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ABSTRACT

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Burns, Mary; Dimock, Vicki; Martinez, DannyTAP into Learning, Fall-Winter 2000.Stanford Univ., CA. ERIC Clearinghouse on Educational Mediaand Technology.Office of Educational Research and Improvement (ED),Washington, DC.2000-00-0026p.; Winter 2000 is the final issue of "TAP into LearningRJ9600681For full text: http://www.sedl.org/tap/newsletters/.Collected Works Serials (022)TAP into Learning; v2 n3, v3 n1-2 Fall-Win 2000MF01/PCO2 Plus Postage.Computer Assisted Instruction; Computer Software; *ComputerUses in Education; Constructivism (Learning); EducationalTechnology; Elementary Secondary Education; *Hypermedia;Interactive Video; Learning; Learning Activities; MultimediaInstruction; *Multimedia Materials; Visual AidsReflective Inquiry; Technology Role

This document consists of the final three issues of "TAPinto Learning" (Technology Assistance Program) . The double fall issue focuseson knowledge construction and on using multimedia applications in theclassroom. Contents include: "Knowledge Under Construction"; "Hegel and theDialectic"; "Implications for Teaching and Learning"; "How Can TechnologyHelp in the Developmental Process?"; "Type I and Type II Applications";"Children's Ways of Learning and the Evolution of the Personal Computer";"Classroom Example: Trial of Julius Caesar's Murderers and Court CaseWebsite"; "Glossary of World Wide Web Terms"; "Hypermedia: What Do I Need ToUse Thought Processing Software?"; and "What Do I Need To Make a Web Page inMy Class?" The winter issue, "Learning as an Active and Reflective Process,"focuses on the process of learning and on using video in the classroom.Contents include: "Action + Reflection = Learning"; "Paulo Freire andEducation for Critical Consciousness"; "Combining Action and Reflection inthe Classroom"; "Video Documentaries: Stories from the Past"; "Storytellingin a Digital Age"; "Getting Connected"; "Screenwriting Software"; "VideoEditing Software"; and "Is There a Low-Tech Alternative to All of This VideoEditing and Screenplay Software?" Both fall and winter issues present aframework for constructivism, highlighting six principles that were distilledfrom a variety of sources on constructivism, brain research, and educationresearch as well as Southwest Educational Development Laboratory (SEDL) staffmembers' experiences as teachers, learners, and observers in classrooms. Bothissues include an annotated list of electronic resources. (AEF)

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BESTCOPYAVAILABLE

Volume 2, Issue 3

Volume 3, Issue 1

Fall 2000

IN THIS ISSUEUsing Hypermedia

Knowledge underConstruction 1

Hegel andthe Dialectic 1

Implications forTeaching and Learning 3

How Can TechnologyHelp in the DevelopmentalProcess? 4

Type I and Type IIApplications 5

Children's Ways ofLearning and theEvolution of thePersonal Computer

Classroom Example:Trial of Julius Caesar'sMurderers and CourtCase Website 7

Glossary of WorldWide Web terms 9

Hypermedia: What Do INeed to Use ThoughtProcessing Software? 10

What Do I Need toMake a Web Page inMy Class? 11

To learn more about

SEDL's Technology

Assistance Program.

visit our Web site at

http://www.sedl.org/tap.

KnowIde undConstruct onLearning is a process of accommodation, assimilation, or rejection to construct

new conceptual structures, meaningful representations, or new mental models.

Learning is not an isolated or static process, nor does itoccur in a vacuum. We enter learning situationsindeed, allsituationswith some form of prior knowledge. As we interactwith the world around us, and the infinite variety of images,ideas, information, and other stimuli that comprise our world,we are constantly constructing, revising, and reconstructingour knowledge and beliefs to create a new framework ofunderstanding. Knowledge then is constantly under construc-tiona dynamic, evolutionary, developmental process. Thinkfor a moment about your knowledge of the world and thebeliefs you held as a child, as a teen, and ten years ago.How and why have your beliefs changed? Why did youhold the views you did at those particular points in time?

Learning is also determined by our level of biological andpsychological development. As the writings of the Swiss

continued on page 2

A Framework for ConstructivismLearners bring unique prior knowledgeand beliefs to a learning situation.Knowledge is constructed uniquely andindividually, in multiple ways, through a varietyof authentic tools, resources, experiencesand contexts.Learning is both an active and a reflective process.

Hegel and theDialectic

Georg

WilhemFriedrich

Hegel

(1770-1831) wasa German

idealist philosopherwhose key philosophicaltenet was his proposalthat all of history, andindeed all human thoughtand experience, could beunderstood through theconcept of the dialectic.The dialectic is a tri-partite construction,consisting of the idea ofa thesis, antithesis, andsynthesis. Our knowledgeand concepts are con-structed through opposi-tion to something else.We form concepts of aperson, object or ideathrough our interactionwith and experience of it.

continued on page 2

Learning is developmental. We make senseof our world by assimilating, accommodating,or rejecting new information.Social interaction introduces multipleperspectives on learning.Learning is internally controlled and mediatedby the learner.

These six principles were distilled by the staff of SEDL's Technology Assistance Program from avariety of sources on constructivism, brain research, and education research as well as staff members'experiences as teachers, learners, and observers in classrooms.

3

2 tAP into Learning

Hegel and the Dialectic continued from page 1

For example, let's examine the way a young child

forms an understanding of a dog: She can touch it,

play with it, smell, see, and hear it. Her concept of

"dog" is formed by these

experience with this

particular canine. For

her, "dog" may be small,

brown, long haired,

with floppy ears, and a

long tail. This paradigm

of knowledge about

"dog" is the young child's

thesis.

However, she will soon encounter another image

of a dogdifferent from the paradigm she has con-structed. This new dog will have different characteris-

tics: perhaps it is large, black in color, with short hair,

ears, and tail. Though perhaps not conscious of her

construction of knowledge,

the young girl must make

a decision: does she

accept this new creature

as "dog" or reject this

creature as "not" dog?

Hegel refers to this

confrontation of conflicting

information as the

antithesis. By assimilating/

accepting this information, the young girl's concept

of "dog" becomes more complex: the dog can have

many colors, be of varying heights and different

breeds. Thus, by experiencing this contrasting notion

of dog (the antithesis) and assimilating or accommo-

dating it into her original understanding or thesis

of a canine, the young learner forms a synthesisa fuller realization of "dog."

This is a rather simplified example of a profound

process in human intellectual development. This

dialecticthe constant interplay of thesis, antithesis

and synthesisis an apt metaphor for learning: aswe develop higher forms of knowledge, we constant-

ly confront more complex and abstract pieces of

information and must decide how to reconcile often

divergent pieces of information. Learning is therefore

often a process of conflict resolution.

Hegel had an immense influence on American

pedagogy. The American Hegelians, as they were

called, indelibly impacted the American educational

system: William Torrey Harris, whose views on

education helped to shape the public school

system; Susan Blow, the leader of the 19th century

kindergarten movement; and John Dewey, America's

leading education philosopher, and considered

by many to be one of the founding fathers of

constructivist learning theory.3

Knowledge under Construction continued from pa,ge 1

psychologist Jean Piaget (1896-1980) assert, children think andreason differently at different periods in their lives. The cognitivedevelopment of a child passes through a series of stages: from thesensorimotor stage, during which the child gains motor control,through the pre-operational stage, when the child acquires verbalskills. During the concrete operational stage the child begins todeal with abstract concepts such as numbers and relationships.Finally, in the formal operational stage, the final stage of cognitivedevelopment, the child begins to reason logically and systematically.'

Learning is oftentimes fraught with tension and conflict. If newinformation matches our existing understanding, we can easilyassimilate it. However, if new information does not match ourexisting knowledge frameworkor threatens our existing corpusof knowledgewe must either accommodate the new information,by forming new understandings or re-evaluating our priorbeliefs and reconstructing our prior theories, or reject that newinformation.2 This continuous struggle between pieces of varyingand oftentimes conflicting informationthis dialectic of learningoccurs constantly, sometimes consciously; more often than not,unconsciously, and contributes to our overall construction ofknowledge. Learning then is rarely a final product. More oftenit is a constant evolutionary, and sometimes revolutionary, process.

1 Plucker, J. Histoiy of Influences in the Development of Intelligence Theory and Testing.http://www.indiana.edu/-intell/piaget.html. December 1998. Accessed August 2000. Piaget'sfour stages of mental growth form the foundation in American education of our understandingof intellectual development. Piaget himself is considered one of the fathers of constructivistlearning theory.

2 Piaget, J. (1952). The Origins of Intelhgence in Children, 6. New York: International UniversitiesPress, Inc.

3 Hamilton, S. Hegel's Influence on American Education.http://www.geocities.com/Athens/5079/hegedu.html. January, 1997. Accessed August 2000.

4

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Theory aside, as teachers, we know thatlearning is a developmental process. We seethe ways in which children, as they mature,can handle more difficult cognitive tasksand develop the ability for more abstractand sophisticated thinking and expression.The idea of learning as a developmentalprocess is also formalized in the Americaneducational system through Bloom'sTaxonomy.4 Bloom identified six levelswithin the cognitive domain, from thesimple recall or recognition of facts, at thelowest level, through increasingly morecomplex and abstract mental levels, suchas comprehension, application, analysis,synthesis, and finally, evaluation, thehighest order. This classification systemhas influenced the way we structurecurriculum, impart information, anddesign assessment tools.

