How to create a video about your Learning Activity for the SA and Lesotho Global Forum

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The SA Global Forum entries close on Monday 3rd June at midnight and this is just a last minute help on making the required 2 minute video that needs to accompany your application. There are three ways that you can make this video.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><strong><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">a) Record yourself speaking using your cell phone</span></strong></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is by far the simplest way. Record yourself talking about your project on your cell phone and download the movie on to your computer. Upload the file with your Learning Activity and application.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></strong><strong><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">b) Use Photostory 3 and save it as a movie</span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></strong></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Photostory 3 is a free programme that comes with Windows. If you have just photos and you want to add narration to the photos this is the programme for you to use. You can also add text to the photos</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here is a tutorial for using Photostory 3 from the Partners in Learning UK YouTube channel</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ETP_JuN3zEg" width="420"></iframe></span><br /><br /><strong><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">c) Use Windows Live Windows Movie Maker</span></strong></div></div></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you have a PowerPoint you would like to use you can easily create this into a Windows Movie Maker video. In addition to the PowerPoint you can use extra photos, video clips, music and narration if you want to. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />This is a typical Windows Live Movie Maker interface. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" dir="ltr" style="clear: both; text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaUdoXT91XMkOjroKfINRf1G1_ojNCNrL-VpDazYtEq-BdKEu1tsLCf-f3pWBMGLRpc4pQi_DMEL7B4s6WnhGYJGRqnJ3TwYCjykqMG77U-tnxNI7ergy739Tw7aqPOXvn6kuZlyiay34/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="400" /></span></div><div class="separator" dir="ltr" style="clear: both; text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="" dir="ltr" style="clear: both; text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you look at the image above you’ll see that there is a place that says ‘<i>Add videos and photos</i>’. After you do this the media clips appear on the timeline on the right hand side. Then after that you add as many effects as you like. You can even add titles and credits to your movie.  This video from Microsoft gives the overall perspective</span></div><div class="separator" dir="ltr" style="clear: both; text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" dir="ltr" style="clear: both; text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" class="b-hbp-video b-uploaded" frameborder="0" height="266" id="BLOGGER-video-74114758ada0031b-4258" mozallowfullscreen="mozallowfullscreen" src="https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzcB2Qzz6kQg95DtECFWCtJK3Y_acjNb77Bk6D7xDodWhsLfVqzGyeba4SLOt53gfyD_kRR5nZm7M3dRIgui6NK-RI5YhUtEYFI8zEgwQSsOk_BsioibI4AL_anlr1d1OlyGOE" webkitallowfullscreen="webkitallowfullscreen" width="320"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><div class="" dir="ltr" style="clear: both; text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><u>Let's do this step by step</u></b></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">a)</span></b> Create a PowerPoint about your project.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">b)</span></b> Save each slide on your PowerPoint as a separate JPEG or PNG file.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you are not sure how to turn each slide into a picture here is a PDF that someone created showing you the steps to saving each slide as an image <a href="http://www.rcs.k12.va.us/glms/ppt2video.pdf">http://www.rcs.k12.va.us/glms/ppt2video.pdf</a></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">c) </span></b>These slides are now separate images so save them to Windows Live Movie maker in the normal way.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>d)</b></span> If you have any movie clips you want to add do this now and place the clips exactly where you want them to be. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">e) </span></b>Now add sound to your search bar on your computer. Just ask for Sound Recorder - it is part of Windows. It will appear immediately. as shown below.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLbps0baATZbWk7IMnlpFVE5Vzn0wkNFgGy3FwDmicQEN8BvSBV1KE4offdacux4Qt4BZv7GFLYIEN7WewPz-ReCPsmCP2_D9Qd8boOjZPegZARZ5UGxiiWiPvmt-W69yRDqFgC5EaJf0/s1600/Sound+narrator.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLbps0baATZbWk7IMnlpFVE5Vzn0wkNFgGy3FwDmicQEN8BvSBV1KE4offdacux4Qt4BZv7GFLYIEN7WewPz-ReCPsmCP2_D9Qd8boOjZPegZARZ5UGxiiWiPvmt-W69yRDqFgC5EaJf0/s400/Sound+narrator.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This video from YouTube will show you the steps for adding Sound Recorder.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><b><br /></b></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/9q8Yw7VaJBw" width="420"></iframe></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(Another way to do this would be to download a free programme called Audacity and save you words as MP3 files. Add them to Windows Live Movie maker where it says 'Add music'.)</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">f)</span></b> Once you have added the sound to all the parts where you want sound, save the completed file as a movie on your computer. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">g)</span></b> Watch the webinar from last Wednesday on how to upload a Windows Live Movie Maker File <a href="http://e-blogschool.blogspot.com/2013/05/webinar-recording-from-29052013.html">http://e-blogschool.blogspot.com/2013/05/webinar-recording-from-29052013.html</a> and remember to click the little checkbox which says 'I have been invited to submit this for the competition (I can't remember the exact wording). Add the movie and anything else to this. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That's it. Good luck with your application</span></div>

Microsoft Microsoft tools How to create a video about your Learning Activity for the SA and Lesotho Global Forum

The SA Global Forum entries close on Monday 3rd June at midnight and this is just a last minute help on making the required 2 minute video t...

