Multimedia

 Some classroom ideas involving mutimedia - music, video, images, voice recordings etc. Typical software used would be PhotoStory, MovieMaker, PowerPoint and iMovie. Send your stories to n.crawford@auckland.ac.nz

ICT in Secondary History

[|watch this]
Digital Storytelling in German ASDAN Youth Award Scheme Video analysis in PE Interactive PowerPoint in Maths Puppet shows go to the next level

**ICT in secondary history** Rose Waerea teaches senior history at Bream Bay College and is keen to ‘bring history into the 21st Century’. After discussion we decided that students could feasibly create video documentaries to meet the requirements of Achievement Standard 90655. This achievement standard involves communicating key historical ideas with accurate supporting evidence to show understanding of an historical context. Rose had no experience of computer based video production however she was very enthusiastic about the idea and willing to give it a go. Students used video cameras, digital cameras, internet sites, books and tv documentaries to gather information as well as interviewing local people. They then used Microsoft MovieMaker to edit their photographs and video and to add their own commentary. Rose said “ I have never seen so much independent learning over a prolonged period of time. Students were so motivated to produce a top quality product they spent time at lunchtime and after school. Our major challenges were not with students learning the ICT skills but with equipment and software. Students soon learned to save their work every two minutes to avoid losing work as machines crashed or froze. Their problem solving skills improved dramatically once they realised that the teachers response to their questions would be ‘Stop shrieking for help and fix it’ Despite this they persevered and produced stunning work of which they were justifiably proud.” Would you do this again Rose? “Absolutely. This is up there with the high points in my 33 year teaching career View this example from one student. [|Gallipoli.mov] top

**Digital Storytelling in German** Suzanne Atkins teaches German at Whangarei Girls’ High School. After seeing Nigel’s presentation at TUANZ, on using MicroSoft PhotoStory, she felt sure she could use it with her year 11 and 12 German students. The students made very simple props and then took digital photographs as they acted out a Brothers Grimm fairytale. The photos were combined with English subtitles using PhotoStory (free [|download] from Microsoft) and the story narrated in German. See one of the stories.[|germanstudentwork.mov] top

Denise Phelan teaches year 11 [|ASDAN] option class at Whangarei Boys' High. The program offers a series of self selected challenges. The example below is an information technology unit in which students have to use audio or video equipment to make a recording together with an expressive arts unit based on production and performance. Students composed and performed their own music, took photographs and created the final product using MovieMaker. See the finished product here [|boys] top
 * [[image:boys.jpg width="57" height="56" align="left"]]ASDAN Youth Award Scheme**

**Video analysis in PE** Janna Dearnley teaches physical education at Whangarei Girls’ High. “We wanted to be able to help students with their biomechanical analysis of a physical skill. This is traditionally, difficult task and was previously done by watching video footage of themselves and writing about what they saw. Specialist software is available but costs several thousand dollars, we needed a cheaper solution. Using Windows Movie Maker - we edited each student's performance so that we were able to provide a small video project and movie for each student. From this - students were taught how to "take photos" from their video of themselves. These photos provided still images of specific aspects of their technique. Students then inserted the photos into a word document - where they could bring in text about their technique as well as biomechanical knowledge - both required for the assessment. Student were also able to draw on the photos - highlight specific areas they wanted to talk about and to show key biomechanical principles relevant to the skill, e.g. line of gravity, angle of release, etc. The students found this assessment task much easier to tackle with the use of Windows Movie Maker. They also found the task much more enjoyable than past year groups.” View student work. top

**Interactive PowerPoint in Maths** Tanya Nicol teaches maths at Whangarei Girls' High School. She uses PowerPoint to create impressive animations demonstrating various geometric constructions. These are all available to her students to download and view after the lesson. top

**Puppet shows go to the next level** A primary school unit on puppets has been given a new dimension with the use of technology in the form of digital movie making and some free software called Wax 2.0 ([|get it from this site]). Keith Cave, Technology teacher at Tauraroa Area School, worked with year 4 students using green screening to enhance their puppet making unit. The primary section of the school did a cross curricular unit on puppets. Room 4 decided that they wanted to do more with their puppets when they had finished. Children wrote their own script, created their set and puppets before filming their puppet show, complete with narration. The class were sorted into class roles, narrator, actors, voices, riggers, camera people, editors, props, music, etc. In green screening, scenes are filmed in front of a green background, in this case $4/m neon green nylon from 'Arthurs Emporium'. The background can be digitally removed and replaced with another background either from movie clips or still photographs, as the news and movies are done. Keith uses the movie recording capability on digital cameras rather than digital video cameras. He has found that students find them easier to use and the smaller file sizes mean faster transfer times and cause fewer problems on the school computers. For the backgrounds the children then chose pictures from books to become the background scenes. These were simply photographed with the same digital camera. The students learnt a lot about the difference between a play and a movie. The editing in wax was the first step and would have been easier if when filming there was an indication of a change of scene visually queued, like in the movies. The green screened film was then loaded into moviemaker, another free programme and music, titles and editing were completed. A real fun project with lots of learning, the students had it shown at assembly and all took home a cd, a good example of ict supporting learning areas. [|pirates.wmv] top