My project is a professional development session for community college instructors aimed at providing them the knowledge and recommended tools to produce educational videos to facilitate their classes. The entire proposal can be read here.
Info from Online Communities
One of the things I did was join online communities on Facebook, LinkedIn and Google+ in hopes of finding additional information on the three tech tools I wanted to feature in my presentation – Camtasia, Audacity, and FreeOnlinePhotoEditor.com. Two of the communities produced some results.
I learned from a Google+ community called Higher Education that Camtasia has some incredible video effects, which I think I'll keep in mind but won't likely utilize for my PD session. A LinkedIn group for higher educational adjuncts also had some great resources, but those are worth exploring for a future iteration of my PD session.
Introductory Video Tutorial – In Progress
One of the things I've been struggling to do this week is an intro video about the professional development session. Really, I envision it as a short commercial to promote the class. In doing so I recorded audio and created a short PowerPoint – both of which I intended (and still want to) incorporate into a Camtasia video intermixed with snippets of the video critiques I did on my three tools. Here's the opening and final slides of the PowerPoint, viewable on my Google Drive.
However, my issue currently is one of Mac vs. PC. I currently own Camtasia and have used it extensively on my PC. I've done everything for this class, however, on a Mac. I downloaded a trial version of Camtasia on the Mac, and the trial includes a significant watermark on it. I emailed the PowerPoint to myself (created on the Mac) and then downloaded it on the PC. Even though I can open the PowerPoint on the PC, Camtasia is refusing to recognize the document. I've tried renaming the document and converting to an older version of PP, but it still doesn't want to recognize it, and therefore isn't allowing me to import the document. I'm hopeful I can figure out how to resolve this soon – hopefully, so I don't have to pay for the Mac version of the software.
Professional Development Outline
My outline for the PD presentation is being guided by the storyboard I created, which I thought was a great exercise in helping me clarify how I wanted to structure my session. This is the general scope of the outline, which updates noted since I did my storyboard in blue.
- Why Video is Important
a. Critical thinking
b. Information retention - Video in Course Development
a. Define the purpose
b. Complementary of other materials - Researching Subject Matter
a. Audio sources
b. Visual sources - Planning the Project
a. Implementation in lessons
b. Production time frame - Creating the Script
a. Structure
b. Screencast rehearsal - Producing Content with Images
a. Free photo sites
b. FreeOnlinePhotoEditor.com - Audio Recording Basics
a. Audacity
b. RODE Rec LE - Video Editing Basics
a. Camtasia timeline
b. Camtasia bells and whistles - Releasing Project
a. Posting in Talon (LMS)
b. Creating audio recording of assignments due
One of the things I didn't initially plan on doing but I feel now is important to include is a very basic website that includes the tutorial critiques I produced, as well as any future ones I may develop. This would serve as a resource for any instructors who want more information on the specific tools I discuss in any PD sessions. The only maintenance I want to do on the site is adding tutorial videos and nothing more. Earlier in my proposal, I talked about creating an online community. However, I've realized one already is in place within our LMS, which recently got an upgrade. So I don't see the need to duplicate something that's already out there. However, I think providing my attendees with a resource to turn to post-session can be beneficial. The site isn't anywhere close to being done but I have a start on it:
Post-Session Survey
As stated in my proposal, I wanted to create a survey after the session. Because of some of the questions Google forms asks, I kept some of the content the same while leaving others out. The current version can be viewed here.
Design of Multimedia Learning
Richard E. Mayer's Principles of Design – summarized in this blog post by designer, author, and UX specialist Dorian Peters – talk about how people learn better when fusing visuals with audio, eliminating unnecessary content, and organizing concepts in shorter segments. These principles are important to keep in mind as I develop my project. I find it can be easy to get carried away in my thoughts of what to include in this training session. However, I also know that whatever doesn't get included can always have the potential of making a presence in a future learning opportunity. For now, though, I'm hoping to keep the content enough that everyone leaves with at least one thing they can see themselves implementing into their lesson planning.
I look forward to the feedback from this update, as well as making progress on this project in the days again.
Shuva
Reference:
- Peters, D. (2005). Mayer's Principles for the Design of Multimedia Learning. Retrieved by http://designerelearning.blogspot.com/2005/09/mayers-principles-for-design-of.html.
This is an amazing start to this project! I cannot wait to see it when it is complete. I know you commented on my critique of Screencastify, but I really highly recommend it. Even if you have to pay for it, it would only cost $24/year and you would be able to edit and use the features that are not available with the free version. So far, you seem to be very organized in your planning and the website is very well designed. I am wondering if I should put a survey of some type on mine to get some stats on who is looking at the site as well as evaluation of the site itself. Keep pressing on, you are doing a great job!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the encouragement, Christine! Much appreciated!
DeleteExcellent job, Shuva! You are off to a wonderful start. I agree that you could always fit other lessons/activities in your next training session. Plus, I’m sure you’ll use the results of the survey to help you create the next PD.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the feedback!
DeleteOne of the things that I find most frustrating about PD sessions is that when I leave I is that the information is fine, but how am I going to use this in my classroom? What if I have questions and I'm not an expert in this material and how will I find the tools I need for successful implementation? The fact that you've taken to updating ideas and concepts is very much appreciated. It seems as though you've either been in many PD sessions, led many, or developed many of them because you've addressed this. I'm not familiar with an LMS, but you've said you didn't include an ongoing forum because you felt that this is redundant. But, can participants in your PD sessions join this LMS and are you a contributor? The reason I ask people in your PD sessions will be ultimately more comfortable with you and will want to send questions and concerns directly to you or a site that you're managing. I'm not sure that they'll feel as comfortable expressing their concerns to a site managed by someone else.
ReplyDeleteHi Josh, an LMS is the Learning Management System in which the community college's instructors and students access course materials. So the PD sessions are strictly for my instructor colleagues, who would already have access to the LMS interface run by the college. If I did this session to another group of instructors outside the college they would not have access to the LMS or any forums within the LMS, which is why I think the website separate from the college but created by me is being offered. Thanks for the question!
DeleteGreat job, and you actually helped me get my vision together!! You are going to be awesome at this! I agree with you that it's overwhelming to get started but we do truly learn from one another. I loved your video and I may steal the idea ;)
ReplyDeleteThank you, Patti. Feel free to steal away!
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