneficial to keep abreast of this information.

21st Century Collaborative challenges the leaders in the field to exceed expectations. I chose this blog because I think in our goals through this program we will be further developing the leader within us and I believe this blog may be a positive challenge to follow through to our potential.

Point of Inflection has a focus on soft skills which is a particular area of focus for my AR project and I think I may find some valuable thoughts in its post.