The traditional transmission model(e.g., lecture/short answer format), arguablyefficient in terms of transmitting large quan-tities of information within a compressedtime frame, focuses too intently on theproduct of knowledge (i.e., a certainamount of information as evidenced by howmany pages of text were covered, notebookpages filled, or grades received). As wehave discussed thus far, learning is equallya process that must be examined and under-stood. Thus, the transmission model doesnot allow for the time that learners need toengage with objects, people, and concepts,and at the same time examine their relation-ships with such resources. Nor does it allowfor the necessary reflection and dialoguingthat allows teachers and learners totrack the development and unfolding ofprocedural knowledge and to constructmeaningful representations of information.

In contrast, learner-centered environ-ments appear to offer the best potentialfor the development of new conceptual

a

nustructures, higher order reasoningskills, and understanding complex andoften conflicting information. In fact,Piaget strongly advocated learner-centeredenvironments that allow for discoveryof new ideas and materials: the teachershould allow students the opportunities toassimilate and accommodate new mentalmodels. Children, Piaget noted, need to beactive: exploring, manipulating, questioning,and discovering answers for themselves. Asmuch as possible then, instruction shouldbe individualized, and the teacher shouldact as a facilitator, motivating and guidingstudents, and providing for curriculumthat allows for discovery.5

Activities should be developmentallyappropriate yet challenging enough toallow for a certain level of frustrationon the part of the learner. Without thisdisequilibrium (Piaget's term) or antithesis,the oppositional challenge to the learner'sframework of understanding, the student'sbelief system is not challenged and thepotential for greater intellectual growth isstifled. Or to use Bloom's taxonomy onceagain, the learner should scale the levelsof intellectual development.

Consequently, where and when possible,we should encourage students not simplyto think within their existing intellectualparadigm, but "outside the box," to developcritical thinking skills, to challenge, invent,and create. History is replete with evidencethat the great intellectual discoveriesand ideological shifts of the ages wereaccomplished by individualsCopernicus,Galileo, Newton, Einstein, to name but afewwho confronted the boundaries ofthe existing paradigms of knowledge andbegan to explore and embrace new (andoften scorned) concepts, create new bodiesof knowledge, and transform our beliefsabout particular disciplines.6

4 WestEd. Bloom's Taxonomy. http://www.dfin.org/library/dlIguide4.html. July, 1998. Accessed August, 2000. Bloom's Taxonomy, devel-oped in 1956, by Benjamin Bloom and a group of educational psychologists, is a classification of levels of intellectual behavior impor-tant in learning. This system of classification includes three overlapping domains: the cognitive, psychomotor, and affective.

5 Ginn, W. Jean Piaget: Intellectual Development. http://129.7.160.115/inst5931/PIAGET1.html. July, 1995. Accessed August, 2000.

6 See Kuhn, T.S. (1962). The Structure of the Scientific Revolution. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.

TAP into Learning 3

4 TAP into Learning

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Since learning occurs by interactionwith somethinga resource, material, orpersonparticularly one that is challenging,certain types of technology appear to helpwith a child's intellectual development.When used appropriately, technology canbecome a "mind tool, function(ing) asan intellectual partner with the learner toengage and facilitate critical thinking andhigher-order thinking." 7 Further, it canenable students to manipulate informationin a manner that accelerates both under-standing and the progression of higherorder thinking skills. Finally, because ofthe plethora of information available onthe Internet, students can learn to question,evaluate, and validate the veracity of thetypes of information they gather.8

While Type I software often reinforcesrecall and recognition (lower developmen-tally on Bloom's Taxonomy), Type IIsoftware that allows for active discovery,such as multimedia, hypermedia, andsimulation software, appear to offeropportunities for higher levels of intellectualdevelopment since they allow students tobecome designers of knowledge ratherthan consumers of information.

With multimedia applications such asPowerPoint, AppleWorks SlideShow, orHyperStudio, students can communicatetheir understanding of the world around

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process?them, both concretely, through text, andmore abstractly and creatively through theuse of sound, video, and graphic represen-tations. With simulation software, or moreinteractive types of software, students canenter a virtual setting in which they areconfronted with new organizations of realityand intellectual challenges, which they mustovercome to advance or continue in thegame. In simulation applications that havean adversarial element (various chessprograms, for example), or a problem-basedcomponent (See, for example, The Energy°Isis Game at <http://library.thinkquest.org/20331/game>), learners must understandand anticipate the thinking of their virtualopponent, make split second decisions,strategize, simultaneously negotiate variousoptions, and determine the effect of achange in variables.9

Hypermedia software, such as webeditors and thought processing software,is highly interactive and structures learningas an active exploratory exercise in whichstudents discover or share knowledge. Likemultimedia software, hypermedia allowslearners to create and communicateunderstandings in a structure that is bothcreative and logical to the student. Moreflexible perhaps than multimedia software,hypermedia allows learners to determinerelationships between pieces of information,in the form of hyperlinks. We discuss someexamples of hypermedia on page 10.

With many Type II software applicationsin general, when students are allowedto work together, they teach and coachone another, argue about ideas andunderstandings, and are challenged byincreasingly complex tasks. Technologyalso allows learners to work individuallyand autonomously at a pace thatis developmentally appropriate forthe individual.

7 Jonassen, D. (1996). Computers in the Classroom: Mindtools for Critical Thinking, 3. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall

8 Adams, S., & Burns, M. (1999). Connecting Student Learning and Technology, 27. Austin: Southwest EducationalDevelopment Laboratory.

9 Ibid.

Type I and Type II Applications

Not all instructional software is equal inits educational outcomes, not even whenit shares the same content area focus.Just as a saw and a plane shape wooddifferently, each type of software toolshapes learning in different ways. Aseducators, it's important that we reflecton and think critically about the design ofsoftware applications and how they supportlearning. The following classroom exampleprovides an illustration of the differenttypes of learning that occur with differenttypes of software.

Mr. LaGrange's 6th grade geographyclass began the year as it always does:with a unit on the United Statesidentify-ing the states and memorizing the statecapitals. Following a week of textbookand map activities focusing on the 50states and their capitals, students utilizedthe freeware application, USA Puzzle (avail-able at http://www.torpedosoftware.com) inwhich the user can assemble a puzzleof the United States and match the capitalwith its appropriate state. The softwarehas varying levels of difficulty from 1 to 20and provides the user with an automaticfeedback mechanism and score.

Working in pairs, students spentseveral hours using USA Puzzle. Becausethe software is designed as a self-paced,stand-alone application, Mr. LaGrangeobserved but gave little assistance to hisstudents. Their time using USA Puzzle paidoff: when orally tested almost all studentscould recognize each of the 50 statesand identify the various state capitals. Theeducational outcomestudent recognitionof state shapes and identification of statecapitalshad been achieved.

Later in the school year, the class movedon to longitude and latitude, a common butcomplex concept that involves mathematicaland spatial skills. Mr. LaGrange's goals forthis unit were more ambitious than for thestates' unit: He wanted students to under-stand the concepts of latitude and longitudeand be able to utilize them as a navigationaldevice. Again, Mr. LaGrange employed asoftware application, On Top of the WorldLight (available for $15.00 fromhttp://www.tiac.net/users/hlynka/ontorder.

TAP into Learning 5

Generally stimulate relativelypassive intellectual involvementon the part of the user.

Are usually aimed at acquisitionof facts by rote memory.

The software developerpredetermines almost everythingthat happens on the screen.

The type of interaction betweenuser and machine is predeterminedby the developers of the software;the user's contribution mustconform to a very limited rangeof acceptable responses.

Everything the software is capableof doing can usually be observedin a very short period of time,frequently in ten minutes or less.

Generally stimulate relativelyactive intellectual involvementon the part of the user.

Are usually aimed at accomplishingmore creative tasks.

The user, rather than the softwaredeveloper, is in charge of almosteverything that happens.

The user has a great deal ofcontrol of the interaction betweenthe user and machine, and thereis an extensive repertoire ofacceptable user input.

It generally takes many hoursof use before the user has seeneverything that a specific programis capable of doing.

C. Maddux, D. Johnson, and J. Willis (1997.) Educational Computing: Learning withTomorrow's Technologies, 2d ed. Boston: Allen & Bacon.

htm) to help his students in this task.While USA Puzzle was a self-contained

application that led students through theactivity, On Top of the World offered nosuch guidance or feedback and thusrequired more active participation bythe teacher. Mr. LaGrange employedthe scenario of sailors on a sea voyagecircumnavigating the globe. He guidedthe students' exploration from one locationto another with a series of increasinglycomplex problems centered on the conceptof latitude and longitude ("You are leavingthe west coast of Africa headed for NewOrleans. How will you get there?", "Youmust now journey from Australia to theNorth Pole. Which line of longitude willyou follow?", "You're at the North Pole.Travel forward one hour in time."). Insuch ill-structured problems, the studentresponded to the problem in differentiated

continued on page 6

6 TAP into Learning

Type I and Type II Applications continued from pa,ge 5

and individual ways, based on his orher experience and reasoning processes.Furthermore, students had to learn tofigure out the problem-solving processas well as find the solution. Mr. LaGrangegauged students' success by observingtheir ability to navigate from one point toanother and by assessing their ability tocomprehend the concepts of latitude andlongitude, utilize analyze and synthesizeinformation, and evaluate the fastest routesto circumnavigate the globe.

Developmentally, by their very design,each type of software application resultedin very different types of learning. Whilethe drill-and-practice software (USA Puzzle)helped students recognize and identifyinformation, the more open-ended

application (On Top of the World Light)relied on the students' prior knowledgeto enable them to scale the ladder ofintellectual development and understandabstract concepts, analyze and synthesizenew information and evaluate theeffectiveness of their decisions.

USA Puzzle is an example of a "closed,""full," or Type I software application, whileOn Top of the World Light is an "open,""empty," or Type II application. One isnot better than the other, nor are bothequally effective in achieving the samesorts of learning. Like all tools, Type Iand II applications by their very designachieve different instructional outcomes.As with all tools their strength rests inappropriate use.

