Instructional Technology Blog » PowerPoint

Lowell Students Use a Webquest to Explore Environmental Challenges

Juli — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:31:22 +0000

Students in Dustin Wood’s classroom used a webquest to explore current environmental problems facing Earth. Students worked in teams to develop presentations about a particular topic (e.g., extinction, landfills, air pollution…). In the scenario for this activity, each student team is vying for $1 million in funding from the fictional Help Our World (HOW) Foundation. As members of the HOW Foundation, all students will vote for the team that makes the best case for its environmental issue.

Originally developed by Bernie Dodge at San Diego State University in February, 1995, a WebQuest is an inquiry-oriented lesson format in which most or all the information that learners work with comes from the web. Teachers pre-select online resources for students to use during the inquiry process, and students are assigned particular roles to support student collaboration. Student typcially use both online and print resoruces to accomplish the tasks associated with the project.

(student faces are blurred for privacy reasons)

Ocean Reports

LeAnn — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 22:06:32 +0000

The 2nd graders in Kayleen Diaz’s class at Lafayette study ocean animals. The classroom is transformed into an amazing underwater world! We worked together to come up with a technology project that they could do while writing their reports. The students created bubble maps, researched their animal and organized the information into an outline. From that written outline they chose at least 3 facts from the different categories to include in their PowerPoint. They were ecstatic to present their reports to their classmates and were trying their hardest to come up with questions that would stump their audience. This was the first time many of them had created a PowerPoint. You can view projects from Sarah, Henry C. and Simon here. For more information about the process read on.

Using a PowerPoint Template: Each student worked from the same basic PowerPoint, so the focus could be placed on content. So that the students wouldn’t have to navigate to save their projects, a copy of the Ocean Report (.ppt) was put into each student’s folder on the server. This also prevents the original from being overwritten. To prevent overwriting, you could also just save one copy in a main folder as a template (.pot) so when it is opened a new file is created.
Student Checklist: A checklist (.pdf) was created so that anyone who was helping the student would know which part of the process he/she still needed to complete. The students did a fantastic job of becoming experts and teaching classmates techniques they had learned. (i.e. inserting action buttons) If you would like a copy of the checklist as a word document, so you can revise it, please leave a comment and I can email you one.
Finding Pictures/Images: A word document was created (by an adult) with available pictures (about 10) and links so the students could copy and paste the picture and the source into their reports. This took less time that having students finding their own images on the web, but still allowed them choice since not all of the pictures needed to be used. The word documents were named by animal and placed in a Pictures folder on the server.
Presenting the Projects: Because the projects were stored on the server, it was easy to bring them up on the presentation station when it was the student’s turn to present. Not only did the student use the handheld mic but we were also able to connect the USB cable (the document camera end goes in the projector) from the computer to the projector (it’s on a table) so the projector remote could be used to advance the slides. They looked so official!
Student Reflection/Rubric: The student reflection (.pdf) focused on their presentation skills, not just their product.
Publishing to the Web: A letter was sent home to parents describing this particular project and publishing it to the web. If the letter wasn’t returned, then the project wasn’t published. Since the students had a copy of the original PowerPoint in their folders each project was renamed with the student’s first name. Publishing the PowerPoints was a little tricky. If a PowerPoint is saved as an html page, it doesn’t always appear the same in different web browsers. So, sometimes the pictures wouldn’t show or the animation wouldn’t work. I tried some of the various online slideshow/sharing sites, but they also stripped the animation/interactivity from the PowerPoints or were blocked on student machines. The solution I found was to turn the PowerPoints into Flash movies. I ended up using a nifty free application called iSpring to convert all of the projects. Then we just had to give them to the school’s webmaster to publish on their school site. I was also able to use iSpring to post the 3 example PowerPoints directly to SlideBoom (blocked on student machines) to be able to embed them on this blog.

Putting It All Together

Janice — Wed, 27 May 2009 20:39:08 +0000

If you have received your new teacher computer you have worked with various professional development modules from Instructional Technology. Many of you have asked for an example of how to put all of the learning together in a presentation that uses the presentation station as the primary delivery device for a class project.

Here is a PowerPoint designed for a high school music class to be used on the presentation station. The PowerPoint demonstrates how to combine the videos of your choosing, Delicious, and PowerPoint 2007.
youtubesymphony.ppt

The presentation gives an overview of the YouTube Symphony so that all of the students view the selected videos and have a chance to participate in a class discussion. This gives them all a base of common knowledge that will help them as they work on their assignments.

After viewing the PowerPoint, students are given a study packet designed using the PowerPoint notes feature. Assignments outlined on each slide page with instructions. You print these out from the slides by going to the Office Button > Print.
A pop up menu appears.
Go down to Print What: > Select Notes Pages and Click OK.
Using these pages, students are able to work from any computer at school, at home, or at a public library to access the Delicious resources and complete their assignments as scheduled by the teacher. Using resources in this way allows for whole class and individualized learning.

