The ups and downs of creating a Public Service Announcement (PSA)

You never think about what actually goes into a seemingly simple 60 second spot on TV. Creating a PSA for this course gave me insight into the many hours and multiple skills required to convey a message in an efficient and effective manner. I was fortunate to have a group where the skill set was divided evenly and we all agreed on which part of the process individual members would be responsible for. Here is the finished product:



Our group utilized Google Docs to work and chat about the pre-production process and edit our pre-production document. While finding appropriate times where everyone in the group was available, we did manage to meet at least twice a week to collaborate and revise our PSA script, shot selections, and audio/voiceovers. The first PSA ended up being twenty (20) seconds over the limit, so the group brainstormed about footage to cut and number of seconds text needed to up on the screen. After posting the edited video for review to Google Docs, we decided to use YouTube as our web delivery platform as our target audience is mainly tweens/teens.

I would say that if given more time, more footage in different settings could be taken to procure the best shots. The other component that seems simple, but really needs to be given more attention is voiceovers. The human voice conveys such a range of feelings and can be a very compelling tool in a PSA. Overall, my group worked well together and did a great job putting together this PSA. I would definitely like to use this exercise in my classroom setting.

The Benefits of the Web Conference in an Online Class

The option of participating in Web Conferences has always been a part of my Lamar Experience. I cannot say that I have been a member of many, but knowing the option is there is very important. The connection with a live member of faculty is irreplaceable and having the addition of video conferencing to the online environment gives me that added feeling of comfort and confidence. A "face to face" meeting with the professor personalizes the experience which has proven to make online learning more engaging.

Participating in the Web Conferences has allowed me to connect with my classmates as well as helped me clarify the material through their questions and comments along with mine. I have found the mix of online learning along with the ability to communicate with faculty and peers in real-time to be an effective learning environment.

Video Editing with Avidemux!

Here's is my tutorial for Avidemux:




See more Audio at TeacherTube.com.
Enjoy and I hope it is beneficial in your endeavors to add a rich multimedia experience to your classrooms.

The Power of Expression through Video Editing...

My knowledge of video editing has been limited to two products in the past; Windows Movie Maker (free) and Adobe Premier (very expensive). Incorporating the thought voiced by Andrew Garrison “Media production offers a means for students to talk to whomever they think is an important audience” while providing a solid but affordable mechanism for doing that is quite a juggling act (Garrison, 1999). I want to provide my students with creative ways to deliver assessments that are not costly or frustrating. By having the opportunity to research and analyze two open source video editing software packages, I can construct quality assignments that my students will have the tools to complete with minimal hassle.

After analyzing several factors including the majority of schools and users are on a PC platform, I narrowed down my comparison to two packages; Avedimux and Zwel-Stein. “Though the Mac offers some of the best choices when thinking about purchasing the high-end editing software, the PC is actually better when it comes to using freeware editing software.”(Burley, 2009). Both packages offer popular output file formats such as AVI, WMV, and MP4. Avedimux has a easy to understand interface and allows the user to cut, reformat, resize, and encode videos with ease. Zwel-Stein has a more robust toolbox, but the interface is not as user-friendly and presents more of a challenge to learn – there are not as many step-by-step tutorials available. My choice for beginners would be Avedimux; more suited to the younger set, while Zwel-Stein may work for older students with time built in for learning the new software. I would like to incorporate a video project into my game curriculum for students to demonstrate their games through the use of multimedia, including video and audio, which could allow for a wider audience to view and critique their work.

References:

Burley, S. (2009, 06 30). The Best Freeware and Open Source Video Editing Software. Retrieved 09 04, 2010, from Bright Hub: http://www.brighthub.com/multimedia/video/articles/2377.aspx

Garrison, A. (1999). Video basics and production projects for the classroom. Center for Media Literacy. Retrieved September 5, 2010, from http://www.medialit.org/reading_room/article3.html