embed video - my audioboo!

listen to ‘Janice Parker made her first podcast!’ on Audioboo

my first podcast with Audioboo

Podcast!  I know of CBC radio podcasts (love listening to Jian, DNTO and Rex Murphy).  Rex is the only free podcast now so I need to set up

Itunes for DNTO and Q!  I will get there yet but mainly I just try not to miss them when they are on.

Now for making my own podcast! … well, I will try out AudioBoo which lethegreat recommends.  Time consuming she says, well this all is for me and I must begin somewhere so here I go …

Off to Audioboo land!

Audioboo. Because sound is social.

(It is getting to be a habit for me to check out Digital Trends website and this is what I used for getting a bit more informed about "How to make a podcast".  Reading this is for the very techy and for those who want to do this more professionally.  The technical gear – such as good headphones – sounds like a must for serious users.  To prepare me though I liked knowing that I must think about timing, scheduling, scripting, lawyering !, practicing and human resources.  I will focus on a theme (about my podcasting), 2 minutes and a bit of practice before starting. )

I feel like I should have an “easy” button like Staples if this works.  I made a 2:43 minute podcast, added a picture and included a map.  Oh and I registered and logged in.  All of this in 15 minutes! 

I wonder if I can embed it as easily!

<div class="ab-player" data-boourl="http://audioboo.fm/boos/1020555-janice-parker-made-her-first-podcast/embed"><a href="http://audioboo.fm/boos/1020555-janice-parker-made-her-first-podcast">listen to &#x2018;Janice Parker made her first podcast!&#x2019; on Audioboo</a></div><script type="text/javascript">(function() { var po = document.createElement("script"); po.type = "text/javascript"; po.async = true; po.src = "http://d15mj6e6qmt1na.cloudfront.net/assets/embed.js"; var s = document.getElementsByTagName("script")[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(po, s); })();</script>

Social Bookmarking - Blog 3

I am a visual person so it makes sense to me to use sqworl.com as my social bookmarking tool.  I love the urls that are created too – very short!  Okay, he is darn cute too.

Last year a friend introduced me to sqworl and since then I use it to collect my websites and such nuts to store for use later.  I am able to label my finds into groups.  My friend and I are now doing a learning team grant together so we are storing our finds into our First Nations group that we share.

If you share you can give the url to friends by email.  There are many other options too for sharing. 

Check out this one group I have in my sqworl http://sqworl.com/2z71ve

That is all I have to give my students for going into there to see the stuff I have collected.  The http://sqworl.com/ is the same always.  It is just the last 6 numbers and letters that I need to remember for different groups I have to share or not share.  You can look just like my students can and only I can edit.

I have this also joined onto my Wikispaces site that I use for blogging about the First Nations project we are doing and sharing with another grade 3 class at another school.  I will share that with you when we get to Wikis.

As a note: I have tried onenote, delicious, and favourites on my tool bar but I like sqworl the bestJ

Attempt to Post Blog #@#* 2 - this was my first attempt that day!!!

I just put all of those abbreviated swear words there for luck.  Maybe this way I will not spend hours just trying to get everything nice I do for a posting to post!  Sigh!  What a wish.  It is sunny out and I want to play.

First, I thought I would try writing directly into the blog instead of writing on Word then copying and pasting it to my new post.  It seems that when I copy and paste pictures from a Google source or my own images that they appear on the composed post but when I publish the images disappear and text only shows.  Very time comsuming and frustrating indeed!
I think I have also learnt since our introduction posts to Vista, anything longer than 3o seconds or at higher resolutions gets bumped from my posting.  The little wheel spins round and round - and I sit here singing Joni Mitchell's song "The Circle Game".  Yes, true, I have gone crazy!
I made my videos on WebCam Campanion 2.  This is a program I have on my computer at home.

This next video is me playing with the Magic-i Visual Effects that comes with WebCam Campanion 2 on my computer.  I think kids would like this.  Here are 3 short videos I made:

Oh!  I am so glad I hit save before clicking on browse in Insert a video as I hit remove by accident and not browse!  That just makes the computer search for nothing to remove.  I waited 5 minutes for it to figure that there was nothing to remove but it is not that smart!  So I did  right click on the mouse and ,drats I can't remember what happened next now, but it said that anything I did not save will not be saved.  I was so happy to click the button knowing my work would still be here (and it is!!!) because I just saved it! :)

So here are the other two videos.