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Explore the magic of Microsoft's SongSmith

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Microsoft's SongSmith is such a fun free tool to use in the classroom. If you join Microsoft's <a href="http://www.pil-network.com/" target="_blank">Partners in Learning Network</a> as an educator you can download and install this programme for free. It is really worth it!</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">SongSmith generates musical accompaniment to match a singer’s voice. Basically, you choose a musical style and beat from their options, sing into your PC’s microphone, and SongSmith cleverly creates backing music for you. That song can be saved and shared with students, friends and family, posted online, or even used to create your own music videos. I used to use it as a reward session for those students who had completed their required tasks, and it was always a big hit!</div><br /><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Introducing SongSmith</span></b></div><br /><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This is one of my favourite videos about Microsoft SongSmith. I find the story a bit cumbersome at times but the video definitely highlights the essence of the programme. </div><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/3oGFogwcx-E?rel=0" width="420"></iframe> <b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /><br />How do you use SongSmith? </span></b><br /><br /><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> Here is a tutorial on how to use SongSmith from the UK Partners in Learning YouTube channel.<br /><br /></span></div><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/LuoHejVm9hU" width="420"></iframe> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /> </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">This is my version of how to install and use SongSmith.</span><br /><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></span><b style="display: block; margin: 12px 0 4px;"></b><b style="display: block; margin: 12px 0pt 4px;"><a href="http://www.slideshare.net/fionabeal/microsofts-songsmith-and-how-to-use-it" title="Microsoft's SongSmith and how to use it">Microsoft's SongSmith and how to use it</a></b><object height="355" id="__sse12707024" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://static.slidesharecdn.com/swf/ssplayer2.swf?doc=songsmith2-120426155942-phpapp02&stripped_title=microsofts-songsmith-and-how-to-use-it&userName=fionabeal" /> <param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"/> <param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"/> <param name="wmode" value="transparent"/> <embed name="__sse12707024" src="http://static.slidesharecdn.com/swf/ssplayer2.swf?doc=songsmith2-120426155942-phpapp02&stripped_title=microsofts-songsmith-and-how-to-use-it&userName=fionabeal" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object><br /><div style="padding: 5px 0 12px;">View more <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/">presentations</a> from <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/fionabeal">fionabeal</a>.<br /><br /><b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">Classroom uses of SongSmith </span></b><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I have been collecting ideas on how to use SongSmith in the classroom. Here are a few of them.Maybe you have some other ideas to contribute?</span></div><div id="__ss_12707133" style="width: 425px;"><b style="display: block; margin: 12px 0 4px;"><a href="http://www.slideshare.net/fionabeal/classroom-uses-of-songsmith" title="Classroom uses of SongSmith">Classroom uses of SongSmith</a></b><object height="355" id="__sse12707133" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://static.slidesharecdn.com/swf/ssplayer2.swf?doc=classroomusesofsongsmith-120426160857-phpapp01&stripped_title=classroom-uses-of-songsmith&userName=fionabeal" /> <param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"/> <param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"/> <param name="wmode" value="transparent"/> <embed name="__sse12707133" src="http://static.slidesharecdn.com/swf/ssplayer2.swf?doc=classroomusesofsongsmith-120426160857-phpapp01&stripped_title=classroom-uses-of-songsmith&userName=fionabeal" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object><br /><div style="padding: 5px 0 12px;">View more <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/">presentations</a> from <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/fionabeal">fionabeal</a>.<br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I am sure you'll find this Microsoft free tool very engaging and very useful especially if you are a teacher. Why not give it a try? </span></div></div></div>

Microsoft tools Resources Technology integration Tutorials Web tools Explore the magic of Microsoft's SongSmith

Microsoft's SongSmith is such a fun free tool to use in the classroom. If you join Microsoft's Partners in Learning Network as an e...

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Windows Live Movie Maker is fantastic to use in the classroom - and it is free!

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><i>Submitted by Fiona Beal</i><br />The next programme that we will take a look at is Windows Movie Maker. Movie Maker is a fantastic programme to use -  if you think that creating a video with your photos is too complicated then see what you think after trying Windows Movie Maker. The great thing about it is you can add photos and video, whereas in Photostory 3 you can only add photos.<br /><br /><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Which Movie Maker do I use?</b></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />There can be a bit of confusion about Windows Movie Maker because if you are using Microsoft XP, Windows Movie Maker is already part of the package. It is what I call the 'old' Movie Maker (and in my opinion it is much easier to use).  You CANNOT install <i>Windows Live Movie Maker </i></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">if you are running XP, </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">as far as I can see. So I am going to put two tutorials below - one for XP users which is the old Windows Movie Maker, and one for Windows 7 users - the <i>new</i> Windows <i>Live</i> Movie Maker. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Windows Movie Maker for Windows XP users</b></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(I am not sure about where Windows Vista fits in)</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I found this tutorial on the Internet and it seems to do the trick.  </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ak4ukjOy_FM?rel=0" width="420"></iframe><br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Windows Live Movie Maker for Windows 7 users</b></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is the latest Movie Maker - <i>Windows Live Movie Maker</i>. I found this tutorial on the Internet and it also seems to do the trick. On Thursday evening the webinar will focus on Windows Live Movie Maker.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/vh82WqBQ_2c?rel=0" width="420"></iframe><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>What can you do with Movie Maker? </b></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Not only can you include your best photo shots and some of your clips, but you can also add some really nice video and transition effects. Your movie could look quite professional at the end.</span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvhyphenhyphenTOVyKU0DpJe1H9rmFNGydmD3b26cIgvr6RT0Q376GuNl3-k8qAwUWolmO1V799yAK5eytnsqU-VlCWrabpwEjxD-KPPKdLnWQGeAZSzCOqpfjwBZFB9KEeb_nldsK6dDDKpwSrgPI/s1600-h/image%25255B21%25255D.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaUdoXT91XMkOjroKfINRf1G1_ojNCNrL-VpDazYtEq-BdKEu1tsLCf-f3pWBMGLRpc4pQi_DMEL7B4s6WnhGYJGRqnJ3TwYCjykqMG77U-tnxNI7ergy739Tw7aqPOXvn6kuZlyiay34/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: initial; border-top-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>How to get started with Windows Live Movie Maker</b></span><br /><br />If you look at the image above you’ll see that there is a place that says ‘Add videos and photos’. After you do this the media clips appear on the timeline at the side. Then you add as many effects as you like. You can even add titles and credits to your movie. Here is an infomercial from Microsoft showing how to use the Windows Live Movie maker software.<br /><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" class="b-hbp-video b-uploaded" frameborder="0" height="266" id="BLOGGER-video-74114758ada0031b-8020" mozallowfullscreen="mozallowfullscreen" src="https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyZ8n3gyqBfB0Tq2xac6HBnhvdousZdqIk-2MXlSEghvawCSKwk1RnLh3v1s4QcusGRXne8T9tnuyPiBFQcglhDUW9bUogyGiIZCJBvv8fZ8VPrX7kKV-zng5knijBNQqOVYLk" webkitallowfullscreen="webkitallowfullscreen" width="320"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></div></div></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>How to use Windows Live Movie maker step-by-step to make a simple movie</b></span></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Instead of putting my application into SlideShare as I usually do,  I thought I would experiment with Microsoft's Sky Drive. Did you know that when you join the Partners in Learning Network you receive a whole web-based Office suite (almost like Google Docs) with 25 GBs of free space. I uploaded my PowerPoint to my SkyDrive and have shared it so that it can be seen by others. You can watch this full screen by clicking the little box on the right. </span></span><br /><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div></div><iframe frameborder="0" height="327" scrolling="no" src="https://r.office.microsoft.com/r/rlidPowerPointEmbed?p1=1&p2=1&p3=SD78BE6492F5E06BF2%21299&p4=&ak=%21AG5el1HLYR-B6Yk&kip=1" width="402"></iframe><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here is the actual video I made when completing the PowerPoint tutorial above. </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The beauty of Blogger is that you can just add a video like this straight from your computer without having to go through youTube or another hosting service. </span><br /><br /><a href="http://meet78641452.adobeconnect.com/p6ha1ycp091/"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">http://meet78641452.adobeconnect.com/p6ha1ycp091/</span></a><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" class="b-hbp-video b-uploaded" frameborder="0" height="266" id="BLOGGER-video-f6d5e63f0ec30f04-6073" mozallowfullscreen="mozallowfullscreen" src="https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwXDqEkTqC1NK36K4xKpua3NxudJ3v9uR1XML6Ixt7vDT9WrYDDdeJSrLNZ6jJoxOrGDoTUsnDcpPA8gHGnhe_sd1WSsVjnd5iEagC_Z0HHBMOLoxJPtPLv2cxzJzw77-7ExbM" webkitallowfullscreen="webkitallowfullscreen" width="320"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>What about starting a movie channel for your class?</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">You can create your own movie channel in YouTube or in School Tube to store all your class’s movies. I believe there is also a YouTube Schools now. When I was teaching last year I opened a free School Tube account because it seemed a safer environment.</div></div></div>