7 Children's Ways of Learningand the Evolution of the

, Personal Computer

4

Most adults appear to agree that children take to computers quiteeasily, indeed almost instinctively. Why is it that five year oldscan effortlessly (and embarrassingly for their parents and teachers)master technology while novice adults often struggle with movinga mouse?

In the 1970s, engineers at the Xerox Palo Alto Research Center(PARC) labored on the optimal interface design for personalcomputers. The computer, in its early form, was difficult tounderstand and manipulate. Its interface was command-driven;essentially the user typed lines of code that prompted thecomputer to perform particular functions. Engineers wanted tounderstand how computers could be made more intuitive anduser friendly. Using a group of children as their objects of study,they noted the ways in which the children interacted with andexplored computers. Steve Jobs, the 24 year old founder of AppleComputer, visited the PARC campus in 1979. Xerox had justpurchased shares in his fledgling company and in exchangehad invited Jobs to use some of its research ideas. Jobs observedthe engineers' innovations based on children's ways of learning.Using these modifications, Jobs and his partner, Steve Wozniak,created the Apple computer. Its inclusion of a "mouse" and itsuser-friendly interface based on a graphical user interface andobject oriented programming, made Apple the first commerciallysuccessful computer. Microsoft later adapted these innovationsfor its Windows platform.1°

10 Compiled from a variety of sources, including Triumph of the Nerds hup://www.pbs.org andWeyhrich, S. http://www.hypermall.com/History/ah08.hunl. July, 1998. Accessed August 2000.

8 BEST COPY AURA

Classroom Example:

Tr aD of Q.ed us Caesar'surderers nd C urt

Case bs tft

"Have you reached your verdict?"

the judge addressed the jury foreman.

"We have your honor. We find the

defendants, Brums and Cassius, not

guilty of treason against Rome for

the murder of Julius Caesar."

Elated, the defense team broke

into high fives, hugs, and cheers.

The prosecution sat silently, showing

no reaction to the verdict.

Nearly two millennia after his death in44 B.C., the motives for the murder of theRoman dictator, Julius Caesar, still arousediscussion and debate. Was Caesar a tyrantwho planned on subverting the RomanRepublic by making himself king, therebygranting himself absolute power? WereBrutus and Cassius, his associates andassassins, patriots who saved Rome fromprobable tyranny, or were they anarchistswho took the law into their own hands,murdering Caesar for less noble reasons?

The death of Julius Caesar had spawneda civil war, but no legal investigationinto the motives of his assassins, Brutusand Cassius. Thus, in light of this grandhistorical omission, these fourteen yearolds stepped in where the Roman legalsystem had left off: putting Caesar's murderson trial. Were Brutus and Cassius guilty oftreason, or were they patriots who hadsaved Rome from despotry?

This 8th grade Latin class at McMillanJunior High School in Omaha, Nebraskahad just completed a three-week unit onthe life and death of Rome's most famousruler and general, Julius Caesar. Studentsread Roman history texts, took notes fromteacher lectures, viewed the film, JuliusCaesar and parts of the movie, Cleopatra,

TAP into Learning 7

and took a final unittest, on which mostdid well. Yet, as sheattempted to probe theirunderstandings of the complexity of circum-stances and motives leading to Caesar'sassassination by two Roman praetors,Brutus and Cassius, the teacher was dissatis-fied. The students' understanding seemedsuperficial; their responses formulaic Howcould she best get them to think criticallyabout the events they had just studied?

Because of its adversarial nature, a trialis an extremely nuanced and complexprocess. Attorneys must identify key playersand facts, recognize motives and patternsof behavior, comprehend large amounts ofinformation, organize ideas, analyze andsynthesize data, apply knowledge, chooseamong alternatives in problem-solving, andevaluate ideas or actions. Further, they mustformulate and put forth their arguments in acogent and credible fashion and understandopposing belief systems and strategies inorder to counter and manipulate them.The teacher decided that a mock trialwould be the best vehicle for fosteringcritical thinking skills.

The trial was modeled on the Americanlegal system, and two lawyers from thecommunity provided in-class consultationsabout various legal and courtroomprocedures and placed themselves on callafter school. Students were very excitedat having such "real-life" expertise at theirdisposal and approached the exercise withtremendous gravity. The prosecution team(those representing Rome) and defense team(those representing Brutus and Cassius)voted for their lead lawyers, produced a setof witnesses (e.g., Marc Antony, Cleopatra,Caesar's widow), chose witness roles, andbegan planning their legal strategies.

continued on page 8

9

8 TAP into Learning

Trial of Julius Caesar's Murderers and Court Case Website continued from page 7

Chief lineof defense

Refused crownthree times

An InspirationConcept Map

Could havetaken control

of Egypt,but didn't

Nurtured byCaesar; Went on

to become Rome'sgreatest ruler

All research was conducted via theInternet and through library reference booksafter school. Class time was used for con-structing their legal strategy and preparingfor the trial. Because of the complexity ofthe students' tasksgathering information,organizing ideas, mapping strategies, anddesigning questions and possible answersfor both their witnesses and opposingwitnessesthe teacher was concerned thatstudents have a powerful enough tool thatwould help them unlock all of their ideasand strategies, brainstorm, and think andorganize ideas on multiple levels. Thus, stu-dents used the thought processing softwareInspiration® as an organizational tool forplanning their legal strategy. Each day, asthey prepared for the trial, students usedInspiration to create timelines of events,color code friendly and hostile witnesses,organize and express their ideas, createquestions for both their and the opposingteam's witnesses, and map relationshipsamong key players. At the end of the day,they gave a copy of their Inspiration chartto the teacher who checked it to make sureeach team was organized, prepared, andhad logical and comprehensive strategies.She returned each copy the next day withcomments and suggestions.

In class, the teacher circulated betweenthe groups, listening to their strategies, and

1 0

through her questions guided students toa particular strategy or issue that they mayhave missed. In particular she encouragedstudents to anticipate the other team'sarguments, to think as the opposing teamwould and in doing so address, defendagainst, and manipulate their argumentsin a way that would best help their case.

During the trial each day after school,the defense and prosecution met separatelyin two classrooms using Inspiration tomap out that day's events, create decisiontrees, organize emergent informationand strategies, and plan the next day'stestimony and strategies.

Word about the trial spread throughthe junior high school and other studentsbegan to ask to be involved. Students froma 7th grade Social Studies class asked toserve as jurors. One teacher volunteeredto give up her one of her plan periods toserve as the judge.

While listening to her Latin colleaguediscuss the upcoming trial during lunchone day, the 8th grade Language Artsteacher had an idea: Why not volunteer herLanguage Arts students as court reportersand news analysts? But instead of havingher students word process the trial notesand opinions that only they and she saw,they could create a web site which allstudents could access for a daily trialsummary. Since one of the 8th gradeLanguage Arts' outcomes was the abilityto write persuasive arguments, studentscould not only document the trial, butalso editorialize on its proceedings and onthe justice or injustice of the final verdict.Further, students would gain the valuableskill of learning how to organize andpresent informationan online newspaper.

The Latin teacher enthusiastically agreed.As the trial progressed over the next threeweeks, the Language Arts students con-structed their web page using a free webeditor. They reported on the trial, organizedinformation, interviewed key players, andinserted digital images. They searched theInternet and created links to other sites onJulius Caesar and to other famous trials (theScopes, Lindbergh, and Standing Bear trials,for instance). Most important, they evaluat-ed both the proceedings of the trial and itsoutcome, and debated the merits and

demerits of one another's opinions. In orderto do this students applied the thinkingprocesses of analysis, synthesis, and evalua-tion in Bloom's Taxonomy. Not only hadthe construction of the web site allowedthem to learn content, it had allowed themto delve into the complexities of the courtcase and hone rhetorical skills. The siteserved as a valuable resource not only thestudents involved with the court case, butfor parents and other school colleagues.

n this newsletter, we discuss learning as adevelopmental activity in which learners arecontinuously faced with new information,which they must accommodate, assimilate,or reject. The teacher certainly could haveended the unit on Julius Caesar withoutconducting a lengthy and complex courtcase. Students would have emerged fromthe unit with a repository of informationon the dates, characters and events leadingto and immediately following Caesar'sassassination. In Bloom's developmentalframework, they would have attained thelevels of recognition, recall, and possiblycomprehension. Most likely this body ofknowledge (thesis) would remain staticand students' memories of the events andmotives resulting in Caesar's death wouldhave faded over time.

Instead, by engaging students in thevery active and challenging experience ofa court case, both the Latin and LanguageArts' students wrestled with contradictorypieces of evidence (thesis/antithesis) andaccommodated their belief systems toaccept newand often unwelcomeinformation. This interplay between oftenconflicting pieces of knowledge and theprocess of evaluation, analysis and synthesisof facts in which students engaged, resultedin the construction of new frameworks ofknowledge and the development of higherorder thinking skills. Thus learning becamea dynamic process, as opposed to a staticend product. Over time, students may haveforgotten much of the content surroundingCaesar's assassination, but they gainedprocedural knowledgethe ability toanalyze data, present arguments, synthesizeinformationa skill set that transcendsone particular content area.

TAP into Learning 9

WWW Terms

Browser: An application that allows Internet users to findinformation on a number of topics hosted by a multitude ofInternet "servers." The most popular browsers are Netscapeand Internet Explorer.

Downloading, Moving a file, photo, etc. from a server orInternet to your own computer. Conversely, uploading, isthe process of moving files and folders from your computerto a server.