I know how to find my drafts now!!!! Dead easy when you are not in a panic

I am crushed.  This is what constantly happens to me.  I guess I am just not meant for this.  I am ready to give up.  I saved and then went to put in my 3rd video and my computer went to la-la land.  I really believed my post would be there when I went back to Blogger and it is not.
Starting over, I was just expressing my frustrations on how much time I spend trying to get this right - thinking I was getting this time.  Two hours I have spent just getting this blog here - and I could cry.  Will this one even stick?  I feel hopeless.  I want to get this done so I can go away next weekend but this is not looking good.  This is how I posted before it disappeared:

I feel even worse now.  Before I could laugh at myself at least.

I really am trying to make pretty and nice posts but my time is so wasted on trying to get pictures to post.

In the past I was typing on word then copying and pasting to the post so I thought I would just write in the post , I really hope this is better.  My mind is so exhausted and I want to get outside - I just feel beyond possible.

Anyway, I made 4 videos and had fun using WebCam Companion 2.  I tried to post from this for our introductions but I think I was making the video too long (30 seconds seems the safe place for now) and the resolution was too high.  These are my videos:

Yes!  My first video on a blog!

Discussion #1 - Staying Organized

I do not have much of a problem with organization compared to figuring out how to embed, or post pictures onto my blogger!  But, yes, staying organized once I get things going has been a challenge.  Mostly it is because I am so new to this that I don’t know how to sort and label things yet.

I really dislike hording physical objects or electronic information.  I clean my emails now about every two weeks and have files to keep things in such as if it is something about Pineview School then I put it into my PVIE2012-2013 folder.  Especially things I want to save for when I need to write my yearend report.  With two schools to report on, I must keep organized.

I think of it as weeding the library!  I love this job.  I am a bit ruthless and try not to get too sentimental.  I am like that at home too.  Just a bit type “A”.




Oh!  So me! It’s colour coordinated too!  I just need orange in there …

Maybe that is why I get so blocked and frustrated when I try to make this course work for me.  Part of my type “A” problem is I don’t give up to easy on things that matter to me.

I like to keep things pretty simple too.  Hey, I did not say I don’t like change, I do!  I just want to figure out what replaces what so I don’t have mountains of things that I collect that I never look at again.

Since I have started to teach, 5 + years ago, I have found that I seldom reuse the same idea.  I may recycle the idea and apply it in a different way but the same way, no.  So, I toss it out, physically or into the cyber “Recycle Bin”. Even my desktop is quite organized. (I will see if I can put a picture in of that!)

In keeping things simple, I have decided to reflect in a blog now and not in a written journal anymore.  I like to write my thoughts for reflection in my teaching.  It just works for me.  I have decided that I like to email but texting and tweeting is too demanding.  I know I can check it when I want to but it is another intrusion.

I don’t really like my cell phone either.  I do like to give my attention to the moment. I want to take the gmail “hangout” to out TL get togethers.  That I will use.  I use and see a place for using Wikispaces with my students too.  I will tell you about that when we get to Wikis in the course.

So as you can see I have kept it pretty simple.  Yes, I will try things but like I said, another thing might have to get tossed for keeping it if I do.  It is just my way of keeping it all in balance.

About a year ago, I made a word doc with all of my logins and passwords.  I have too many of these to keep in my brain so I called it “So you forgot me!” and I use it at least once a week.  I created this after I could not remember my iTunes login and password.  My husband did not want me putting too much information into the system so he said to give it a false name, etc., and now I can’t access it.  Brilliant.  I have $10 left on iTunes I may never use.  I don’t give false information now.  I trust more.  I just give the needed information.

So now that I am back from my trip to the mountains, I am excited about getting into this again.  I think I will be a bit of a slower learner with this stuff.  I am okay with that now.  I don’t feel the need to be connected to everything so as to not miss the golden nuggets of information.  I realize that doing this takes using this often too.  I have a crazy life ( I know we all do!) and knowing I work mainly with primaries I will keep it simple and use what I choose often (until I am comfortable with what am teaching then add more.)  That is a bit of help for me and reasoning for keeping organized.