Microsoft tools Tutorials Windows Live Movie Maker is fantastic to use in the classroom - and it is free!

Submitted by Fiona Beal The next programme that we will take a look at is Windows Movie Maker. Movie Maker is a fantastic programme to use -...

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Photostory 3 for Windows is a great free classroom tool

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small; line-height: 115%;">Photostories are digital stories shown in a sequence of photographs. You can write on the photographs, narrate what is happening, add music and effects and turn the whole digitial story into a movie.  It is a fantastic programme and can be used in a multitude of ways from Grade 1 – Adult! Microsoft has a marvelous programme called Photostory 3 for Windows that is very useful to use in a technology-integrated classroom. <br /><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small; line-height: 115%;">If Photostory 3 is not already part of your Windows package you can go to Google and ask for a download. It will probably take you to Microsoft.com/downloads. </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Before you get started plan what you want to do. </span></span></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">What will you call your photostory?</span></span></span></li><li style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">What photos will you use and where will you find them?</span></span></li><li style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Do you want to add narration?</span></span></li><li style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Will you use music?</span></span></li></ul><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> Put everything you want to use in a folder. </span></span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Step-by-step instruction on how to use Photostory 3</b> </span></span></span></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /><br />Let's started with a step-by-step tutorial  </div><br /><div id="__ss_12579416" style="width: 425px;"><b style="display: block; margin: 12px 0 4px;"><a href="http://www.slideshare.net/fionabeal/how-to-use-photostory-3-for-windows" target="_blank" title="How to use Photostory 3 for Windows">How to use Photostory 3 for Windows</a></b> <iframe frameborder="0" height="355" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/embed_code/12579416" width="425"></iframe> <br /><br /><div style="padding: 5px 0 12px;">View more <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/thecroaker/death-by-powerpoint" target="_blank">PowerPoint</a> from <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/fionabeal" target="_blank">fionabeal</a> </div></div><br /><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Ideas for classroom uses of Photostory 3</span></b></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /><br /><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Here is a collection of ideas on how to use Photostory 3 in the classroom. Perhaps you can add to these ideas? </span></div></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></div><div id="__ss_12579477" style="width: 425px;"><b style="display: block; margin: 12px 0 4px;"><a href="http://www.slideshare.net/fionabeal/classroom-uses-for-photostory-3-for-windows" target="_blank" title="Classroom uses for Photostory 3 for Windows">Classroom uses for Photostory 3 for Windows</a></b> <iframe frameborder="0" height="355" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/embed_code/12579477" width="425"></iframe> <br /><br /><div style="padding: 5px 0 12px;">View more <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/thecroaker/death-by-powerpoint" target="_blank">PowerPoint</a> from <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/fionabeal" target="_blank">fionabeal</a><br /><br />One of the great things about using Photostory 3 is that it can easily be uploaded to a blog without going through YouTube or a similar hosting programme. This is a photostory of a blogging project I did with a combined Grade 4/5 class at school. This illustrates how you can write on photos,  add interleaves and add music...plus upload it to a blog. </div></div></div><br /><br /><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" class="b-hbp-video b-uploaded" frameborder="0" height="266" id="BLOGGER-video-92775aad93222110-18317" mozallowfullscreen="mozallowfullscreen" src="https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwwk1mnBqTOgrbpAKJDw9Nmq8EHw1P24Wdgj7FEy4vZz5rtRXT04_L6dWZpAJeoFFv7WJw1AZ5xrVrO2bbd2wgrxthSU-zSWKldgU6sBEzEm_YrihZY1bZNDmYuoJvHQ_Quno3R" webkitallowfullscreen="webkitallowfullscreen" width="320"></iframe></div><br /></div></div>

Microsoft tools Slideshare Tutorials Web tools Photostory 3 for Windows is a great free classroom tool

Photostories are digital stories shown in a sequence of photographs. You can write on the photographs, narrate what is happening, add music ...

