Angela Reflection

This is the technology video that I watched:
http://www.edutopia.org/video/movie.php?reset=cookie&keyword=037&id=Art_980

In this video, a school in San Fernando was shown as they gave their students the opportunity to use technology to create thier own videos. The students had to go through a whole process of planning the video and recording it in order to get the final project. The technology used in this class were video cameras, laptops, and a lab known as the "computer inspiration studio" that contained multiple desktop computers that students were able to use for website design and video editing. These technologies were completely student centered because they students were the ones who were in charge of creating the videos. The teachers were able to help them if they had troubles, but the students were the main people utilizing the technology in order to complete the projects. The technology did make the lesson more engaging for the students because it gave them a chance to create a project that they completed on their own. The end result of their hard work, the completed video, is a project that reflects their personality and their work ethic, and they are able to take pride in working on it and the finished product.
The biggest thing a teacher would need to do to prepare for such a lesson would be to make sure that the technology is in working order and there is enough resources for everyone to use. Because the lesson and the projects are based solely on using computers and video cameras, if these resources are not available to the students, they cannot work on their projects. The teachers must also take adequate time to introduce their students to the process of making a video. The students cannot just pick up a video camera and know how to use it, they must recieve instruction on how to use the equipment, and how to complete the process that leads up to recording their video, like writing scripts and editing. In order to assess the students performance, in this case, the teacher decided to let the students write the rubric under which they would be graded. The teacher would be able to grade the studnets on the planning of the video, how they worked together, and the final product. This technology offers advantages because it gives students a great deal of responsibility. They are in charge of using different technological devices, as well completing a quality product. They are able to get the social experience of working in groups and must rely on helping others with their projects while having others help them. They are also able to integrate other topics into the production of their video, for example, the need to use mathematics in order to successfully utilize animation. One of the challenges the teacher wold face by integrating this technology into teaching and learning is censoring the videos. The teacher must make sure that the final project will be appropriate for showing in school. Another challenge they will meet is obtaining enough resources for the students. A class such as this one tends to become very popular, but not everyone can take it, because they have limited resources, and with the students handling the equipment on a regular basis, they take the risk of breaking it and ending up with even less resources.