FTP, File Transfer Protocol allows users to transfer files over anetwork from one computer to another. A major channel fordistributing software, folders and files on the Internet.

FMK: HyperText Markup Language is a set of "tags" that tells aWeb browser, such as Netscape Navigator or Internet Explorer,how to display the document.

HTTP: HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTIP) defines how Internetinformation is transferred through the World Wide Web overthe computer network.

Internet: A network of many computer networks thatcommunicate across dedicated high-speed phone lines.

Link: The underlined text the user clicks on to take him/herto another page or another location on the page. Links arethe essential components of hypermediathe gateways toother sites.

Server: A computer on which large amounts of data andsoftware are stored and from which they can be retrieved.Servers are normally much more powerful than local or desktopcomputers and "serve" information to your local computer.

URL: Universal (or Uniform) Resource Locator. The address ofan Internet site. It usually has the following naming conventions:

http://www.sedl.org

http defines how the information will be transferred. The threesymbols [II], [:1 and [.] separate different types of information.sedl is the name of the organization (and also the server inthis case) and org indicates the type of institution.

World Wide Web: The "Web" (abbreviated WWW) is ahypermedia system for distributing information on the Internet.Because it is a hypermedia system, it supports the use of text,graphics, sound, video, and hypertext (a series of links thatallows you to "go through" one document/site/photo intoanother). Documents are linked through HTML.

11 BEST COPY AVAILABLE

10 TAP' into Learning

Hy &Vied aHypermedia are applications that allow the user to navigatethrough a series of linked elements (e.g. text-to-graphics, graphics-to-video). For the user, such structure allows for greater interactivity andgreater flexibility in creating the organization of an end product.

What Do I Need to UseThought ProcessingSoftware?Thought processing software, though notas common in schools as word processingsoftware, is increasingly popular inclassrooms across the nation. Unlike wordprocessing software, which tends towardthe linear narrative, thought processingsoftware allows students to organize ideas,express concepts, map relationships, buildidea webs and outline their thoughts in agraphical, visual, non-linear fashion.

Thought processing software can beused across all subject areas. In literatureclasses, students can create character websthat show the inter-relationships amongcharacters and create story maps of theirfavorite works of literature. Social studiesstudents can make timelines of worldevents, create diagrams of military plansand deconstruct and diagram major nationalpolicies. Science students can recreatethe periodic table of elements, drawdiagrams of molecules, and show thechemical reactions of certain molecules.In all subject areas students can usethought processing software as a brain-storming, planning, systems thinking, anddecision making tool, as a visual organizer,and as a concept mapping instrument.

t4econ

12

InspirationThe most common thought processing soft-ware found in schools today is Inspiration.Intuitive and easy to use, Inspiration allowsstudents to develop ideas, visualize thinkingand, in Inspiration 6, publish diagramsin HyperText Markup Language (HTML).Check out their web site for great ideason using Inspiration across all subject areas.URL: <http://www.inspiration.com>

Concept DrawThough not as commonly used as Inspiration,Concept Draw is another good thoughtprocessing tool that allows students to makeidea webs and concept maps. The greatquality of its images and its extensive librariesand templates make this a powerful tool.URL: <http://www.conceptdraw.com>

Visio 2000Microsoft's drag-and-drop concept mappingsoftware, Visio2000 can be integratedwith other Microsoft applications. Thoughspecifically designed for business andindustry, Visio2000 is appropriate for aneducational setting. You can order a free60-day demo from the following URL.<http://www.microsoft.com/office/visio/>

Finally, though most students tend to enjoythe flexibility and visual images of thoughtprocessing software, they can employ thesame techniques of idea mapping in a lowtech fashion: with a set of markers andseveral big pieces of chart paper.

What Do I Need to MakeWeb Pages for My Class?Basically, four things: a web editor, serverspace, some way of transferring files to theserver, and an Internet connection. Let's lookat the first three individually. Regarding thefirst, check with your school or district toascertain its World Wide Web policies and tosee if it allows students space on its server.If not, Free Yellow at <http://www.freeyellow.com> offers free web site hosting.

To transfer web pages from your computerto your server, you can generally (in mostnewer versions of web editing software)directly publish to your server. If not,you'll need some sort of HP (file transferprotocol) software. Fetch <http://www.dartmouth.edu/pages/softdev/fetch.html>

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TAP into Learning 11

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bmoi-Arrati I j.And behind the scenes: the same page in HTML.

is an easy and user friendly Mac 1- 1 P client(the transferring files are accompanied by alittle animated terrier) that is free to educa-tors. WinFTP is a Windows PTP client that isavailable free from http://www2.pcworld.com/Just search for "WinFrP."

For a good step-by-step guide on usingFetch, go to <http://www.flash.net/members/tech/machelp/tutorials/software/ftp/fetch/flashnet/index.html>

For a WinFIP tutorial, visit <http://www.flash.net/members/web/winftp.html>

Since web editors are less technicaland have greater instructional implications,we'll examine them in greater detail.

What is a Web Editor?Next time you're surfing the Internet andcome upon a page you like, go to the menuand choose View/Source. That thicketof bracketed words you see is HyperTextMarkup Language (HTML), the "language"in which web pages are written. While wecreate our web pages in English or Spanishor any other human language, the webeditor "translates" them into HTML, the lan-guage of the Web. So it's a bit complicated:we create pages in English, which the webeditor translates into HTML so they can beseen on the World Wide Web in English!

While HTML is not difficult to learn, it'scertainly more fun and a lot easier to simplydesign pages the way we want and in thelanguage we speak. Web editing softwareallows you to create web pages withouthaving to know HTML. Most web editingsoftware today is WYSIWYG (pronounced"wizzy wig") which stands for "What YouSee Is What You Get." This means that asyou are creating the page, you see will whatit will look like on the World Wide Web.

There are a number of commerciallyavailable web editors: Dreamweaver,GoLive!, Front Page, Hot Dog, to namebut a few. Before spending money onthem, you may want to experiment with anumber of web editors and see what youlike. If so, we have a few suggestions.

Free Web EditorsThe following web editors are free and canbe downloaded via the Internet. If you'rejust starting out with web editors, we recom-mend Netscape Composer (it's really a webenhanced word processing application).Once you get comfortable with web editors,try AOLPress or Arachnophilia. The latteris a favorite of a lot of web aficionados.

1. Arachnophilia (Windows)

URL: <http://www.arachnoid.com/arachnophilia/>

2. AOL Press (Windows)

URL: <http://www.aolpress.com>

3. Netscape Composer (Mac/Windows)

URL: <http://www.netscape.com>

For more free web editors, check out:

Free Editors

<http://members.xoom.com/dafreestuff/freeeditor.htm>

Though not technically a web editor,PhotoPage is a free Mac application thatallows you to create online photo albumsor galleries. Simpler than web editingsoftware, you use a form to create titles,choose images, and annotate yourphotosand you'll have a web pagein minutes. You can find PhotoPage at< http://www.versiontracker.com/>Search for "PhotoPage."

13

DemosAdditionally, mostcompanies will allowyou to demo theirsoftware for 30 days,after which it expires.This is a good wayto learn more aboutcreating web pagesand find out whichweb editor you likebest. Except forHotDog, the followingprograms (this is byno means an exhaus-tive list) will run onboth Mac OS andWindows platforms.

1. Claris Home Page

U<htplUt:://www.filemaker.com/products/hp_home.html>

2. Go Live!

URL: <http://www.adobe.com/prodindex/golive/demodnld.html>

3. Dreamweaver

URL: <http://www.macromedia.corn/software/dreamweave/triaV>

continued on page 12

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12 TA P :nto Learning

To contact the TechnologyAssistance Program, pleasecall us at 1-800-476-6861 orwrite to us at TechnologyAssistance Program, SEDL,211 East Seventh Street,Austin, TX 78701. You mayalso send us e-mail by writingto Vicki Dimock, ProgramManager (vdimock@sedLorg).

TAP into Learning is acollaborative effort by thestaff of the TechnologyAssistance Program.This issue was writtenby Mary Burns.

Mary Burns, Editor.

To learn more about SEDL'sTechnology AssistanceProgram, visit our Web siteat http://www.sedl.org/tap.

Photos on pages 2 and 6 are by BretBrookshire, Austin, TX. Photos on page7 and first photo on page 3 are byPamela Porter, Las Cruces, NM. Photoson pages 4 and 7 are 4D PhotoDisc. Allother photos are by SEDL staff.Design, Jane Thurmond, Austin, TX.

Sulbwatl Dnelwart Woods,

flODI3© Southwest EducationalDevelopment Laboratory.

This publication was pro-duced in whole or in partwith funds from the Office ofEducational Research and

Improvement, U.S. Depart-ment of Education, under

contract #RJ9600681.The content herein does notnecessarily reflect the viewsof the Department ofEducation, any other agency

of the U.S. Government,or any other source. SEDLis an Equal Employment

Opportunity/AffirmativeAction Employerand is committed toaffording equal employ-ment opportunities to allindividuals in all employmentmatters. Available in

alternative formats.

Hypermedia continued from page 11

Finally, you don't need a web editor tocreate web pages. Many word processingsoftware programs and electronic presenta-tion programs, such as Microsoft Word andPowerPoint, will allow you to save yourdocuments and slide shows as HTML files.Though the quality is not as good as aregular web editor, they'll get the job done.Additionally you can use a simple textdocument, such as NotePad or Word Pad inWindows (Go to File/Programs/Accessories)or Simple Text or Teach Text on a Mac andcreate your own web pages using HTML.