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Microsoft's AutoCollage is a must for teachers and students

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Submitted by Fiona Beal</i><br />Nowadays there are so many different things you can do with your photographs. Microsoft AutoCollage is a programme that allows you and your students to get creative with your images and combine them into a single collage. Best, of course, is that it is free. Microsoft Research has really tried to make this programme as simple as possible to use. Basically, you point it to a folder of photos in your My Pictures section and it knits them together to produce an eye catching collage.</span></div><br /><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">If you would like to see examples, Microsoft Research has a whole folder of AutoCollage photos in Flickr. <a href="http://www.flickr.com/groups/autocollage/">http://www.flickr.com/groups/autocollage/</a></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Below is a tutorial video that I found in the UK Partners of Learning YouTube channel. You can see that the opening image is a collage of a number of photos. I think this teacher explains very clearly how to get started with AutoCollage...hope you find it useful. </span></div><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/1GAUW0wRd4A?rel=0" width="420"></iframe><br /><br /><b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">How to use Autollage </span></b><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Here are some step by step instructions on how to use AutoCollage.</span><br /><div id="__ss_12524123" style="width: 425px;"><b style="display: block; margin: 12px 0 4px;"><a href="http://www.slideshare.net/fionabeal/how-to-use-autocollage" target="_blank" title="How to use Autocollage">How to use Autocollage</a> </b> <iframe frameborder="0" height="355" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/embed_code/12524123" width="425"></iframe> <br /><div style="padding: 5px 0 12px;">View more <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/thecroaker/death-by-powerpoint" target="_blank">PowerPoint</a> from <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/fionabeal" target="_blank">fionabeal</a> </div></div><br /><b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">Classroom uses for Autocollage</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /><br />Here are some starting points for classroom ideas for using AutoCollage. Please add some thoughts that you have about ways of using this programme in your classroom. </span><br /><br /><div id="__ss_12524233" style="width: 425px;"><b style="display: block; margin: 12px 0 4px;"><a href="http://www.slideshare.net/fionabeal/classroom-uses-for-autocollage" target="_blank" title="Classroom uses for AutoCollage">Classroom uses for AutoCollage</a></b> <iframe frameborder="0" height="355" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/embed_code/12524233" width="425"></iframe> <br /><div style="padding: 5px 0 12px;">View more <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/thecroaker/death-by-powerpoint" target="_blank">PowerPoint</a> from <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/fionabeal" target="_blank">fionabeal</a><br /><br /></div></div></div>

Microsoft tools Tutorials Microsoft's AutoCollage is a must for teachers and students

Submitted by Fiona Beal Nowadays there are so many different things you can do with your photographs. Microsoft AutoCollage is a programme t...

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Microsoft Free Tools #7: Microsoft Flashcards

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong>What is this application?</strong></span><br /><br />This is called FLASHCARDS and it is an application from Microsoft Education Labs.  I really like the idea of these flashcards. This is a great programme to teach your learners at school to use. They could use it for anything where facts are important - vocabulary recognition, spelling, history etc. <br /><br />When we were in Seattle one of the group designed flashcards about Seattle, and at the time I was really taken with the idea. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8OHzXGuzLmZymHne67KX0t8ZfSGmHdj1i7BBmCwczEXZ5dRYqj43WcCthXcRQKVoYpyGoek3yaF0vlXQMjhRC7Nq44fYxLiX2QTTwZOqbSeIpmdq3IR5wfQVVB7-QASiZx6e4jlDubME/s1600-h/image%25255B3%25255D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-fqa3d30B6azHtAza8YT2YPnQx20o2U1Ldd8NQRRwlXGI2vkCd0dJUa2mlUnM8q_uJ1RUWxf5QArc93HwIzn07rkOESjU5i0E4NCotaCPxgxLmeaqJOUkLxeAmsN0WxF41eg2zHoRNFA/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="519" /></a><br /><br />Microsoft Partners in learning UK has a video available on how to use this flashcards application.<br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/innovativeteach#p/u/54/FhdEZ8KoA3s">http://www.youtube.com/user/innovativeteach#p/u/54/FhdEZ8KoA3s</a><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/FhdEZ8KoA3s" width="420"></iframe> <br /><br /><br /><strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Classroom Use</span></strong><br /><br />*Create a revision tool in one of the subjects you teach<br />*Show your students how to create a revision tool with this application.</div>

Microsoft Flashcards Microsoft tools Microsoft Free Tools #7: Microsoft Flashcards

What is this application? This is called FLASHCARDS and it is an application from Microsoft Education Labs.  I really like the idea of these...

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Microsoft Free tools – #6: Zoomit

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">  <br /><strong><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">What is Zoom.it?</span></strong><br /><br />Zoom.it is a free service for viewing and sharing high-resolution photography. All you have to do is provide the link to any image that is already on the web, and Zoom.it give you a beautiful new way to experience it by making it possible to zoom in and out.  Zoomit also gives you a nice short URL for your photo. <br /><br /><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-_DnzruIX4qY/Tq7JH0xoaWI/AAAAAAAAAcA/ANWEj7gLOII/s1600-h/image%25255B2%25255D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="205" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-2WwJw3cwWsk/Tq7JIqw8HcI/AAAAAAAAAcI/DUKXt6eVcrQ/image_thumb.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />This is great for displaying a photo that has a lot of people in it on a blog such as this one taken by Neung Wichai at the Partners in Learning Institute week in Seattle in July.<br /><br /><script src="http://zoom.it/dhlX.js?width=auto&height=400px"></script><br /><a href="http://zoom.it/dhlX">http://zoom.it/dhlX</a> <br /><br /><strong><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Classroom use</span> </span></strong><br /><br />* Use Zoom.it on a blog or wiki for showing a large group of people or objects and zooming in for a closer view. </div>

Microsoft tools Zoomit Microsoft Free tools – #6: Zoomit

  What is Zoom.it? Zoom.it is a free service for viewing and sharing high-resolution photography. All you have to do is provide the link to ...

