A Discussion of Mobile Photos and Videos and Some Goals

In my first blog post, I took stock of where I am in this tech-laced world, and took a bit of an inventory of my interfaces with that world, which did not take very long.  In this post, I would like to do two things: 1. talk briefly about the tool of the week (Mobile Photos and Video) and 2. Set some goals for myself both during and after this course. 

I am happy we are beginning with mobile photos and video, because these are the technologies I am most comfortable using as a teacher and feel like I take advantage of the opportunities they present.  In my English classes, we study photojournalism and photo techniques, and I am continually prompting my students to view their world through the lens and to write fiction and non-fiction as a series of well-composed Snapshots.  We actually do a project where students write stories, other students read those stories and "illustrate" them with a series of photos, and then a third set of students write stories based solely upon the photographs, a kind of visual and literary telephone game.

I became interested in documentary film making about four years ago.  Our school is lucky enough to take our students on an international trip each summer.  I am in charge of creating the curriculum so, when I was told our destination was the Galapagos islands, I thought "what better way to showcase student learning than through a documentary film?"  We (our students) shot, wrote, edited and premiered at a theater in down town San Jose a documentary about the islands and tourism's effects on them.  What an amazing experience!  It then became the expectation that each year we would do the same, so we have been adding to our repertoire of knowlege and have premiered documentaries about the Galapagos, the cultures of Peru and their Incan influences, the temples of Belize and Gualtemala, and are returning to Peru in a month to film again!

As far as goals for this class and beyond, I have some extra external motivation: our annual review for certification as a private boarding school identified the main area of need in our school as in increase in technological investment.  So, my very job depends on me reaching these goals:

1. We are looking into having an I-pad or other mobile device part of enrollment.  This will involve a virtual school community such as http://www.mybigcampus.com/ which allows teachers to post assignments and grades, students to communicate through an internal, Facebook-esque application, the community to use an internal email system as well as many other cool things.  I am currently researching the opportunities and have ordered an I-pad to check it out (it will come in July)!

2. I am planning on using the Facebook and Twitter requirements for this class to set up a long-overdue alumni follow-up site for our school.  Every one of my students promises, upon graduating, to contact me with detail of their journeys and then, when they hear I am not on Facebook, never do so. 

3. Our school is entering the SmartBoard pilot program in August.  I envision one in each of our classrooms, but I need to meet with our faculty to brainstorm ideas so that the boards become truly new tools for improving our pedagogy, and not simply fance projectors.

I am sure I will identify many other goals as we go along, and will update my list as the course continues.