HTML is a "markup" language, whichyou can use to mark up a text file with"tags" that tell a Web browser, such asNetscape Navigator or Internet Explorer,how to display the document. For example,the tags may tell the browser to underlinea word, to center a section of text, or todisplay an image. Each section of yourweb page is bracketed by a set of tags:<BEGINNING TAG> and </ENDINGTAG>11

We won't go into all of the tags here.Though web pages may contain innumer-able tags, all web pages have at least thefollowing set. As you'll notice the "tag"brackets the text and tells the browserhow to display this information.

<HTML> This is the first and last tag of theHTML file. It identifies the file as an HTMLdocument. </HTML>

<HEAD> This tag encloses the Title tagand other important header informationsuch as when the file was created andwho created it. </HEAD>

<TITLE> This is the title of your web page.This title will appear in the title bar of thebrowser. </TITLE>

<BODY> This is where I enter all of theinformation I want on my web page,including text, photos and video. </BODY>

For more information on learning orusing HTML:

1. HTML Quick Reference

URL: <http://www.cc.ukans.edu/acs/docs/other/HTML_quick.shtml>

2. HTML Home Page

URL: <http://www.w3.org/MarkUp/>

3. Netpedia HTML Tutorials

URL: <http://www.netpedia.com/htmltutorials/>

4. Learning HTML

URL: <http://www.devry-phx.edu/webresrc/webmstry/lrntutrl.htm>

Miscellaneous Web Publishing Resources

1. Empowering Student Learning with

Web PublishingA good resource for teachers whowant more information on the utilityof publishing student work on the web.Covers such topics as critically evaluatingsites on the web, publishing safety tips,and assessing their products on the web.URL:

<http://www.siec.k12.in.us/west/article/publish.htm>

2. Creative Good: First Timers

A great place for Internet novices to learnthe basics of the Internet. Loads of helppages and columns that explain someof the basics.URL:

<http://www.creativegood.com/first.html>

3. Creating Web Pages with FrontPage Editor

FrontPage is Microsoft's web editor.However, you don't need FrontPage inorder to profit from this useful and easyto follow guide. Not only will you learnto use FrontPage if you have it, but youcan also gather general informationabout web page design, transferringfiles and publicizing your web site.URL:

<http://www.siec.k12.in.us/west/online/website/>

11 These are examples of what tags look like, not actual HTML tags.

14

',Technology4ssistince'[Trogrim,

Volume 3, Issue 2

Winter 2000

IN THIS ISSUEUsing Video

Action + Reflection=Learning 1

Paulo Freire andEducation for CriticalConsciousness 1

Combining Action 3and Reflection in theClassroom

Video Documentaries:Stories From the Past .. 5

Storytelling in aDigital Age 6

Getting Connected 9

ScreenwritingSoftware 10

Video Editing Software 10

Is There a Low-techAlternative to All ofThis Video Editing andScreenplay Software? ..12

To learn more about

SEDL's Technology

Assistance Program,

visit our Web site athttp://www.sedl.org/top.

Acton+ Ref.earnDng

ecton

Learning is both an active and reflective process. Though we learnby doing, constructing, building, talking, and writing, we also learnby thinking about events, activities and experiences. This confluenceof experiences (action) and thought (reflection) combines to createnew knowledge. Both action and reflection are essential ingredientsin the construction of knowledge. Indeed it is difficult to extricateone from the other since we are often "parallel processing"1reflecting upon activities even as we are in the midst of doing orexperiencing them. Because learning is so often subconscious, wedon't realize we've actually gained new knowledge or understandinguntil we stop to contemplate a particular activity. Reflection thenis the vehicle for critical analysis, problem-solving, synthesis ofopposing ideas, evaluation, identifying patterns and creatingmeaning in short, many of the higher order thinking skillsthat we strive to foster in our students.

continued on page 2

1 Caine, R. & Caine, G. (1991). Making Connections, 29. Menlo Park, CA: Addison-Wesley/Innovative Learning Publications.

2 Photo used with the permission of the Instituto de Paulo Freire in Slo Paulo, Brazil.http://www.paulofreire.org/

Paulo Freire andEducation for Critical

Consciousness

Paulo Freire, 1921-1997 2

Reflection, for the influen-

tial Brazilian educator

Paulo Freire, was the

critical component of

education. Reflection,

he believed, resulted in

"critical consciousness"

in which learners become

actors, not observers,

and authors of their

own decisions.

continued on page 2

A Framework for ConstructivismLearners bring unique prior knowledgeand beliefs to a learning situation.Knowledge is constructed uniquely andindividually, in multiple ways, through a varietyof authentic tools, resources, experiencesand contexts.Learning is both an active and a reflective process.

Learning is developmental. We make senseof our world by assimilating, accommodating,or rejecting new information.Social interaction introduces multipleperspectives on learning.Learning is internally controlled and mediatedby the learner.

These six principles were distilled by the staff of SEDL's Technology Assistance Program from avariety of sources on constructivism, brain research, and education research as well as staff members'experiences as teachers, learners, and observers in classrooms.

15

2 TAP into Learning

Paulo Freire and Education for Critical Consciousness,continued from page 1

"We apprehend the objective data of our reality

through reflection,"5 Freire wrote in 1973. When

we as learners do not reflect on our place in the

world or critically evaluate the validity of informa-

tion presented to us, Freire claimed, we become

passive and superficial, accepting faulty logic,

untested ideas, and allowing ourselves to be

swayed by deceptive arguments and polemics.

By combining action and reflection, we create

what Freire called praxisa set of practices

informed by reflection. Thus our actions are not

random or haphazard but informed and deliberate

and we are aware of why we do what we do.

In Freire's model of education, the teacher

is a co-learner with his or her students. Freire was

critical of teachers who did not believe that their

students had the ability to "discuss, to work and

to create." "Education is an act of love and

courage," wrote Freire in Education for Critical

Consciousness. "It cannot fear the analysis of

reality, or under pain of revealing itself as a farce,

avoid creative discussion." 4

Freire utilized the component of reflection in

the adult literacy programs he devised for peasant

farmers in northeastern Brazil. So successful was

this educational method that formerly illiterate

adults exhibited reading success in a matter

of days.5 Freire's use of reflection and critical

consciousness in adult education has been

emulated by adult literacy educators throughout

the globe.

Learning is Both Active and Reflective, continued from page 1

The optimal learning environment provides sufficient time forboth action and reflection. This is often difficult given the pressureto cover the curriculum and prepare students for state exams.Because of these and other demands, we often must end anactivity without giving students some formal or informal means ofdiscussing what and how they have learned. Thus, an opportunityfor the meaning making, the introspection of reflection, is lost, andtrue learning is not fully actualized. Further complicating this, inour formation as teachers we may not have learned how to engagestudents in authentic speech where they are allowed to honestlyshare their viewpoints about a particular activity, as opposed togiving formulaic answers (reflection versus recitation). We mayattempt to get students to reflect but they sit silently, unwilling orunused to sharing their thoughts, and we are unsure of how toelicit such thoughts.

Yet, as humans, we are reflective beings, who by our verynature constantly search for meaning.6 Speech our ability tocommunicate conceptscan shift us from a state of unawarenessto deliberate, self-conscious action. This helps us internalizeand link thought to action, allowing us to problem-solve, createcoherence, and form patterns of understanding.7 Yet, in theclassroom, students' "social speech" the sharing of their thoughtsand ideas with classmates is often silenced, thus stifling "innerspeech": the internal realizations and concept-formations thatcan result in higher order thinking.8

As teachers we may have experienced the situation where weactually learn a certain subject more when we have to teach it thanwhen we studied it as students. Certainly, this is the result of ouractionour having to do (teach) the materialto engage withit in an authentic and meaningful manner. But it may also be theresult of our having to think about/reflect upon the material.Thus our understanding of the material is both broadened anddeepened. This holistic approach "captures" the greatest amountof learning.

As learners we are constantly constructing, revising, andreconstructing our knowledge and beliefs to create a newframework of understanding. Reflection is the engine that drivesthis process. Through reflection students build upon and developexisting understandings to generate new knowledge.

3 Freire, P. (1973). Education for Critical Consciousness, 3. New York: Seabury Press.

4 Ibid, 38.

5 De Paiva Bello, J.L Paulo Freire and a New Philosophy for Education.http://pedagogia.click2site.com/pfreire.htm. (Accessed November 2000). See also Brown, C.(1975) Literacy in Thi?ty Houm Paulo Freire's Literacy Process in Northeast Brazil. London:Writers and Readers Publishing Cooperative.

6 Caine, R. & Caine, G. (1991). Making Connections, 29. Menlo Park, CA: Addison-Wesley/Innovative Learning Publications.

7 Wittgenstein, L. (1965). The Blue and Brown Books, 106-107. New York: Harper Torch Books.Vygotsky, L (1978). Mind in Society The Development of Higher Psychological Processes, 25.Cambridge: Harvard University Press.

8 Vygotsky, L (1962). Thought and Language. Cambridge: MIT Press. The terms, "social speech"and "inner speech" are Vygotsky's.

16

Combining AcfiRef ecliti fln t

Reflection does not mean that we sit inthe lotus position, hypnotically hummingmeditative chants. Reflection can beactive and multi-modal. Opportunitiesfor reflection should occur before, duringand after activities. That way students cantake note of their learning starting point,assess their progress in the midst of theunit and critically evaluate their ownlearning at the end of the activity.

A key to helping students reflectand make meaning of their learning is agood, open-ended questioning techniquedesigned to plumb the depths of studentunderstanding. In addition to the "what"questions (as in, "What did you learn?","Now what?" and "So, what does thismean?"), the "why" and "how" questions("Why do you believe that now?","How has your knowledge of this topicchanged?") propel students toward broaderand deeper understandings and encouragestudents to actively participate and evaluatetheir own learning.