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Incorporate Screencasting into your lesson plans

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong>Introduction – Jing and Screenr</strong></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; language: en-za; mso-ascii-font-family: "Arial Rounded MT Bold"; mso-bidi-font-family: +mn-cs; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-color-index: 1; mso-fareast-font-family: +mn-ea; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-font-kerning: 12.0pt; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: black; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-style-textfill-type: solid;">A few months ago I decided to use screencasting more in lessons. The first programme I tried was Jing. I actually liked it so much that I took out the pro membership which was very cheap but gave more benefits. Then I discovered Screenr which seems to have all the benefits of Jing pro as well, although it is free.  </span> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; language: en-za; mso-ascii-font-family: calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: +mn-cs; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-color-index: 1; mso-fareast-font-family: +mn-ea; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-font-kerning: 12.0pt; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: black; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-style-textfill-type: solid;"><span style="font-size: small;">I wanted my class to do two things:<br /></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; language: en-za; mso-ascii-font-family: calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: +mn-cs; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-color-index: 1; mso-fareast-font-family: +mn-ea; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-font-kerning: 12.0pt; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: black; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-style-textfill-type: solid;">*Learn how to create a V</span><span style="color: black; language: en-za; mso-ascii-font-family: calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: +mn-cs; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-color-index: 1; mso-fareast-font-family: +mn-ea; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-font-kerning: 12.0pt; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: black; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-style-textfill-type: solid;">oki</span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small; language: en-za; mso-ascii-font-family: calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: +mn-cs; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-color-index: 1; mso-fareast-font-family: +mn-ea; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-font-kerning: 12.0pt; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: black; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-style-textfill-type: solid;"> (a little avatar that can speak) .<br /></span><span style="color: black; font-family: calibri; language: en-za; mso-ascii-font-family: calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: +mn-cs; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-color-index: 1; mso-fareast-font-family: +mn-ea; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-font-kerning: 12.0pt; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: black; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-style-textfill-type: solid;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">*Get their Vokis to complain about an issue in society as a writing and speaking task.</span> </span><span style="color: black; font-family: calibri; language: en-za; mso-ascii-font-family: calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: +mn-cs; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-color-index: 1; mso-fareast-font-family: +mn-ea; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-font-kerning: 12.0pt; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: black; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-style-textfill-type: solid;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong></strong></span></span></span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="color: black; font-family: calibri; language: en-za; mso-ascii-font-family: calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: +mn-cs; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-color-index: 1; mso-fareast-font-family: +mn-ea; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-font-kerning: 12.0pt; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: black; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-style-textfill-type: solid;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong>How to make a Voki</strong></span> </span><br /><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="color: black; font-family: calibri; language: en-za; mso-ascii-font-family: calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: +mn-cs; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-color-index: 1; mso-fareast-font-family: +mn-ea; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-font-kerning: 12.0pt; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: black; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-style-textfill-type: solid;"></span><span style="color: black; font-family: calibri; language: en-za; mso-ascii-font-family: calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: +mn-cs; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-color-index: 1; mso-fareast-font-family: +mn-ea; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-font-kerning: 12.0pt; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: black; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-style-textfill-type: solid;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For this part of the lesson I explained how to make the Voki using </span><a href="http://www.voki.com/"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">http://www.voki.com/</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">. The students really enjoyed this lesson. I also made a screencast using Jing on 'How to make a Voki so that the less confident students could practise and finish at home.</span> </span></div><span style="color: black; font-family: calibri; language: en-za; mso-ascii-font-family: calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: +mn-cs; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-color-index: 1; mso-fareast-font-family: +mn-ea; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-font-kerning: 12.0pt; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: black; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-style-textfill-type: solid;"></span><span style="color: black; font-family: calibri; language: en-za; mso-ascii-font-family: calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: +mn-cs; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-color-index: 1; mso-fareast-font-family: +mn-ea; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-font-kerning: 12.0pt; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: black; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-style-textfill-type: solid;"></span> <br /><div align="left"><object data="http://content.screencast.com/users/fionabeal/folders/Jing/media/089a8054-5950-4c25-b88b-d716f696360c/jingh264player.swf" height="267" id="scPlayer" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="420"> <param name="movie" value="http://content.screencast.com/users/fionabeal/folders/Jing/media/089a8054-5950-4c25-b88b-d716f696360c/jingh264player.swf"><param name="quality" value="high"><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF"><param name="flashVars" value="thumb=http://content.screencast.com/users/fionabeal/folders/Jing/media/089a8054-5950-4c25-b88b-d716f696360c/FirstFrame.jpg&containerwidth=1024&containerheight=768&content=http://content.screencast.com/users/fionabeal/folders/Jing/media/089a8054-5950-4c25-b88b-d716f696360c/How%20to%20make%20a%20voki.mp4&blurover=false"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="scale" value="showall"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><param name="base" value="http://content.screencast.com/users/fionabeal/folders/Jing/media/089a8054-5950-4c25-b88b-d716f696360c/"><iframe