Journal 6: Software Review and iMovie

Journal 6

INSPIRATION SOFTWARE

For the Inspiration Assignment I chose to use the original Inspiration software. I created a topic analysis web using the main idea of comprehension as my starting point. I briefly reviewed the tutorial on the Atomic Learning site but mainly took the approach of learning by doing and just started creating! I found the program user friendly with a lot of creative components to make your work more meaningful, colorful, and interactive. Most of my time was spent not actually creating the web but adding pictures and playing around with different colors. I think students would like this program a lot, although it may appear more to the visual or tactile learners. It is a great tool for connecting words and images as well as using maps or other graphical representations to clarify tough concepts. As a teacher, I would first model the use of this software and then show an example. Starting out working in pairs may be another way to ease students into becoming proficient users of the software.

I would incorporate this software in my classroom as an extension of learning in a major unit or lesson. This program could be used across subject areas including Social Studies and Language Arts to only name a few. In Language arts, making a visual web of related ideas could help students make connections between characters, themes, and actions. In Social Studies, it would be used to show the significance and aftermath of major battles. This tool could also be used as a means of assessment to indicate to the teacher the level of student comprehension following a lesson or unit. Since there are so many components to this software, I would introduce it towards the beginning of the year, model an example, and expose students to its many capabilities in small chunks and then as a final demonstration of understanding, ask the students to complete a work of original art similar to what I did in this assignment.

3. I liked the Atomic Learning tutorial a lot. The use of video as a means of instructional guidance is an excellent idea to reach all different types of learners. This goes along with the importance of modeling for our students so they have a clear understanding of what we want and what they are supposed to do. I think this type of tutorial can gives students the preliminary information and foundation they need to have confidence in getting started.

iMOVIE

I had a lot of fun making the iMOVIE and thought the software had a lot of innovative capabilities. It took me a while to get started, but once I played around a bit, I was finally able to navigate through and complete the movie. The hardest part for me was the sound component; figuring out how to crop music and make it fade at the end. I definitely think students would need a tutorial before starting and also would benefit greatly from teaching modeling and seeing an example of a previously made movie. The iMOVIE program is an excellent outlet for building creativity in students and is appealing to audio, visual, and tactile learners. At the end, students can see their finished product and feel a sense of accomplishment.

I would incorporate the iMOVIE into my classroom as part of a major unit. It can be applied to different subject areas such as Social Studies where students can make a move including video and pictures of historical sites or in Language Arts where a movie is made about an important literary figure. Music from the period being studied can be included to accompany the visuals. This would be an excellent activity individually or in groups. I think I would do something like this at the end of a unit and after thorough explanation and modeling. The iMOVIE software could also be used as vehicle to connect students across the globe by making a movie about their class and/or school and sending it to students in another country.

The video tutorial, Accidental Student, was very helpful in seeing how to begin the iMOVIE assignment. For a program like this, where they are so many things you can do and so many details to pay attention to, it is crucial for students to receive some guidance so they feel confident in experimenting with the material. The best learning tool, however, is actually doing it and playing around with the software on your own. Then the students can see firsthand how to make their movie.