Friday, June 15, 2007

Using a Smartboard for Group Filmmaking

This is cross-posted at http://mstaylorsthirdgradeclass.blogspot.com/
I have found that using a Smartboard is a wonderful way to teach elementary aged students digital story telling. I've been working with students in Kindergarten through sixth grade, teaching them how to take digital photos and tell a story using them. We are using Photo Story 3 for Windows, a software program that allows you to make films with digital photos. Using the Smartboard, all students are allowed to be an integral part of the process. They can see and learn how to use the features of the program while participating in making a group film. I see using the Smartboard is a way for my students to interact more while they are learning something new. Keeping them actively engaged helps them enjoy the learning process and stay focused on what they are learning. Have you tried using a Smartboard to engage your students? How have you used it?

4 comments:

Emily Taylor said...

Here is a link to a very short film made by the Kindergarten and 1st grade group. They had fun taking pictures of each other, typing and saying their names, and most of all watching what they made. They want to watch it over and over again and laugh as they watch the film they made together! What do you think of their film?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3FGoDj_hqw

Dave Tarwater said...

Reading your post and viewing your students' film makes me want to be in your class. I agree that when correctly used (as you have done) the SmartBoard can be an effective and engaging teaching and learning tool. I'm sure this is an activity your students will hold dear for a long time.

Jeff Lewis said...

This is great Emily. You made a great point about using the Smartboard for collaborative learning. This technology really opens up great possibilities for all the things we have been learning about. Couldn't you see a class creating a group wiki, or a blog, or an update to the class website? I think there are also great possibilities for shared writing.

I will be blatantly stealing this idea next year... thanks.

acsd14PIO said...

Your headline for this entry is enough to catch any innovative teacher's attention. While browsing the blog today in a session at TIE in Copper Mountain, a teacher from another district stopped me, asked for our blog address, and expressed sincere interest in this particular post. Great stuff, Emily!