type="text/html" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="overflow:hidden;" src="http://www.screencast.com/users/fionabeal/folders/Jing/media/089a8054-5950-4c25-b88b-d716f696360c/embed" height="420" width="267"></iframe> </object></div><br /><span style="color: black; font-family: calibri; language: en-za; mso-ascii-font-family: calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: +mn-cs; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-color-index: 1; mso-fareast-font-family: +mn-ea; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-font-kerning: 12.0pt; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: black; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-style-textfill-type: solid;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How to use Jing</span> </strong></span></span><br /><span style="color: black; font-family: calibri; language: en-za; mso-ascii-font-family: calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: +mn-cs; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-color-index: 1; mso-fareast-font-family: +mn-ea; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-font-kerning: 12.0pt; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: black; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-style-textfill-type: solid;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong><br /></strong><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I discovered an amazing site for learning how to use Jing.  Here is an image of it plus the hyperlink.</span> </span></span></span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZKNPyZgF7GCAAR0ea-UqJQnnV4yt_1O1svyOcqMMlHqIubsZCZh3tmGEffKEFEfr9rANJeFGvzeWQ7R18hKwka7uI7zFGVvc0uyGEoMLBA3PUhqDYZcXKWltsP-gTcJ3wnNopELF08WM/s1600-h/image%25255B3%25255D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigjgmQTibXBEZCxP7SdI62C1sl3K-jSf8VRKJDH6s6CwEA9JR02uzDw9ci2hrvew4ngcqgMH26OVfo9gXqLi7tTpucNonGY4s-BMvivbzu1cvbOMfo1FGIQompKk4tmiV0H_0omPK8VVo/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="433" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.teachertrainingvideos.com/jingInReality/index.html">http://www.teachertrainingvideos.com/jingInReality/index.html</a><br /><span style="color: black; font-family: calibri; language: en-za; mso-ascii-font-family: calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: +mn-cs; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-color-index: 1; mso-fareast-font-family: +mn-ea; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-font-kerning: 12.0pt; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: black; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-style-textfill-type: solid;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong> <span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Give a talk on an issue</span></strong></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">*I wanted the class to use their Vokis to express an opinion about an issue.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">*I captured an example for them to use using Screenr.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>The Tas</strong></span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>k</strong></span></span><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today you will make a Voki expressing some strong opinions. Use </span><a href="http://www.voki.com/"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">http://www.voki.com/</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> to do this. <br /><br />1. Think of something that really irritates you, that you think something should be done about. <br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. Here are some sentence starters you could use: <br /><br />*What really gets on my nerves is … the reason for this is <br />*What drives me up the wall is … because <br />*What I can’t stand is … . I think <br />*What really annoys me is … You see </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3. I got this idea and took a Voki screencast  from Ian James's fantastic blog that I follow (</span><a href="http://tefltecher.wordpress.com/2011/03/15/voki-grumps/"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">http://tefltecher.wordpress.com/2011/03/15/voki-grumps/</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">) </span><br /><br />  <object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,115,0" height="396" width="420"><param name="movie" value="http://cdn.screenr.com/public/1.7/flash/screenr.swf" /><param name="flashvars" value="i=353353&h=t&svr=http://www.screenr.com/&vEmbed=<iframe src="http://www.screenr.com/embed/M94s" width="650" height="396" frameborder="0"></iframe>" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="wmode" value="opaque" /><param name="AllowScriptAccess" value="always" /><embed wmode="opaque" AllowScriptAccess="always" src="http://cdn.screenr.com/public/1.7/flash/screenr.swf" flashvars="i=353353&h=t&svr=http://www.screenr.com/&vEmbed=<iframe src="http://www.screenr.com/embed/M94s" width="650" height="396" frameborder="0"></iframe>" allowFullScreen="true" width="420" height="396" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"></embed></object><br /><br /><strong><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">A blogpost about using Screenr</span></strong><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have written a blog post about how to use Screenr:</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><a href="http://e-blogschool.blogspot.com/2011/10/screencasting-with-screenr-is-so-easy.html"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">http://e-blogschool.blogspot.com/2011/10/screencasting-with-screenr-is-so-easy.html</span></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1OxgfRS0HlFsDbZiRFr6ZzALMVMRIwWoaVxIgwQx3J8Lm7vkF2cQSHHDAQAgKHmmALp9Y7zYZH8itzmDUpYWW5YRWHUlzCIMVq1Ev-XfYcbquE9HOXuKNLua88DElynEs7ctYJ9XRlZ8/s1600-h/image%25255B7%25255D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKWvSNCu0YEYcyxvqOJxruJQDrHd97f1AB4sHM7zVY65EUnKEA4AOT0TD10EM4nQ56AY9_LHTf46OSRDZN9fWOxXSuDUjvXF5giwWUQwjAC3PmD14NSfvvfiTxFYLx_1W2m3QUZZ2zals/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="443" /></a><br /><br /><strong><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Provide access to your Screencasts to the students</span></strong><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What I did is I created a blog especially for Screencasting so that the students could just go to the link and open up the screencasts.  </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">However both Jing and Screenr store your screencasts so you can keep them there with links. Alternatively you can download them to your computer as MP4 files.</span> </span><br /><br /><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,115,0" height="396" width="420"><param name="movie" value="http://cdn.screenr.com/public/1.7/flash/screenr.swf" /><param name="flashvars" value="i=353401&h=t&svr=http://www.screenr.com/&vEmbed=<iframe src="http://www.screenr.com/embed/sV4s" width="650" height="396" frameborder="0"></iframe>" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="wmode" value="opaque" /><param name="AllowScriptAccess" value="always" /><embed wmode="opaque" AllowScriptAccess="always" src="http://cdn.screenr.com/public/1.7/flash/screenr.swf" flashvars="i=353401&h=t&svr=http://www.screenr.com/&vEmbed=<iframe src="http://www.screenr.com/embed/sV4s" width="650" height="396" frameborder="0"></iframe>" allowFullScreen="true" width="420" height="396" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"></embed></object><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Recently I provided this lesson on a PowerPoint at a TeachMeet but the screencasts wouldn’t open for some reason.  I hope that doesn’t happen here!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong>Further ideas</strong></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I think that in the iintegration of your curriculum with technology this would be a great way to help the students that might falter a bit and want to practise at home. If you have a large class the students could go over the instructions using your short screencasts (screencasts should always be short and to the point - no longer than three minutes, for example.)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Why not give screencasting a try?</span></div>

