My introduction to Microsoft Photo Story3 activated my creative juices. My assignment was to take a few photographs from my immediate environment and create a photo story. The process was relatively simple and a lot of fun. I was able to add background music, but what really caught my fancy was the ease with which text, colour and fade-in, or transitions were done. As an instructional tool this technological application has great potential. My web search led me to a site that offers a variety of ways photo stories can be used in teaching. It is worth
checking out.
Many of us have photographs on our desktops, our flash drives, or simply lying in boxes or drawers. We can scan, in the case of printed photographs, or open our 'pic' files and get started to creating family treasures or creative teaching strategies.
Here is my first photo story below. Can you recognize the famous actresses?
Hi Donna,
ReplyDeleteI must say my experience with ICT has virtually thrown me into cyberspace. I feel like the child who is thrown into the water and told to swim. Technology in the classroom is truly here - heavy emphasis was made of this fact at the “Creating the 21st Century Classroom” workshop I attended at LRC and I am presently attending an “ICT in Schools” training workshop hosted by NCSE for teachers of both Primary and Secondary schools. The technology is here to stay; we just have to learn to swim/surf to survive. Believe it or not, I look forward to the reopening of school; to try to implement as much as possible.
Donna, you made mention of a website that offers a variety of ways photo stories can be used in teaching but you forgot to provide the link. I will follow your posts to see if you remember to post it. I especially liked your suggestion about creating family treasures with the family photos because I have lots and lots of these in albums in which I usually write, at the side, what the photo is all about. Now I see where I can store them or (as Colin always cautions) “back up” my photos. I will surely be busy this August ‘backing up’ my photos.
As we go forth with all our ideas about technology, I pray that we all remember that we are constantly under the lenses [camera] of our students; be careful of the photo stories we create in their ‘mind’s eye’. What would be the “text over photo” that these children would put for us? As Angela said, “Picture it.”
Remember to post the website. All the best.
When I was exposed to Microsoft Photo story 3 I had a similar experience. I just wanted to get to the computer and get started. I am not technologically savvy but the manner in which our tutor went about teaching I was able to follow easily and the end results blew me away. Just think of that will do to our students' self esteem. What a way to motivate our struggling readers?
ReplyDeleteHi My Friend, you have been an inspiration to me from the beginning of our course and you continue to do so, and I do not think that you know it. You helped me when I needed to get literature on the comic character Naruto so that I could plan my teaching/learning sessions with my student for Dr. Conrad's course. Your actions were so unselfish and you continue to share even your red plums from the little lady, I do not know her name.
ReplyDeleteAgain you are sharing your experiences with us and like you, I enjoyed making my photo story and see its importance in the improving of literacy expression and acquisition in my students. I can see my student making his photo stories and his progress in his academic life due to this and other technologies to which he will be exposed over time.
Like Rosa, I would like to have the address to the site that you have found.Please share with us. Looking forward with eagerness.
Blessings!
Donna, I already created a Photo Story of my son's first visit to Tobago. He views it everyday. I too thought it a great way to create family treasures and capture memories in an exciting way.
ReplyDeleteThen it hit me.....throwing the idea of creating photo stories out to my students as fun ways to share pictures and experiences is a way to enhance their reading skills without 'teaching'. As we experienced in tutorial, it's so simple and exciting to create
that it doesn't feel like work!
Having a day to share these stories would help me get to know my students better ( understand their interpretation of their world), to listen to their speaking ( fluency, tone) and so much more.
I am not sure about using this as a formal instructional strategy ( you know access to technology is an issue for me)but I really am excited about using it!
Hi Donna,
ReplyDeleteYou speak like a true teacher! We always have lots of stuff ,in lots of places to do lots of things! But seriously, Donna, I love your spirit, girl! I do have quite a lot of pictures on my desktop and flashdrive and will be exploring how I can put these to use. Donna, I'm doing my own action research at home. My daughter is my case study. I am using photostories as a source of motivation for creative writing and intend observing and measuring differences in her attitude and performance. I'll keep you informed as I go along.