Reflection on Comic Life

My experience with Comic Life was a positive one. I enjoyed creating a comic for action verbs. Students would enjoy using their creativity to create comics of all sorts. The program allows users to add special effects to the images. It was fun to play around with the different special effects. Now if I could just figure out how to make those animated images actually say what is in the bubble. Ha! That would be a movie, wouldn't it?

Comic Life Example

This is an example of a way to integrate technology with an assignment that is typically boring for students, action verbs. Students can create a list of action verbs to use to create comics. Comic Life is a user friendly program that teachers and students can use to create and publish comics using pictures, clip art, or artwork. Students are able to demonstrate their creativity while publishing quality work. Comic Life is a fun interactive program.

Comic Life

In order to successfully integrate technology into the curriculum, middle school and high school teachers need to participate in professional development workshops to expose them to the current technology available to meet writing and literacy requirements. To meet the reading and writing needs of students, teachers are constantly looking for more innovative and age-relevant ways to present those skills. Comic Life is a Web 2.0 tool that students/teachers can use to create and publish comics to enhance learning opportunities. Middle and high school students enjoy Manga (Japanese anime), and Comic Life will provide students with the opportunity to create their own comics. Students will write a story and create a comic strip to tell their story. Students can share their comics with others to enhance reading skills. Students will be more actively involved in learning, and they will have an opportunity to be more creative using this technology. Comic Life gives teachers one more way to present information that will be interesting to the students.

In order to use Comic Life, teachers and students will need basic computer skills such as point and click. Users will use the mouse to drag the template and images into the panel to create a comic. Students should be able to compose a story, choose images to represent the characters, and create dialogue to tell the story. Creativity is at their fingertips with Comic Life.

The steps for creating a comic using Comic Life are:


• On the computer desktop click on Comic Life.

• Choose a template and drag it to the panel template

• Choose your image from the album and drag it on the panel template

• Create a comic with images that look hand-drawn by adjusting the details

• Add balloon by dragging it on the panel template

• Double click on “Your words here” or hit return to edit the textbox

• Then hit enter or click outside the text area to save the new text.

• You can resize the balloon by dragging the green handles.

• Drag and drop caption on the image and double click to edit text.

• For titles - drag and drop a new window will open

• Click save and project is finished.

• You have several options for exporting the comic strip. You can also create a Portable Document Format (PDF) file.

Comic Life is one way to meet reading, writing, and publishing standards. Integrating technology into the curriculum motivates most students to explore and expand their knowledge base. Students need to create and publish their own work, and Comic Life is one way for students to experience the joy in publishing their work for others to enjoy.
 
 

Twitter 101: Are you Tweeting?

Conner, M.. (2009, August). Twitter 101: Are You Tweeting? T + D, 63(8), 24-25,27.  Retrieved September 19, 2009, from ProQuest Education Journals. (Document ID: 1833987711).

Twitter is a social networking microblog. In 140 character-"tweets," people share their business, knowledge, and insights. Twitter offers opportunities to learn from experts that you "follow." (Imagine the professional development you gain from following experts in the field of technology or education.) "Following" someone means that you can read their tweets. When experts share, you benefit. For example, an educator may tweet a website that enhances a lesson. As the follower, you read the tweet and visit the website to see if you can use the information. In a matter of seconds, you are expanding your abilities in the classroom.

Twittering allows people with common interests to connect and expand their circle of influence. Don't think that Twittering is too complicated to learn. There are tutorials all over the Internet. The information/education that is at your fingertips is mind boggling. Take a few minutes to visit the website: www.twitter.com, then answer the question: "What are you doing now?"

VoiceThread

Web 2.0 is AMAZING! My newest experience has been with VoiceThread. I can't begin to list the uses for this technology. I created a tutorial for diagramming simple sentences. This application could be used specifically for homebound students to keep up with lessons that are being taught at school. Also, students who are homeschooled can benefit from such technology, but it's not just for teachers to use! VoiceThread is easy enough for students to create their own. I believe once you turn students loose with this technology, their imaginations will soar! Their creativity will shine! Enthusiasm will be heightened! VoiceThread will be their favorite new technology, too! The equipment needed to create a VoiceThread is minimal. You do not have to have a webcam, but if you do, you can use it with VT. A microphone allows you to record your voice as comments to the VT. It is as simple as pushing the record button. VT will bring new ideas into your classroom. Visit http://www.voicethread.com/ to find out about how you can integrate this  technology into your classroom. Also, here is the link to my VT: http://voicethread.com/share/609537/

Article Review - with attention on data collection

Sadik, A. (2008, August). Digital storytelling: a meaningful technology-integrated approach for engaged student learning. Educational Technology Research & Development, 56(4), 487-506. Retrieved September 3, 2009, doi:10.1007/s11423-008-9091-8.


This article describes the research to determine how students and teachers benefit from using digital storytelling. The teachers were selected for their ability to easily integrate this technology into their curriculum. The materials needed for digital storytelling are computers with Internet access, digital camera, scanner, PhotoStory software, and a printer. The eight teachers that were selected to participate attended an orientation to learn about digital storytelling.

The teachers divided their classes into small groups to collaborate on their chosen topic. Students were able to use the digital camera or the Internet to gather pictures to tell the story. The students then used the pictures to develop the script. Students organized the information into a story. When the students completed their assignment, they presented their digital stories to the rest of the class. The researchers used a rubric to assess the stories.

A carefully designed observation tool for teachers and students was created to examine the quality of student engagement. Also, interviews were conducted with the teachers to ensure the teachers were supportive of integrating technology, especially digital storytelling, into their lessons.

The results of the study show that the overall product that was produced was were acceptable; however, the overall connection from the story to the objectives of the story was questionable which proves that not all students wil learn from these stories. Some students had a difficult time sequencing their stories, and some students did not have the timing of the sound with the pictures.

Teachers seem to be most concerned with the effectiveness of student learning with digital storytelling. Integrating technology into the curriculum takes time, and most teachers do not feel they have the time to integrate technology and cover all the material students need to pass the high stakes tests.

I would LOVE to be able to work on integrating technology into the curriculum. Maybe when I become a media specialist, I will have the opportunity to create technology integration plans to help the teachers on my staff.

I think the researcher tried to cover all the bases in collecting and evaluating the information. The researcher did not show a bias to integrating technology. He seemed to be forthcoming with the final results of the research.