Resources

Hales, Glenn. "What I Have Learned About Me Since Blogging." Hales Family Fun. N.p., 2 Oct. 2012. Web. 8 Oct. 2012.  http://thefamilyhales.blogspot.ca/ http://i.chzbgr.com/completestore/2009/8/23/128954906251329093.jpg

http://rlv.zcache.com/i_hate_cell_phones_but_i_love_all_the_cases_speckcase-p176190784201968371en7lp_216.jpg

away at Emerald Lake Lodge

I am away at Emerald Lake Lodge and relaxing!  Okay hiking and a bit of blogging too! 
I forgot to put my 2nd assignment about organization on a USB key in case I had internet here.  So sadly I will be late or up late on Monday night after I get  home.
I was thinking a lot about being organized in the digital world and socially connected world during my stay here.  I was surprised they have wireless internet here but no cell reception!  So I suppose if I have an iphone or Blackberry with internet I could communicate on that phone via internet?  Is that true?
I was thinking that I will never (probably) be totally connected with Twitter but I like the blogging.  As I walk around the lake here I thought about how everyone visited and enjoyed each others company.  Everyone talks to each other and smiles, says "Hi!".  No individuals standing somewhere talking on the phone or texting.  But in the lodge, where there is wireless, 3 of us guests tapped into the internet.  Interesting.
When I thinnk aout many of my holidays: Salt Spring Island, Queen Charlotte Islands, and the Rookies, they all are isolated more from the internet or cell.  This must say something about me.  I like the peacefulness and socializing one on one.  I am not really of the digital world but do dabble in it.  I use it but not deeply.
I guess that is one way  of managing this big or is it now small world?

Blog #2 - the last video

Okay, so I am thinking that there is a limit to how big the file sizes can be - this seems to work if I break up my videos into separate posts. 
Does anyone know what the size limit(s) are for eblogger?

Okay the next one for Blog #2 continued

Blog #2 continued

Here is my next video:

(Thought - all of these videos together on one post ... is that too large to download? Maybe?)

My third attempt at posting my Blog #2

This is my third attempt at posting Blog #2.  I am so unhappy.  I have spent 3 hours just trying to post this.  I am going to give u if this does not work after this.  My blogs looks so simple but that is because I have had to simplify in order to post.  This is not an old computer either. (I suppose that is by my standards.)  I am so upset my head is dizzy.  Yes, I am crying as I write this. I am not proud.  Why is this posting and embedding and inserting videos so hard for me?  I want to be outside too.

So I made this image for my first post, in humour but I am so beyond this now.

Me going crazy - what I am already there!

I tried to write straight into the blog the last two attempts so that my images and video would maybe work but everything just get hung up after I post my first video.  The second time I go to insert my next video (I have prepared 4 short videos) the little timer wheel spins forever and even though I push save everything disappears because I have to logout of Blogger to get rid of that spinning wheel.

I did have fun making these videos yesterday.  That was easy.  It is posting them that is hard for me.  I have made them short (about 30 seconds) and low resolution.  I used WebCam Campanion 2 and then added fun stuff with Magic-i Visual Effects.

So now I typed this out in word again and will post to Blogger and add my videos.

Actually, I am going to post this with my FRUSTRATION picture and add my first video then make 3 more separate postings of my other 3 videos so I do not lose it!



I think I just figured out how to share my movie maker from Picasa!

https://plus.google.com/u/0/notifications/all#photos/105841207876756600969/albums/5796270887629503521

I am posting again but my own photo of a pirate grave will not post!

 The “graves, tombs and cemeteries” tag almost has me pushing the buttons to join Flickr!  Yes, I am fascinated by old graveyards that are a bit reclaimed by Mother Nature.

I think I might even join this after the course in more of an artsy position rather than for school. 

I would not use Flickr for school as my kids are under the age of 12 and for how often we might use it the photo collection would probably disappear as I would have to maintain it before three months of last update.  This is more of a polished or wannabe photographer site in my mind.  Great for sharing my images but too public for my students.

I spent tons of time on Picasa trying to post it on my blog but I don’t think it did.  I think Aaron received it though.  I hope!  I wanted to embed it here but I still can’t figure that one out.  I enjoyed making my video and putting music to it but sharing it is a problem for me.  I am beginning to think that management of all of this is not the biggest concern for me.  No, my big concern is how to post it or embed it.  I can do hyperlinks but not embedding.  I saw your video Aaron but I am not doing something right.

In fact, I am trying so hard to get it (Ah!  I spent 3 hours this am trying to get it embedded) that I really want to do this now.  I want to make my trips of pictures into a collage or movie to share.  I can see this being a great thing for kids or parents to see on a pad mounted on the wall at the office.  Also, for resumes or advocacy!  Yah!  I am hooked on sharing pictures this way.

