Video Sites

I found it very motivating to explore the video sites. I use a lot of quick news clips now, but have had to be home watching the news to catch the upcoming news in time to pop in a VHS. The potential to access more video by searching topics in very intriguing but also time consuming. One of problems is what my husband calls the "bright shiny object" syndrome. You start exploring on a specific topic, but then you see something linked to that site of interest (the bright shiny object calling you) that looks really interesting and you are off in the direction. I find myself constantly reigning myself back in subconsiously not allowing myself to wander, but to stay on task. For this reason, I could see using these sites to present information in an instructional setting, but very questionable for student exploration.

I liked the rules attached to Next Vista and felt it was safer for students, but very limited availability at this point. I found nothing on nutrition, but did find one career video under Light Bulbs (Oceanography) for our career exploration unit. The fact that it was under 5 minutes, made it possible to consider use for those quick snipits that students need to keep them focused. I liked hearing students from Santa Clara, CA narrating about their town's anemities under Global Views. All the potential uses are mind boggling.

I loved Teachertube mainly for the video on using Excel to make posters.

UTube, while less reliable for accuracy of information, actually had a number of nutrition videos. Some were reliable on National Nutrition Month, others looked like student projects. As student projects go, there was one with good information "Nutrition Remix", but another that never seemed to have really understood the concepts. I think students would be motivated to be able to have an assessment in this format.

Clipblast was the most reliable and had the most nutrition related videos. I liked this site because of its news video search.

Reflections 1 lesson 4

After investigating many blogs, I can now see more justification for blogging such as an authentic audience. When I first investigated it, I felt it was just a social circle and a waste of time. While it can provide individualized teacher feedback, create an audience outside of the classroom, and connect world wide, I do worry about all aspects of education that necessitate sitting. Being a Family and Consumer Science teacher I tend to approach all education looking at the impact on health, family life, and career possibilities.

I needed to expand my search of blogs in a quest for FACS (Family and Consumer Science) blogs. I was excited to see my ideal active classroom already exists as shown in the article on Work Whilst you Work. Pictures can be seen on the mayoclinic site. I've always thought that in order to fight teen obesity, we need to make education in motion. When I learned about podcasting, I've kept this in the back of my mind for my instruction delivery possibilities in an ideal motion classroom.

For ways to incorporate blogging into FACS, I actually see the facelessness of blogging as having potential. One area we address is weight loss. Students are much more likely to ask questions they would not ask in class if they can use a pseudonym. It could create a forum, a support group, with a direct link for teacher input.