This Thursday and Friday I'm attending the Wisconsin State Reading Association (WSRA) convention in Milwaukee. Of course, it couldn't be a week that we had class in Milwakee, so I didn't have to drive in twice. It could never work out that well.
I am thoroughly enjoying our weekly meetings. I feel like I'm in a classroom getting all of the personal interaction that I crave, but from the comfort of my own home. I think the hybrid was a success.
As for my experience with Prezi, I don't have a lot of good things to say. I understand why some people like it, but I don't think it's for me. I spent way too much time trying to place my pictures and my text. I like it when the computer does it for me. I like how in PowerPoint everything lines up. I get so frustrated with figuring out how to place and size the items. Curse my lack of spacial intelligence. Perhaps if I went to a previous Prezi and used one of the shared templates it could have been easier. I would show students how to use it, but I don't think I will be using it anytime soon. There are other programs that make more sense for me.
My Pecha Kucha is proving to be more challenging than I originally thought. I changed my topic to elements of character because it was a PowerPoint with only words and bullet points that I went over with my students. This is review information for them, and I just want to activate and remind them that they know all of these terms already. I thought the time would be perfect. What I didn't realize was how challenging it was going to be to give equal time to all of the slides. Sometimes I feel like I'm rushing through and other times I have a lot of time left over. I'm enjoying this challenge, and I'm thinking about making it one of the speeches that my students will give next year.
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Emily I agree with you about the meetings on Elluminate, it's great to be sitting at my dining room table with a cup of tea and be in class at the same time.
ReplyDeleteI wasn't sure what to think about Prezi at first either. It wasn't so much creating one as the actual type of animation it used--it seemed a little overstimulating to me. But, when I think of video games, etc. I think it's a common viewing format for kids, so might heighten their interest. I like the fact that Louis has introduced us to various options when it comes to visual presentations. Before this class I really only thought of PowerPoint or PhotoStory.
I too like the meetings on Elluminate. I didn't think it was going to work this well. I really like that it is synchronous.
ReplyDeleteI also think that Prezi with students would be challenging. But I might give it a shot, to see what they come up with, perhaps for a review tool. I think they might find it fun, because it is different.
I really, really like the idea of making the Pecha Kucha as an ideas for the students speeches next year. That may help them to be more organized and precise.