I loved organizing the pictures and picking music!

If I get this to work – I will post my movie.  I might ask a techy at school so I can get over it and move on!!

The “graves, tombs and cemeteries” tag almost has me pushing the buttons to join Flickr!  Yes, I am fascinated by old graveyards that are a bit reclaimed by Mother Nature.

another try

The “graves, tombs and cemeteries” tag almost has me pushing the buttons to join Flickr!  Yes, I am fascinated by old graveyards that are a bit reclaimed by Mother Nature.

My Pictures did not post! After all of that work!!!!!!

Pic and Flic!

The “graves, tombs and cemeteries” tag almost has me pushing the buttons to join Flickr!  Yes, I am fascinated by old graveyards that are a bit reclaimed by Mother Nature.  I think I might even join this after the course in more of an artsy position rather than for school. 

I would not use Flickr for school as my kids are under the age of 12 and for how often we might use it the photo collection would probably disappear as I would have to maintain it before three months of last update.  This is more of a polished or wannabe photographer site in my mind.  Great for sharing my images but too public for my students.

I spent tons of time on Picasa trying to post it on my blog but I don’t think it did.  I think Aaron received it though.  I hope!  I wanted to embed it here but I still can’t figure that one out.  I enjoyed making my video and putting music to it but sharing it is a problem for me.  I am beginning to think that management of all of this is not the biggest concern for me.  No, my big concern is how to post it or embed it.  I can do hyperlinks but not embedding.  I saw your video Aaron but I am not doing something right.

In fact, I am trying so hard to get it (Ah!  I spent 3 hours this am trying to get it embedded) that I really want to do this now.  I want to make my trips of pictures into a collage or movie to share.  I can see this being a great thing for kids or parents to see on a pad mounted on the wall at the office.  Also, for resumes or advocacy!  Yah!  I am hooked on sharing pictures this way.

I loved organizing the pictures and picking music!

If I get this to work – I will post my movie.  I might ask a techy at school so I can get over it and move on!!

My Discussion about Kist's Book

Reading The Socially Networked Classroom by William Kist at first seemed like an argument for convincing teachers to use social media in the classroom.  Kist’s statistics about “the myth of a “safe” adolescence” (see pages 4 and 5) is convincing.  Many parents are so concerned about the protection of children that it has gotten unhealthy.  We need to show kids that they are capable of doing things otherwise they can think or expect that adults should make everything right for them.  I like the SOLO – Safety Online Outreach Society I would have found the stats more interesting if they had shown how teaching about cyber-bullying and online safety are helping to create online smart kids.  In short, show how we are making our kids more “street smart” on the internet.   

The letters at the back of Kist’s book helped me to form my own letter to send home to parents as we are about to blog on a wiki space.  The “Sample Letters to Parents” in the Appendix are long.  I can’t see or imagine my grade 3 students’ parent even wanting to read such a cumbersome letter.   

I created my own net etiquette after talking to the kids about what it means to be safe online and what cyber-bullying is.  westpine - pine's signature on net etiquette is the blogging site, the Wikispace my colleague and I have created for our collaborative project at our perspective schools.

The biggest thing that came to mind, as I read Kist’s book, was that I was past “short” and into “tall” but dabbling into “grande” and even “venti”.  The restriction for me is (and time is a restriction!) that I only have so much time with “borrowed” classes to do this stuff as I am a teacher-librarian, book exchange over rides most of my time.  I have to prioritize book exchanges as a first to do with my time.  And maybe even more restricting is that I am doing this with elementary school students who must learn how to log on, type and bring up their speed!  I know I have to bring up my speed and ease with this too but just like my students, we start somewhere and with practice and experience we will have something pretty good to work with in the future.

Readings:

"SOLO - Safety Online Outreach Society." SOLOS. Ed. David Antrobus. Creative Commons Attribution, n.d. Web. 01 Oct. 2012. <http://www.safeonlineoutreach.com/about.php>.

Berson, Ilene R., Ph. D. "Making the Connection Between Brain Processing and Cyber Awareness: A Developmental Reality." SOLO - Safe Online Outreach Society. N.p., 2003. Web. 1 Oct. 2012. <http://www.netsafe.org.nz/Doc_Library/netsafepapers_ileneberson_cyberawareness.pdf>.