As important as questioning techniquesis the atmosphere of the learning environ-ment. For students to feel comfortablesharing their views honestly and openly(reflection rather than recitation), theymust feel that their opinions are valuedand will not be ridiculed or minimized. Inessence, the teacher must strive to create anatmosphere based on trust and respect andmust act as a co-learner with the student.Educational research also speaks of the needto establish "active and passive" spaceplaces where students can reflect andretreat from others to work quietly andintrapersonally, as well as places for activeengagement and interpersonal learning.9

As teachers we utilize action andreflection on a continual basis in a varietyof formats: dassroom activities and evalua-tions. A test, for example, is both an actionand reflection tool, prompting the studentto think about how much he or she knows

rid

assrooabout a particular domain and demonstratemastery of it. Because of the pressureassociated with tests however, they maybe imperfect reflection tools. Students don'tsee them as non-threatening but often asanother meaningless academic hoop theymust jump through or as a potential trapto "catch" the student.

While tests will always be with us in theclassroom setting, it's important to utilizeother tools and methods to wed actionand reflection and provide students withstructured opportunities for reflection. Suchopportunities can certainly be evaluativeboth formative (on-going) and summative(final). We'll examine a few below:

Writing. Essays, journals, letters, and writtenpersuasive arguments are all effectualmeans of prompting student reflection.Students can do reflective writing individu-ally or with one or more students. Journals,especially if not graded and if their privatenature is maintained, can be a very potenttool for prompting student reflection. Theyare particularly effective if writing is ongoing (e.g., a 10 minute free- or guided-writing activity at the beginning of the classperiod handwritten in a small notebook)and if the teacher dialogues with thestudent in the journal. This intimate,shared expressive space can help tocreate a feeling of trust that prompts thestudent to be more open with teacherin other academic matters.

Computer Mediated Communication. Anyonewho has spent time with students knowsthat many of them are enamored of tech-nology, especially of the various featuresof the Internet. Bulletin boards, e-mail, listservers and chat rooms can all be effectivemeans for eliciting student reflection abouta particular activity. The teacher canestablish and monitor a chat room that

continued on page 4

9 Lackney, J. Twelve Design Principles Based on Brain-based Learning Research.http://www.designshare.com/research/BrainBasedLeam98.htm. Accessed November 2000.

17

TAP into Learning 3

Reflectionis both

"internalspeech"

and

"socialspeech"

4 TAP into Learning

Combining Action and Reflection in the Classroom, continued from page 3

allows students to communicate synchro-nously (in real time) about a particulartopic, while bulletin boards, e-mai1,10 groupemails (such as the free service E-Groups 11)and list servers also allow students todiscuss relevant academic topics asynchro-nously. Their asynchronous nature mayallow for more reflection time on the partof the student, and by establishing threads,the teacher can keep bulletin board and listserver discussions from meandering (toofar) off topic. Finally, the anonymity ofthese communication media may allow forless inhibition on the part of the student.

Guided Reflection Activities. There are manysimple guided reflection activities that spurstudents to reflect on their learning, tocritically evaluate knowledge (as is ageappropriate) and to become cognizantof their new formations of knowledge.Elementary school teachers (in particular)often end units of study by asking studentswhat they've learned from a particularactivity, thus blending action and reflection.Life maps, where students draw importantpersonal landmarks and developmental

routes, can be adapted for anacademic exercise. Finally, theKWL activity: "What do we know?What do we want to know? Whathave we learned?" is a commonlyused tool for getting students toreflect upon what and how muchthey have learned about a particularbody of knowledge.

Discussion. As humans we arespeech-making beings and manystudents welcome the chance toshare their "inner speech" with theirclassmates. Whole group, and moreintimately, small group and paireddiscussions, provide varied formats

for students to assess their learning, shareopinions, and discuss concepts about aparticular activity. These shared dialogicalspaces can assist learners to make sense oftheir learning and the leamings of others.12The range of questions and commentsposed by a variety of individuals offersmultiple perspectives on a concept or eventand spurs deeper and different typesof deliberation on the part of the learner.Individual conferences with the teacher, ifconducted in an open, non-threateningatmosphere, can also be a wonderful wayfor student and teacher to co-reflect on anevent, story, or learning experience.

Student Portfolios. Portfolios, both digitaland non-digital, are an excellent way ofprompting students to reflect on both thesubject matter learned and on their ownlearning. Because they can be saved ordigitally stored, students can revisit theirearlier opinions, beliefs, and ideas, contrast-ing this "old" knowledge with their currentworldviews. Digital portfolios, such as elec-tronic slide shows, multimedia presenta-tions, and hypermedia (such as web pages)provide a forum for students to bothconstruct the fruits of knowledge whilesimultaneously reflecting on it, sharing theirunderstandings with a larger audience inthe process.13

Art. Many students are much betterexpressing their ideas visually ratherthan verbally or in writing. Drawing andpainting, especially for younger students,may be a more appropriate way to elicitreflection and analysis about a particulartopic or series of events, especiallyfor students who have some level ofdiscomfort communicating orally orthrough the written word.

10 For a list of free e-mail services, including free e-mail for kids, check out http://www.pipcom.com/-smorey/email_internet.html

11 http://www.egroups.com

12 Shotter, J. Talk of Saying, Showing, Gesturing and Feeling in Wittgenstein and INotsky.hnp://www.massey.ac.nz/-ALock/virtuallwinvyg.htm. Accessed November 2000.

13 For more information on student portfolios, see the following resources:http://www.ed.gov/pubs/OR/ConsumerGuides/admuses.html, http://www.uni.edu/coe/portfolio/, orhttp://www.kent.svednetedu/toolbox/portfolio.html

is

Te hig StoriesFrom the Past

ecorded history may be viewed asthe story of humankind told through theperspective of numerous individuals. Thisstory comes to us from person-to-personoral accounts, inscriptions on walls or tablets,handwriting on scrolls, or recorded as textin a book with the invention of the printingpress. The history recorded in "text books"may seem dull to students in schools if theysimply travel through a parade of factsand events.

Engaging students as storytellers whodocument the people, places and inventionsof human history can be an effective meansfor encouraging active learning and reflectionabout those facts and events. One way to dothis is to give students the technological toolsrequired for such documentation and providean authentic audience for students workingas historians.

As a middle school social studies teacherlearned, video-editing technology can be aneffective tool for achieving these goals. Aspart of a course on the history of the world,students created video documentary projects.

First, the students collected informationabout a self-selected historical topic. Thesetopics included the history of railroads, thehistory of photography, the history of spacetravel, and the history of rock and roll music,among others. Students used the Internet tofind web sites and experts on the subject oftheir documentaries. They visited the locallibrary and a nearby university library search-ing for primary sources and books abouttheir interests. They sent electronic mail toexperts asking for further information orplaces to go to investigate their topic.

Living in a rural area meant that in mostcases students were not able to visit placesthat housed original artifacts to videotapethem. Thus, students had to learn aboutobtaining permission to use copyrightedmaterials such as collections of photographsor text from books and the Internet. Oncethey obtained permission to do so, thestudents videotaped the photographs toinclude in the documentaries.

TAP into Learning 5

After they had collected a sufficient amountof information, the students began to assem-ble this information as a video documentary.Using a video camera, music keyboard, and acomputer, the students captured sound andimages about their topics. Each documentarywas a product of the ideas and images theyfelt were important. Throughout the processof both collecting the information and select-ing the ideas and images to include in her/hisproduction, each student went through aprocess of reflecting on what was importantto communicate about the topic under study.Student narrations, images of photographsand other artifacts related to their topics,interviews with local community members,and music were combined to tell storiesfrom their perspectives.

Students self-assessed their projects using arubric collaboratively designed by the teacherand students based on the requirements forentries in the state history fair.14 The teacherencouraged students to enter their documen-taries in a regional history fair conducted bythe local university. If a student won, he orshe would advance to the state level andperhaps to the National History Day fair torepresent her or his state.

At the regional fair, three students wereselected to advance to the state history fair.Once there, each student presented her docu-mentary to a panel of judges and answeredquestions about the research she conductedand how the resources were obtained. Thejudges also offered students suggestions aboutother sources they could consult to extendtheir study. Although none of the studentswas selected to advance to National HistoryDay, all of them learned many things aboutthe historical process, conducting research,and a topic of interest to them individually.

The students creating historical documen-taries edited their stories using low-tech tools.They videotaped a number of images andthen added narration, music and tides byre-recording these images on a second VCRas they spoke into a microphone or playedmusic from a tape player and music key-board. Since they did not know in advancewhat an expert might say during an interviewor what artifacts they might be able to find tovideotape, these students had to edit theirdocumentary after videotaping.

14 These criteria were based on those established by the National History Day available athttp://www.thehistorynet.comNationalHistoryDay/studentkriteria.htmEvaluation forms are also available on the site at http://www.thehistorynet.com/NationalHistoryDay/Evalforms.htm

15 Taken directly from National History Day website. http://www.thehistorynet.com/NationalHistoryDay

National HistoryDay® is a highlyregarded and acade-mically challengingnon-profit program.The program's goalis to promote thestudy of history byengaging studentsand teachers inthe excitement ofhistorical inquiry andcreative presentation.This yearlongeducational programfosters academicachievement andintellectual growth.In addition toacquiring usefulhistorical knowledgeand perspectiveduring the series ofdistrict, state andnational competi-tions, students devel-op critical thinkingand problem solvingskills that will helpthem manage anduse information nowand in the future.15

L_, 1

6 TAP into Learning

Storytea

The fire crackles and glows bright, ablanket of stars overhead. All eyes are onthe storyteller as he weaves his tale. As thisidyllic setting fades into our past, a newstoryteller emerges in a much differentsetting. Click, tap, tap, tap, click, click. Thisnew storyteller uses pixels, bytes and com-pression. As processing speeds and broadbandwidth connections increase so does thepromise of improved communication.