Notice that the PowerPoint is saved as a .ppt not as a .pptx in order to place it in a file share for students to take home to their own computers. The .ppt will work on a Mac or a PC with older versions of Office installed. By using the file share at your school you also have the ability to give the presentation to students who were absent.

Google Tools in the Classroom

Gary — Thu, 07 May 2009 17:55:17 +0000

Nathan Hale science teachers Matt Hinkley and Karl Englert are always searching for useful technology tools for their classrooms. One of their favorites is Google Tools for Educators. Google Docs is one component of the Google Tools suite (Sites, Calendar, RSS Reader, Picasa Photos, Maps and more). Specifically, Google Docs contains a word processor, presentation, and spreadsheet application. All 3 of these are stand-a-lone applications but also integrate well with Microsoft Office. Also in Google Docs is Forms, an easy-to-use survey tool. In addition, they use Google Calendar. All of these are available with a free Google account.

Here are a few descriptions of how these teachers are using Google Docs in their classrooms…

Google Tools: Google Forms and Spreadsheet:

1) During a 12th grade Environmental Science lab on organisms, Mr. Hinkley created a Google Form (a survey that puts the data in a spreadsheet and creates a graph) for students to collect and record the number of organisms in agricultural and natural areas they were studying. Students entered their lab data into the survey. Mr. Hinkley used the graphing feature in Forms to share the “collective” results with the class from his presentation station. As the students continue to add data Hinkley was able to update the graph to reflect the changes.

2) Mr. Englert uses Google Forms for students to complete an online Current Event assignment. Englert inputs the information and selects the type of questions required (multiple choice, open response, etc.). Once the assignment is ready, he embeds the Form/Survey (see picture below) on his Source class page for student access. As the students complete and submit their assignments, this work is compiled in a spreadsheet.

Click to view the sample images.

Google Tools: Google Documents (Word Processor):

1) Both Hinkely and Englert use Google Documents for students to collaborate on research projects. While working at their homes, at school, or in a library, students can work in collaborative groups to write and edit projects, like a “virtual meeting.” Using their telephones and or the build-in chat, students are able to have multiple people working on the same document at the same time. Also, because the students share their documents with Mr. Hinkley he is able monitor the progress of their work.

Google Tools: Google Calendar:

1) Karl Englert embeds a Google Calendar on his Source Class page to post assignments details, quizzes, tests, and other important class dates .

Notes:

1) Click here for more information about Google Tools for Educators.

2) Once students create a Google Account at home they can work on Google Docs from home or at school on student computers.

3) The instructions for finding and embedding the HTML code is on the Google Docs site.

Digital Media in the Classroom

Gary — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 23:45:58 +0000

An excellent example of teachers and students using digital media in the classroom is Nathan Hale’s 10th Grade Academy. These students are creating movies about the effects of worldwide epidemics as a research project. The Hale teachers realized that the video editing process would consume too much time and decrease the time students spent learning the content. Their solution was to imitate the “Ken Burns” style and create movies using only digital photos instead of video. To do this, the teachers designated Photostory 3 as the “movie” making application. These changes helped simplify the movie making process and reduced “creation” time significantly. Throughout Seattle Schools many teachers and students are using digital images, like the Hale staff, to enhance teaching and learning. To support all these endeavors, Instructional Technology is listing the following information as a resource. The information is organized into 3 sections: 1) resources for gathering digital pictures, 2) managing and editing digital images, and 3) tools for integrating digital pictures into instruction and learning.

Also, the Instructional Technology group is asking for your comments about other possible resources and or questions related to digital images to help us enhance the resource information in this blog post.

All of the links listed can be found at the Instructional Technology Delicious Site

Agenda

General overview of digital media resources
Time to explore digital media resource post
ET Input: Entering Questions and Comments in the IT Blog

Note: Some of the listed information only refers to the possibility for using this resource. Because each building has unique network and computer characteristics we are not able include specific instructions for some of the information. Please contact your ET, IT and NA for more information.

Digital Picture Resources (Possibilities)

Internet (Copyright Free Resources)

IT Delicious – Online Image Resources (Check out Larry Ferlazzo’s link to free online resources.)

Digital Cameras

Transfer directly from camera: To download the specific camera drivers on your Teacher Work Station (CWS) you will need the help of someone with a #pound account or a Network Analyst (requested through techline – 252-0333).
External USB Card Reader: These all-in-one readers allow you to download images directly to a computer and do not require software drivers installation.
Home Computers: Use a pen drive to copy and transfer images from a home computer.
See How Do I Pick a Digital Camera on the IT Blog

Document Camera:

Capture an image using only a document camera:
1. Press the capture button on the document camera panel.
2. Press the playback button to view these images
3. Download Images from a computer:
  - Downloading Images from the Document Camera to a PC
  - Downloading Images from the Document Camera to an iMac/eMac
Capture an image using Aversion Software and the document camera
- Using the AVerVision software on a PC or Mac

Scanner: These devices are fading but they can be valuable as a means for making student drawings into digital pictures. Scanners can capture images at the highest quality.