Jing Microsoft tools Screencasting Screenr Voki Web tools Incorporate Screencasting into your lesson plans

Introduction – Jing and Screenr A few months ago I decided to use screencasting more in lessons. The first programme I tried was Jing. I act...

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Microsoft free tools #5 - Microsoft Photostory

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times,'Times New Roman',serif;"><br /></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 115%;">Microsoft</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 115%;">Photo Story <span style="float: none;">3</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 115%;">is a very popular free</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 115%;">application<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="apple-style-span">that allows users to create a visual story (</span></span>show and tell<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="apple-style-span">presentation) from their digital photos.</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="apple-style-span">The software allows adding narration, effects, transitions and background music to create a</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Windows Media Video<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="apple-style-span">movie file with pan and zoom effects. Once a photo story has been made it can be played on a PC using</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Windows Media Player. <span style="line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times,'Times New Roman',serif;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times,'Times New Roman',serif;">Here is a tutorial for using Photostory 3 from the Partners in Learning UK YouTube channel</span><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ETP_JuN3zEg" width="420"></iframe><br /><br />Classroom uses for this programme are endless.<br />*It can be used to provide tutorials for the students.<br />*It can be used to reflect on a year in a class.<br />*Outings can be recorded on Photostory 3.<br />*It is very useful to use for students to create projects. </div>

Microsoft tools Photostory3 Web tools Microsoft free tools #5 - Microsoft Photostory

Microsoft   Photo Story  3   is a very popular free   application   that allows users to create a visual story ( show and tell   presentatio...

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Microsoft free tools #4 – Microsoft Songsmith

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Microsoft Songsmith is an amazing programme to use in the classroom for creating songs. The students absolutely love it.<br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>What is Songsmith?</b></span><br />Songsmith is a pretty smart programme that creates musical accompaniment to match the voice of whoever is singing. All you have to do is choose a musical style, sing into your PC or laptop microphone, and Songsmith will come up with the backing track for your music. After that you can share your songs with your friends and family, post your songs online, or create your own music videos.<br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Songsmith is free for teachers</b></span><br />The great news is that Songsmith is free for teachers to use in their classrooms.  <br />Let’s look at this great infomercial from Microsoft Research.<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/3oGFogwcx-E" width="420"></iframe> <br /><br /><br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Classroom ideas</b></span><br />• Use it as a reward period for your students<br />• Make up songs about the curriculum (Maths, Grammar, Poems, Facts from particular subjects)<br />• Create backings for class movies<br />• Use in music lessons<br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Tutorials</b></span><br />Here is a tutorial from the UK Partners in Learning site.<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/LuoHejVm9hU" width="420"></iframe> </div>

Microsoft tools SomgSmith Web tools Microsoft free tools #4 – Microsoft Songsmith

Microsoft Songsmith is an amazing programme to use in the classroom for creating songs. The students absolutely love it. What is Songsmith? ...

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Microsoft free tools #3 – Windows Movie Maker

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">If you think that creating a video with your photos is too complicated then you haven’t tried Windows Movie Maker! The only downside of this amazing programme is that it is too simple for advanced users!<br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>What can you do with Movie Maker? </b></span><br />It really is very simple to use like most of the Microsoft tools. Not only can you include your best photo shots and some of your clips, but you can also add some really nice video and transition effects. Your movie will look quite professional at the end I can assure you!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvhyphenhyphenTOVyKU0DpJe1H9rmFNGydmD3b26cIgvr6RT0Q376GuNl3-k8qAwUWolmO1V799yAK5eytnsqU-VlCWrabpwEjxD-KPPKdLnWQGeAZSzCOqpfjwBZFB9KEeb_nldsK6dDDKpwSrgPI/s1600-h/image%25255B21%25255D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaUdoXT91XMkOjroKfINRf1G1_ojNCNrL-VpDazYtEq-BdKEu1tsLCf-f3pWBMGLRpc4pQi_DMEL7B4s6WnhGYJGRqnJ3TwYCjykqMG77U-tnxNI7ergy739Tw7aqPOXvn6kuZlyiay34/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: initial; border-top-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>How to get started</b></span><br />If you look at the image above you’ll see that there is a place that says ‘Add videos and photos’. After you do this the media clips appear on the timeline at the side. Then you add as many effects as you like. You can even add titles and credits to your movie.<br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>How to use Movie Maker in the classroom</b></span><br />1. It really is fun when you include Movie Maker in your theme as the students love working with it.  These two Grade 4 teachers from St Cyprians in Cape Town based their theme on their Grade 4 novel, ‘Tolbooth’ and used Movie Maker extensively. They won the Innovative Teacher competition in South Africa as well as in the Pan Africa and the Middle East finals in Jordan and will be taking their Movie Maker project to Washington DC for the World Finals in early November.<br /><br /><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Fwz2GJ-KCak/TqbzWdH7zsI/AAAAAAAAAYM/i3I_dJhYsT0/s1600-h/image%25255B14%25255D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMgl2UOeTdRCGLQPgbootUFZGQE8cNruW53qIQhyL9TxgPh7RRxoVOd8-ezPyRT8GAZ2s6i7JCRu9l7s9B2VIivunEB9TDxKVuRSRjUsFutx7SZa0srcTOu7A1ltoOR6K4jznvzRSyKIQ/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="244" /></a><br /><br />2. High School Life Science students in Cape Town used Windows Movie Maker to create an infomercial about HIV Aids. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHlWJGaFrZOEatFaHw8RG9uz1IIwqF7lrnZTxnO-2oUpvtd4O-Dfz_-UZ0gvJUh4KM0UyRv_i-nvr7qsJjkdGhk5sWO0l99XF5ZDU56MM8xQ53WdR79Udc1Pgyj4Oq_zmmsFUZy0WySQw/s1600-h/image%25255B11%25255D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1YisvTSgm7AjsEpevKvuN7K1Mt4tHZ5lstcPbG4F7TqSISZEYv4N3F6RHmnKCn6BYHuHUD_Dj9_T-fcKRlISAQ7KsiI9al1MYkbvfeJ_SSWk95eZCbKQeRSXWnvvqkiMXk_XBtHJEgdI/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="320" /></a><br /><br />3. These high School History learners from Durban created movies about Apartheid using Windows Movie Maker.<br /><br /><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-_drFgtfr3BM/TqbzfqhG90I/AAAAAAAAAYs/YkqrOEBnHtA/s1600-h/image%25255B18%25255D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0xhO0oQiEFA33XUITsqj4xoxyswuD3dH5SL0iqtYiOhxzVHErxDJBrbbUcpeXQnU3nIAnVx9wpThrOVFI46j_dTohIqrTtYpisfRd1bV36RanpUCetFVrdVBQgKcFyE-rSGV4xdq7JDM/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="320" /></a><br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>More classroom ideas</b></span><br />•A very quick movie about something that has just happened – an outing or an event<br />• Expression of an assignment instead of writing it out. This definitely reduces the  riskof plagiarism<br />• Make book trailers instead of book reports<br />• Make movies about their book as was done by the Grade 4s<br />• Movies about Maths or other concepts<br />• Movies about the year at school<br />• Movies of their future dreamsin the job market<br />• Combine Movie Maker with Songsmith to create a music backing<br />• The learners can write instructions for something they are making i.e. a recipe, how to knit, how to make a card. etc. <br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>What about starting a movie channel for your class? </b></span><br />You can create your own movie channel in YouTube or in School Tube to store all your class’s movies.<br /><br />If you need more detailed instructions on creating a movie with Windows Movie Maker just go to YouTube and ask for a tutorial on how to use Movie Maker.  You will find a huge selection.<br /><br />Here is an infomercial from Microsoft showing how to use the software.<br /><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" class="b-hbp-video b-uploaded" frameborder="0" height="266" id="BLOGGER-video-74114758ada0031b-954" mozallowfullscreen="mozallowfullscreen" src="https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dw8SjjYjwH18YfmvCGUpjZ6om0I6h_SR21_q6rojIwWNwudUQVTynlxDJq9Fb1hXL2jVTgXSJoB2ADriQziOqwJRQFpCMVtzjccbLDPkkEYbA5Sgg1wUSGMor9UubnHcL-EGg" webkitallowfullscreen="webkitallowfullscreen" width="320"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Why not give Movie Maker a try tomorrow?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div>

