Blog Post #8 Writing With Multimedia etc...

Part I: This Is How We Dream; Part 1; Part 2
Dr. Miller, in his Youtube videos This Is How We Dream, is bringing forth the argument that individual writing, as a print based entity will, and probably already has, become obsolete. He uses the example of his own book As If Learning Mattered and the process by which it was published to show us the traditional writing and publishing process. Dr. Miller took months to write his book, which in turn took months to publish. It then was relegated to the shelf along with all the other academic books where it eventually became less than popular and was available on Amazon for under a dollar.
Dr. Miller believes that we have moved beyond the traditional printing process to being able to print straight from the web. He has coined the term "Writing With Multimedia" to describe this ability. What Dr. Miller means with this term is that we can do everything, that was done in the traditional printing/publishing process, all on the web. Dr. Miller thinks of it as creating as opposed to writing and we can do this thanks to a multitude of new and innovative programs available on the web. We can add audio and video clips to our creation. We can add links to information sites that are updated minute by minute allowing access to the latest information available. The best part of writing with multimedia is that unlike books, that have a shelf life, a web based creation can potentially live forever!
I thoroughly enjoyed Dr. Miller's video clips! I am impressed with his forethought when it comes to the process of writing. It was hard for me to grasp some of the concepts that he dreams, will be and may already be, possible with the technology of today and the future. It has been hard to wrap my head around a lot of the video clips we have watched in this clip and I can only shake my head in amazement at what is and what may be available in the future. I would love to be able to write like Dr. Miller envisions but at this point I think I probably would not be very successful. I think I could ultimately produce a well done creation but it would take a long time mainly due to my unfamiliarity with the available technology. I am also a person that likes to do things very well which means extra time consuming practice. I am working hard to try and alleviate these set backs and I can't wait to be at the point where I can successfully write with multimedia! I don't think I am too far off but only time will tell!

Part II: Carly's Blog Post #12
To say that I enjoyed Carly's post would be an understatement. It was quite a piece of work and extremely well written. I think Carly did a great job of intertwining print with technology in the form of video links. Her proposed project, of having her students make a playlist on Youtube is a brilliant one. The teacher in me sees so many opportunities for using this in many different ways and subject areas. This could even be used in Math and Science to help students build background knowledge of a particular subject matter prior to its assignment by the teacher. The best part is that the students would enjoy doing it! I think Carly has come very close to what Dr. Miller envisioned as multimedia writing. I loved her choice of video clips because it shows a bit of her personality while hammering home her reasoning points.

Part III: EDM310 For Dummies etc...
Having to go back and watch these videos again was a great reminder of how far I have come in EDM310. At the beginning I could definitely relate with the ladies in EDM310 For Dummies but looking back I can see how much I have accomplished and it gives me a sense of pride and accomplishment. I think this video did a good job letting me know, then, that I was not alone in my frustration with EDM310. I found the Chipper Series to be a bit droll but their message of not procrastinating was definitely a wise one. I hate to think where I would be if had procrastinated. I think that I would like to be a part of making a movie about proper writing. Writing is important and good writing is the hallmark of an individual with a well rounded education. I think I would make the movie in the style of a narrated PowerPoint or something similar. I would embed video clips throughout the PowerPoint that offered examples and tips for better writing. I would also include links to handpicked sites offering advice on writing with style and purpose etc... I would make sure to show examples of poor grammar, writing and style, including those that come from the EDM310 instructional manual, as well as the proper corrections. If teachers ever want to be looked upon as professionals we need to write like professionals.

Part IV:Learning To Change; Changing To Learn
This is probably one of the most thought provoking videos I have watched to date! It deals with what schools will be like in the future. Gone will be the traditional schools of brick and mortar and their rigid standards. Schools will only be used as a place to meet for collaborative work and social networking. Everything else will take place outside the physical school. Schools should be more engaging and interactive than the world outside of them, not the other way around, as it is today. I love the quote at the end of the video that states "This will be the end of education but the dawn of learning" This speaks to the current notion of what schools and education are and what they should be. I think this video is probably spot on as far as their predictions are concerned and I agree with them as to the role teachers will play in education. The video stated that students need to know how to find information, validate it, synthesize it, leverage it, communicate it, collaborate with it, and problem solve with it. In order to do that they need teachers to teach them. To accomplish this, teachers need to be up to speed on the latest technologies, and be able to teach their students how to make use of them in the best way possible. This will be, in my opinion, probably the single most difficult hurdle to overcome in order to get the school of the future off and running.
Part V: Scavenger Hunt on Web 2.0
Sect A: Make a Comic strip

I used Make Beliefs Comix to make this comic strip. If this looks like something you would like to try just follow the link!
Sect B: Never Before Used Video Tool
For this task we were to pick a video tool we have never used before and give a brief description of some of its unique feature. I chose Animoto.com/education because it is tailored for teachers. Animoto for teachers has four features that stand out. First is Cinematic A.I., in this feature the program automatically analyzes your music, pictures and video and puts a video together for you. All you have to do is concentrate on the content of the video and how you are going to narrate it. A second feature is Include Text and in this feature you can add text in and amung your pictures and videos. This can simply be for identification purposes or can be motivational snippets designed to inspire your audience. Feature number three is Spotlight. With Spotlight you can highlight a specific image or video or give it more time to play during your presentation. The last feature I want to share is not necessarily unique but extremely beneficial. Animoto makes it very easy to share your completed work whether that is to your blog, website or Youtube.If Animoto.com sounds like something you'd like to use feel free to use the link and enjoy!
Sect C: Poll Making Tool In this section we were to find a tool that would allow us to create a poll anywhere and at anytime. I chose PollEverywhere.com to make the poll you see below. Follow the link and make your own!