Cell Phones: Cellular camera technology is a popular tool used by students and adults for capturing images. The easiest solution for collecting these images is to download them on a home computer and transport them with a pen drive.

Computers: The most recent models of Apple iMacs and Macbooks have built-in cameras for capturing digital images.

Digital Picture Management (Organization and Editing):

Teacher Work Stations (CWS) and Student Computers (including Presentation Station Computers):
- Organization: Create and name folders within the folder, “My Pictures.” At this time there is not an approved software solution for organizing photos on these computers.
- Basic Editing:
  - Paint: The Paint program comes on all Windows computers and includes some simple editing features like cropping, resizing, and re-formatting.
  - Paint.net: This is a free download for PCs with photo editing features. Paint.net To download this software on your Teacher Work Station (CWS) you will need the help of someone with a #pound account or a Network Analyst (requested through techline).
Macs: iPhoto is a Mac only digital picture management tool that includes simple photo editing features. It is loaded on all SPS Macs.

Instructional Uses of Digital Images:

Samples and Resources:

Belarus to America
Water Cycle: An elementary class uses Photostory to share their writing and artwork.
NUA Slideshow
Poster Project Idea

Preparation Resources:

Storyboarding Software: Free tool download from Atomic Learning, Mac and PC.
Graphic Organizers
Research Tool: Easy Bib
Social Bookmarking: Delicious: Easy way to share internet link to digital image resources for teachers and students. The read-only site is not blocked by BESS.

Digital Story Telling – Resource List

See Digital Story Telling on the IT Blog

Applications:

Photostory 3 (IT Blog – Photostory 2 Resource)
Powerpoint (IT Blog – PowerPoint Resources)
MovieMaker (IT Blog – Movie Maker 2 and Teach the Teacher – MovieMaker 2 Resources)
iPhoto (Apple iLife Tutorials – iPhoto) Create slideshow from digital images that can be exported and shared.
iMovie (Apple iLife Tutorials – iMovie)
Voicethread

GLAD (Guided Language Acquisition Design): Promotes instructional strategies that use visuals (digital and analog) to enhance student learning.

Issaquah School District http://www.projectglad.com/glad.html

Converting PowerPoint to Photo Story 3

Juli — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 21:00:35 +0000

It’s easy to convert a PowerPoint file into a Photo Story 3 Movie. Here are the steps:

1. Open .ppt file, and select “Save as.” Using the drop-down menu, select either .jpg or .gif as your file type.

2. Next you will be prompted to choose every slide or current slide only.

3. Depending on the previous selection, either one or all the Power Point slides will be saved in the location you identfied.

4. Finally, open Photo Story, and import your slides. Now you can follow the Photo Story tutorial to complete your project. You might also like to use the online screencast tutorial that provides a voice over and animation for a more interactive experience.

eScrapbooking

Abbey — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 22:50:49 +0000

Scrapbooking is more than organizing a collection of pictures, words to document important memories. It is a selection process to capture details where powerful personal insights are revealed. eScrapbooking is the digital version of that process which can aid students in sorting through all the scraps of information they are bombarded with and in capturing snapshots of their own learning. It is also a useful tool for teachers to reflect on their practice.

Reflecting on your professional development experience is vital because it helps transfer new skills and knowledge into practice. It also reinforces your learning. It’s my belief there is an equally essential need for students to be more involved in reflecting on their own learning.

To focus on this belief, I have put together this training module to simulate an experience where teachers create an eScrapbook using their own learnings as content. I have been told by Teacher participants that this simulation can be easily adapted for students in the classroom. The idea is to help students synthesize and analyze in a technology rich learning environment.

Resources are listed below. I would love to hear how you have expanded on this idea and how you have adapted these templates to make them better.
Storyboard for Scrapbooking
Teacher Example:Targeting Process
Scrapbook of Reflections Handout

To read more information on this topic from author Annette Lamb click on this Link.

Simple Steps to Creating a Slideshow in PowerPoint

Eric M. — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 01:46:16 +0000

Once you have transferred pictures from your document camera to a computer, it is very easy to insert them into PowerPoint to create a slideshow. This document shows 10 simple steps to creating a slideshow in PowerPoint.

Related Files

Simple PowerPoint Slideshow (pdf)

Other PowerPoint Tutorials

Create Your Own Jeopardy Game

Eric M. — Mon, 23 Oct 2006 03:19:45 +0000

Students seem to love Jeopardy; it’s a game, but it also becomes an excellent tool to review and/or learn new content. Learn how to create your own Jeopardy game using a PowerPoint template.