The digital communicator can reachmillions instantly. The 1999 film, The BlairWitch Project, illustrated what two motivatedand creative people can achieve with a cam-era, a computer, and an Internet connection.As a result of advances in digital productiontechniques, moviemaking, once the mostexpensive of art forms, is now affordableto the most low budget of filmmakers.16While not every student is an aspiringSpeilberg, most students can gain tremen-dous insight into storytelling by delvinginto the creation process.

Using the camera as storyteller allows thestudent to control every aspect of a storyjust as if he or she was writing it in a novelform. She must choose settings, time, andthe angle and composition of a shot. Allof these components make the story come

alive Change one and you change thestory Though, at first blush, this mightappear too difficult for most adults, notto mention teens, students today are

quite media literate. Lower thetelevision volume and ask

students what is hap-pening in a movie theyhave never beforeseen. Almost immedi-ately they will be ableto demonstrate thatthey have a goodsense of the plot.

In a 9th gradeSpecial Education

classroom in an Austin,Texas high school, 100students (yes, in one

class!) two teachers anda facilitator embarked

a D g Ageupon their own digital story. Through anexperiential education program, studentsparticipated in certain physical activities,reflected on them and transferred whatthey learned to their own lives to helpthem deal with adversity.

The unit for this program was "courage"and the goal of the activity was to havestudents create a brief video that capturedor portrayed some aspect of this humancharacteristic. In preparation for their videoproduction, the teachers asked studentsto privately write about situations wherethey, or someone in their lives, displayedcourage. As a whole group students alsooffered their opinions on what couragemeant and related instances in whichthey had seen courage in action.

In preparation for the actual videoproduction, students watched anddiscussed excerpts from a few popular films,analyzing the story lines, camera styleand dialogue. Some examples were shownwithout sound so that students could studythe story only by the way it was shot. Theteachers then cast students into ten individ-ual production companies of ten studentseach in order to produce their own shortvideo. Each company chose their actors,producer, director, assistant director, Directorof Photography, writer, grips and twoproduction assistants. (Many studentsassumed more than one role.)

The activity was fairly technology-intensive, involving video cameras,screen writing software, and video editingsoftware. None of the students had everused any of this technology. While therest of their production colleagues werebrainstorming ideas for a story line, theexperiential education facilitator took twostudents from each group and showed themhow to use the school's two video cameras.They in turn were charged with teachingtheir group members. At various stages inthe activity, the facilitator used the samestrategy to show students how to use screenwriting software and video editing software.

Each production company had to firstpropose a story line dealing with the theme

16 See Moviemakin,g in Transition, 61-69. Scientific American, November 2000.

2 0

of "courage" that would be presented to theExecutive Producers (teachers) for approvaland "funding." Funding simply meant thatthe teachers approved the students' ideasand that they were free to begin writing theirscripts. Refusal of funding meant that thestudents had to revise their concept (becauseof a lack of appropriateness, for example).Upon receiving funding, the production com-pany then had to write a script. Because ofthe size of the class relative to the numberof available computers (five), productioncompanies took turns writing their scripts inSophocles, a screen writing software, whileothers used chart paper and markers. Whilechart paper was sufficient, the screen writingsoftware provided the students with guidesfor plot and character development and gavetheir screenplay a professional looking quali-ty that students liked. The script was thensubmitted for approval and further "funding."

Upon approval of their scripts, thestudents began to plan for the actual filmproduction. Using Avid Cinema, a videoediting software, each production companycreated storyboards for the scenes that wereto be taped. Avid Cinema allowed studentsto word process, edit and revise their story-board before actual shooting began. Thestoryboard feature allowed students to edittheir script further: most groups realized thattheir scripts were not compatible with theway they wanted to set up their video andspent a good deal of time discussing howthey would streamline their videos. Sincethe videos were to be no more than fiveminutes in length, students had to carefullycraft and edit their scripts and spent a gooddeal of time discussing the validity of onetype of camera shot over another or onescene over another. Storyboards were thensubmitted for approval in order to receivemore "funding."

Each company then went into rehearsals.They used their own members as actorswhile the Directors of Photography (DPs)practiced using video cameras and settingup shots. When actual videotaping began,the experiential education facilitator took onegroup at a time to videotape while the otherstudents worked on another activity. Aftervideotaping, students imported the video intoAvid Cinema and began the editing process.The "Edit Movie" feature of the software

TAP into Learning 7

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continued on page 8

,21 BEsT COPY AVM k

8 TAP into Learning

Storytelling in a Digital Age, continued from page 7

allowed for juxtaposing the storyboard andfilm frames for simultaneous video and dia-logue editing. Students could edit their rawfootage, view the edited version, reflect uponand discuss the merits and demerits of eachversion, and re-edit in a non-linear fashion.Students also discussed the best types ofshots (cutaways, long shots, zooms, etc.),music and transitions to add to their videosto maintain the overall mood of their work.After editing, they were allowed one morechance at reshooting and final editing.Thus, before re-shooting, they had to havethought about, discussed, and have beenabsolutely certain of their actions, dialogue,and composition.

Naturally, videos varied in their treatmentof the theme of courage. One video dealtwith a boy and girl being honest with oneanother about a difficult situation, rather thannot addressing it, lying about it, or avoidingone another. Another a wrestling mini-documentary showed a young, small boyovercoming adversity and intimidation todefeat an older, bigger opponent. A thirdvideo documented different stories ofstudents resisting pressure to becomeinvolved with drugs and gangs.

Student projects were then premiered ata "Film Festival." The entire class watchedeach video and then privately voted forawards for Best Actor, Actress, Producerand Screenplay. On their ballots they hadto explain why they made a particularselection. The class ended the activity bydiscussing what they had learned bothin terms of script writing and videotapingbut more important, in terms of whatcourage meant, how they themselvesshowed courage, and how they coulddraw upon this knowledge when facedwith situations that demanded rationaldecision making.

While students could have certainlyproduced videos without video editingsoftware (through "in-camera" editing, forexample), video-editing software allowed forgreater expediency of video productionnosmall matter with 100 students and five com-puters. Students didn't have to re-shoot thewhole video if there was a problem with oneframe, nor did they have to shoot the film in

22

a linear fashion; they could simply re-filmthe "problematic" frame and use AvidCinema to insert the shot where theywanted it. More important, the video editingsoftware facilitated the reflection componentthat is a major piece of the creative process.The storyboard and frame editing screenallowed all students to view both the textand images of their video, generating reflec-tion and critical analysis of each: How coulda shot be better compose& Was the mes-sage of the film clear? Was another wordor facial expression needed to convey aparticular feeling? By using the video editingsoftware to edit and review their work,students could almost immediately seethe fruits of their revision and easily makeadjustments. The software also allowed fordisplay in alternative platforms: TV/VCR orthe computer. Finally, the video editingsoftware allowed students to create a prod-uct that appeared more professional thanwould have otherwise been the case.

In this newsletter we have discussedaction and reflection as one formula forfuller learning. This unit on courage couldmerely have been a reflective activity inwhich students discussed or wrote aboutexamples of courage and moved on.Or they could have created their videoswithout the pre-activity reflection oncourage, without the in-process deliberationthat accompanied video production andediting, and without the final reflectionactivity in which they discussed ways inwhich they could apply the many variationsof courage to possible or probable situationsthey might encounter. The chances are thatthe quality of both their films and learningexperience would have been diminished.Examples of courage might have beengrandiose and less nuanced and realistic,and therefore less relevant to the students'lives, perhaps. The creation, revision andrecreation of their videos parallel the waysin which learners construct knowledge.The reflective and active nature of film-making spawned a cycle of learning: theaction resulting in deeper reflection andthe reflection resulting in praxis a setof deliberate and informed student actions.

TAP into Learning 9

GetUng ConnectedGetting video into your computer is tricky

but not difficult. There are many differentways and different pieces of equipment thatyou can use. Here are some typical setupsusing different methods.

VCR/Camera to video capture card incomputerVCR/Camera to capture box to computer

Digital video camera to the Firewire port

A video capture card is a card that goesinside your computer and has inputs forvideo and audio. Just like your sound cardlets you plug in speakers or a microphone,a video capture card allows you to plug inaudio-visual (AV) cords from a camera orVCR. Capture boxes are small boxes thatattach to the serial connection on yourPersonal Computer (PC). These boxes alsohave inputs for audio and video and bringthe information into your computer.

New digital video cameras have Firewireor 1EEE1394 outputs that let you connectdirectly to computers with Firewireinputs. These are standard on manynew Macintoshes but require a specialcard on most PC's.

Preparing your systemfor editingVideo editing demands a good deal ofyour computer. Be sure to have at least128 megabytes of Random Access Memory(RAM). You'll need lots of room on yourhard drive. (Three minutes of video canconsume over one gigabyte of hard drivespace.) Ideally the drive you use forcapturing and editing should not have anysystem software on it; this slows down theprocess and may interfere with the qualityof your digital film. It is also a good idea todefragment 17 your system regularly to keepyour video files easily accessible.

I'm connected. Now whereis the video?In order to edit the video it first has tobe "captured." Open your video editingsoftware and find the commands formovie capture. Each software does it abit differently; so consult your user'smanual or the application's Help file forexact capturing procedures.

You'll want to capture your video inpieces or shots and this is where story-boarding is very helpful. Remember thatyou can put things in any order you want.Gather all the pieces and then drag anddrop them into the order you want.

