Multi-Media PSA - Week 5

The past two weeks have been spent collaborating with my team of 4 others to create and produce a multi-media public service announcement. It was a little challenging to meet with others and make a plan of action, but it came together in our online meetings using Google's Hangout venue. Using this allowed all of us to meet easily and freely. I must say that it was so nice to split the duties of production. Earlier in the course we learned how to effectively plan and utilize the idea of storyboarding and it paid off in this project. We decided that our PSA would be about School Zone Safety, and from there we decided our shots, and then narration. The challenges (no surprise) lay in the audio recording and uploading and in trying to upload video that would survive editing and remain in tact as far as quality. I am pleased with our outcome for our first production, and am eager to use the techniques, strategies, and hints that were offered in the weekly readings in order to shoot and produce better videos.

Week 2 podcast....and other stuff

This week was a little more challenging for me, probably because I have never dabbled in movie making or uploading videos, podcasting, etc.,
I guess I got a little confused as to what the final directions were - do we create a video? or do we create a video of how to create a video? or do we just create an audio of the editing software we use to do one or both of the above. These things can confuse  someone who is just trying to learn the first steps in creating and posting. One thing I learned that just because you create a video or podcast, doesn't mean it is uploadable. It still needs to "reside" somewhere. There was a large learning curve for me this week. Unlike some of my cohorts, my day-to-day duties do NOT include using technology to this degree - and boy do I feel behind in this new arena.
Practice will perfect my knowledge, and of that, I am sure there will be plenty!

While I have created several PhotoStories for friends and relatives for anniversaries, births, and graduations that were stories told through music, I have never created one that focused on one of my stories - and certainly have never narrated one. This was much harder than anticipated. I found the writing area very helpful for narration. Usually an "ad-libber," I used this as a jumping off point for each picture. As mentioned in Mr. Lambert's digital story cookbook, telling one's own story is difficult because of all the media saturation that exists in our heads today. (Lambert, 2007). And I could very well be the person he mentions that works hard to incorporate everything possible within the creation, at the expense of just telling the story. I get overwhelmed but i know just enough about editing, visuals, adding music and special effects, etc., to know nothing about putting it all together.
This is the one class I have looked most forward to - and unfortunately, this week has had me bound in chains. I hope to review the readings a little better later - because it was all I could find time to do was to complete the assignment. I guess that's telling on myself.
All in all, I enjoyed the process, and hope to recreate it better each time. What do I want to learn from it? I always have great issues with how to save. This is compounded by the fact that I work from a MAC. I created it on my husband's PC. I want to learn to use my MAC video software - just haven't had the time.

Final Reflection:

What I have discovered within this course, EDLD 5301, are tools that I can use in order to be a more effective learner and educator. First off, I was inspired after listening to the three school leaders, Dr. Johnny Briseno, Dr. Timothy Chargois, and Dr. Kirk Lewis give inspiring advice and insights into their own personal journeys into the effective practices of action research. I especially identified with Dr. Briseno's appeal about using qualitative information in addition (secondarily) to enhancing what we know about the child; in essence to “hone” in on how to serve, because numbers don't always tell the whole story. He confirmed what Nancy Dana illustrates about the passions that drive your journey: look around you and read all you can about what motivates you – look at what is needed surrounding your school.

  As we were encouraged to ask questions of ourselves about where our passions lie in regard to making effective improvements, it was presented to us that a systematic approach would be necessary in order for those changes to be effective and sustained. We explored possible areas of action inquiry within nine common areas of action research. Completing this activity allowed me to think through several areas, and with the help of my site supervisor (principal) and RTI team, we brainstormed several areas that we felt needed immediate attention. 
  Right away, I felt a big burden lifted. Because we too often clutter our minds with the many areas needing improvement, but with no formal approach, we cannot complete the task of creating positive changes. Together we chose the question, “How can the slow learner be helped (successful) within the RTI process?”

  After I identified the question I hoped to explore, I realized that I needed clear direction about how to begin the journey. In the first chapter of In Examining What We Do To Improve Our Schools, it was explained that

            Establishing the foundation is essential 
            for genuine improvement to occur and requires        
            having a shared vision, understanding the 
            need for inquiry, valuing improvement by 
            investing time and building interpersonal trust.

           (Harris, Edmonson, and Combs, 2010, p. 13)

  This text provided many tools for conducting action inquiries, and reflection along the way. I see great value in employing the techniques for gathering information to form consensuses in order to take the inquiry from its foundation to sustainment. The templates 7.1 and the CARE Model provide a systematic way to map out a plan of action. Strategies outlined to collect data, such as the Force Field Analysis, Delphi Method, and the Nominal Group Technique all appear to be valid methods of allowing all stake-holders to engage in ways to sustain improvement.

  To be honest, reading the “Travelogue” chapter in Nancy Dana's book, Leading with Passion and Knowledge felt somewhat laborious, but I know I will be rereading it later on as my inquiry begins to take shape.

  One area I hope to improve upon is in the area of discussion and reflection. Much has been written in the required reading within this course about the merits of sharing and reflecting, and as much as my brain knows this is a valid requirement, it takes deliberate effort for it to become practice. I am lucky to have my RTI team to share my concerns, questions, and responses with already, but know I should broaden that reflection to a larger community if I am to gather insights outside my context to consider. 

Fichman, Nancy Dana (2009). Leading with passion and knowledge:  The principal as action Researcher.  Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Harris, S., Edmonson, S., and Combs, J. (2010). Examining what we do to improve our schools: 8 steps to improve our schools.  Eye on Education Press.

Action Research Reflection

I am eager to begin the study of how to help the slow learner. I hope this inquiry will inform and equip my school to help this population of struggling learner. Within the RTI process, we can successfully (mostly) intervene appropriately for those students that have some learning "gaps," or for those students that struggle with staying on task, and usually are successfully in identifying those that have true learning disabilities. Where we are not as successful is in a "grey" area of identifying and helping the slow-learner. I hope this process empowers our teachers and interventionists to help these students earlier so that they can remain on grade level, making steady progress, and reaching set goals.

As we build a repertoire of research-based interventions and classroom strategies, I hope to apply what we learn to all students that we suspect to be slow-learners (as well as those that are identified) beyond our monitor group. Additionally, I hope to build the confidence and lesson the anxiety of our teachers in helping these students.

I feel this study will help our RTI team to add to our "tool-kit," the appropriate strategies for these students, as we are always seeking to find interventions that meet specific needs of each learner within the RTI process.

Week Two Reflection:

I really did enjoy the videos and the readings this week. The contributions from the leaders involved in action research added to my perspectives on data and inquiry, especially when compared to content and pedagogy (Chargois).
I will admit, that I fell short of time in ordering the Dana text, and have been able to keep up because I used the resources available, but because I am enjoying the readings so much, am purchasing it. (By the way, I fell short on time because I changed degrees in mid-stream).
I love reading the wonderings woven into Dana's book - they give simple and real examples of school issues that we all relate to.
Probably the best thing I've learned this week is that I am interested in this pursuit after all. That's it. It began as a need to have options, and is emerging to become a "want to know more" pursuit.
We'll see if that continues next week....