17 Defragmenting allows you to optimize both the speed and lifespan of your hard drive. Defragmentation simply places "fragments"of files closer together on a particular drive, instead of leaving fragments strewn about the drive. To defragment your PC, click onthe drive you want to defragment, then choose File/Propertiestrools/Defragment Now and follow the instructions on the screen.Defragmenting on a Mac requires a third-party software, such as Norton Utilities for the Mac.

TAP into Learning

Screenw itin SoftwareThough students do not need screen writing software

to compose a script, screen writing software canhelp students think about character development,dialogue, transitions and create an output that clearlydelineates all components of a video or theatrical piece:speakers, dialogue, action, etc. Further, it is quite usefulfor those wishing to get into the more complex partsof screenwriting. The following is a list of somecommonly used screenwriting applications.

WINDOWS

SophoclesFunctioning primarily like word processing software,Sophocles appears to be the simplest of the screenwrit-ing software reviewed for this newsletter. A fullyfunctional demo is available from the web site.URL: <http://www.sophocles.net/>

Story CraftGuides the user through each stage of storycrafting,including Concept Design, Category Selection,Type/Genre Determination, Environment/CharactersDescription and Structure Creation.URL: <http://writerscomputer.com/>

WINDOWS AND MACINTOSH

Final Draft 5.0 PLUS (VHS oulY)Final Draft 5.0 is a mixture of word processing andscreenwriting tools. Its claim to fame rests with itsassertion that it is used by some famous film directorsand popular television shows.URL: <http://www.finaldraft.com/news/fd5p.html>

Dramatica ProDramatica Pro functions primarily as a database withmany drop-down menus (It even includes a brainstorm-ing database component!). The user inputs the variouselements and Dramatica Pro weaves them together toreport the consequences, pitfalls, and issues of yourstory. The screenplay can be saved imported into wordprocessing software. The demo, though not entirelyfully functional, does not expire.URL: <http://store.yahoo.com/dramatica/>

Movie Magic ScreenwriterMagic Screenwriter features a storyboarding system thatallows the user to organize ideas like a series of indexcards and a mechanism for creating character voices.Once students finish creating their screenplay, MovieMagic Screenwriter can read it back to them. Demoavailable.URL: <http://store.yahoo.com/dramatica/movmagscreen.html>

Video Ed .flng SoftwareVideo editing is a process of selecting the visual and

auditory elements one will include in a story. Bothchannels of communicating contribute to the messagereceived by viewers. A videotape or movie is morethan the dialogue spoken by the characters. Forexample, the author can use non-verbal communicationand juxtapose images in ways that imply meaningto the viewer. When students edit, they engage in aprocess of learning that includes both action andreflection on the message that is being communicatedby their final product.

WINDOWS

MGI VideoWaveMGI VideoWave III is powerful PC video software,which allows even novice users to create professional-quality videos quickly and easily.

MGI VideoWave InformationURL: <http://www.mgisoft.com/>

ABC VideoRollThis free software has an intuitive interface and interac-tive help menus. It also has a built-in VCR controllerwith the ability to output video to your home VCR.

Information and DownloadURL: <http://www.abc-tv.com/dv_ABC.html>

MACINTOSH

Final Cut ProSoftware for the professional. The cost (about $1000)puts this out of reach for all but the truly committed tovideo production. This program does everything youneed to make truly professional videos. The learningcurve is a bit steep and this type of editing requires agood deal of time.

Final Cut Pro Information SiteURL: <http://www.2-pop.com/>

Final Cut Pro TutorialLJRL: <http://www.puffindesigns.com/registration/dv_fcp.html>

iMovie & iMovie 2Easy to use and free! This software is ideal for theschool setting. It does enough to create professionallooking movies without getting overwhelming. It isfairly easy to learn and its Firewire interface on Macsmakes it easy to set up. Unfortunately, you do need tohave a digital video camera (more expensive than aregular video camera) in order to take advantage ofthe firewire setup.

iMovieDesktop Video SimplifiedURL: <http://desktopvideo.about.com/compute/desktopvideo/library/weekly/aa102399.htm>

iMovie InfoURL: <http://lriednet.ns.ca/IEI/imov.html>URL: <http ://www. apple. com/imovie>

iMovie TutorialURL: <http://www.in.edcc.edu/videoproclass/WeeklyClassSchedule/09%20DigitalF.diting/Digital%20Editing%20Class%2010/tutorial/iMovietutorial.htm>

WINDOWS AND MACINTOSH

Avid CinemaAvid is a system. It has its own proprietary softwareand computer. This is a stand-alone system for editingso don't count on this computer for sending email orsurfing the web. The cost is a bit prohibitive for themost schools.

However, Avid Cinema, though no longer inproduction, can still be purchased in retail outlets.With Avid Cinema you can capture video from yourcamcorder or VCR, then add music, voice-overs, titlesand special effects. When your video is finished, youcan publish it to the World Wide Web, a CD-ROM, orvideotape. 1-800-949-AVID.

Avid Cinema TutorialsURL: <http://www.avidcinema.com/learn/index.html>URL: <http://www.sps.edu/Academics/AIS/Computing/help/howto/ht_avidcinema.shtml>

Adobe PremierPremier is powerful and less expensive than Final CutPro. However, its interface is not as clean or intuitiveas Final Cut Pro. The learning curve for Premier is alsorather steep.URL: <http://www.adobe.com/store/products-premiere.html>

TAP into Learning 11

Storyboarding AlternativesWINDOWS AND MACINTOSH

You don't have to purchase special software to havestudents create scripts or storyboards. Several commonlyavailable types of software will do the trick.

Power PointIJRL: <http://www.microsoft.com/office/powerpoint-default.htm>

InspirationURL: <http://www.inspiration.com>

Kid PixIJRL: <http://www.kidpix.com/>

HyperstudioURL: <http ://www.hyperstudio .c omi>

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continued on page 12

r.12 TAP into Learning

To contact the TechnologyAssistance Program, pleasecall us at 1-800-476-6861 orwrite to us at TechnologyAssistance Program, SEDL,211 East Seventh Street,Austin, TX 78701, You mayalso send us e-mail by writingto Vicki Dimock, ProgramManager (vdimockesedforg).

TAP into Learning is acollaborative effort by thestaff of the TechnologyAssistance Program.This issue was writtenby Mary Burns, Vicki Dimockand Danny Martinez.

Mary Burns, Editor.

To learn more about SEDL'sTechnology AssistanceProgram, visit our Web siteat http://www.sedl.org/tap.

Photo on page 3 courtesy of the RodinMuseum Web site. Photo on page 4 isCPhotoDisc. Photo on page 6 is byPamela Porter, Las Cruces, NM. Photoon page 9 is by Bret Broolshire, Austin,TX. Photo on page 11 is by AlfredoVasquez from Canutillo ISD. Graphicdesign is by Jane Thurmond, Austin, TX.

IMImm1 11.11=1111.heme

D13© Southwest EducationalDevelopment Laboratory.

This publication was pro-duced in whole or in partwith funds from the Office ofEducational Research and

Improvement, U.S. Depart-ment of Education, undercontract #RJ9600681.The content herein does not

necessarily reflect the views

of the Department ofEducation, any other agency

of the U.S. Government,

or any other source. SEDL

is an Equal Employment

Opportunity/AffirmativeAction Employerand is committed toaffording equal employ-ment opportunities to allindividuals in all employmentmatters. Available inalternative formats.

Video Editing Software, continued from page 11

Film Making and OtherVideo Editing Resources

IfilmStart here. An online omnibus of filmand film making resources.URL: <http://ifilm.corn/>

Video GuysAdvertises itself as the "number one suppli-er of affordable computerbased video edit-ing gear in the world." These guys know allthe parts and pieces and what works withwhat. A great place for technical reviewsof software and hardware.URL: <http://www.videoguys.com/>

I Can Stream.comA wonderful resource for aspiring film mak-ers. Get free editing and compression soft-ware as well as server space for yourvideos and free tutorials on filmmakingand story boarding.IJRL: <http://www.icanstream.com/>

The Art and Craft of Movie MakingPart of the British Broadcasting Corporation(BBC) Education site. Check out So, YouWant to Make a Movie? which examines theworld of independent, digital filmmaking.URL: <http://www.bbc.co.uWeducation/lzone/movie/>

Screenwriting Discussion GroupsThese discussion groups are open to allcorners and include all aspects of screenwriting from discussing methods ofcreating great scripts to creating charactersand tracking down leads on scriptsubmissions. For all levels of expertise.URL: <http://www.egroups.com/dir/Arts/Movies/Screenwriring>

Film Education Home PageAnother excellent British site. Createdspecifically for primary and secondaryschool teachers in the United Kingdomwho use film in their classes. Availableresources include: using film in specialeducation classes, Education Packsand a Teachers' Center.URL: <http://www.filmeducation.org/>

Is There a Low-TechAlternative to All ofThis Video Editing andScreenplay Software?

Yes! You don't need powerful computersor thousands of dollars of state of theart digital video equipment to involvestudents in storytelling. A pencil, notebook,hand held tape recorder, and disposablecamera will do nicely. Though studentproductions won't have the animationof a film, their story will still be capturedand communicated, nonetheless.

But if you want to go a bit "higher tech"with a video camera, you can still createvideos without video editing software.Though video editing makes the processfaster and allows for greater simultaneouscollaboration, you can compensate forthis lack of software. For example, if thevideo production activity on pages 6-8were conducted without video editingsoftware, students would have had tofollow their storyboards exactly and setup each scene in order. They could haveshot a piece and "paused" the camerawhile they set up the next shot. If therewas a "bad take" they would have hadto rewind and shoot it again from theend of the last scene. Finally, through"in-camera" editing, they could haveedited their shots in the camera itself.

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