Microsoft tools Windows Movie Maker Microsoft free tools #3 – Windows Movie Maker

If you think that creating a video with your photos is too complicated then you haven’t tried Windows Movie Maker! The only downside of this...

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Microsoft Free tools #2– Photosynth

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong>What is Photosynth?</strong></span><br /><br />Photosynth is a powerful set of tools for capturing and viewing the world in 3D. You can take photos in a 360 degree turn and experience a panoramic view. This is wonderful for school outings or just to capture the fullness of a scene. <br /><br /><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong>How to get started</strong></span> <br /><br />• Go to <a href="http://photosynth.net/">http://photosynth.net/</a> and join.<br />• It will ask you to download the application on to your computer. <br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO94m5IM9mCeUlV4MnIDCnslPBcYD5QjMaU_L6pG0bF5gpg93YWx5W5Ozuo88DLbWJctbP_QJZfSkeq5L-ctKTUs0Gp7mH-XdvEWChX4umINxmEV64ojdMmQS198XGfeLlyi0tx9xJm9A/s1600-h/image%25255B2%25255D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9n4tM0OBMmLBuqHTfrFQ1DuUY5Ybb8sp8WZzEITHdkR53iUxg_D7soM3WHR_QBvpgyqGrMlGtBz0gnrM03s4g9_TWB9EiiRg2TvLUXvZm7ZfxFW3MO7cLo0zuJxw207fYCzn3M4XssP4/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="400" /></a> </div><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong>Ideas for the classroom </strong></span><br /><br />Give a tour of your classroom. I tried this. <br /><a href="http://photosynth.net/view.aspx?cid=fd71f194-6973-42ca-85f2-f6633b18ab26">http://photosynth.net/view.aspx?cid=fd71f194-6973-42ca-85f2-f6633b18ab26</a> <br /><br /><iframe frameborder="0" height="300" src="http://photosynth.net/embed.aspx?cid=fd71f194-6973-42ca-85f2-f6633b18ab26&delayLoad=true&slideShowPlaying=false" width="500"></iframe><br /><br /><br />You could create a vocabulary game <br /><a href="http://photosynth.net/view.aspx?cid=5767adbc-f7b8-4d9d-ab38-7aec9558820e">http://photosynth.net/view.aspx?cid=5767adbc-f7b8-4d9d-ab38-7aec9558820e</a> <br /><br /><iframe frameborder="0" height="300" src="http://photosynth.net/embed.aspx?cid=5767adbc-f7b8-4d9d-ab38-7aec9558820e&delayLoad=true&slideShowPlaying=false" width="500"></iframe><br /><br />This was done by Bart from Belgium (<a href="http://teacherinresidence.wordpress.com/">http://teacherinresidence.wordpress.com/</a><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: PMingLiU; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">)</span><br /><br />You could show an art exhibition at your school <br /><a href="http://photosynth.net/embed.aspx?cid=40bd31ae-4249-477f-8fa9-bb08fa8d2541">http://photosynth.net/embed.aspx?cid=40bd31ae-4249-477f-8fa9-bb08fa8d2541</a> <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6-839fbIb2RbnYaV2F269DE4YFZzupIzAJj5qmxi7yhPaM6lgQIGQWKbBiSkyio2xh75VDEDlOJwatIA2HoC6nuB0YkEMrpfNdEr4xMygy2qOi83Zjj2SqHO68sP1xXvob1BGlbB_8po/s1600/1%2529+art+exhibition.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6-839fbIb2RbnYaV2F269DE4YFZzupIzAJj5qmxi7yhPaM6lgQIGQWKbBiSkyio2xh75VDEDlOJwatIA2HoC6nuB0YkEMrpfNdEr4xMygy2qOi83Zjj2SqHO68sP1xXvob1BGlbB_8po/s320/1%2529+art+exhibition.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Show the vicinity around your school <br /><a href="http://photosynth.net/embed.aspx?cid=74c4e358-87ba-4e1a-8273-ffaf440a7749">http://photosynth.net/embed.aspx?cid=74c4e358-87ba-4e1a-8273-ffaf440a7749</a> <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDMte_mR_zeOO0u5-ecGApGpwzRn_5DDIXTqxINpf08M1bmv3phT1wTUO-FP-_b2Oy2BnUN5xbydYz3xOjeS4Ok7C_Ic2jbChzZAqCMbpeqTNgfFuUOL9zV-37I2Jvjki0-7Aka6U9RiY/s1600/1%2529+art+exhinition2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDMte_mR_zeOO0u5-ecGApGpwzRn_5DDIXTqxINpf08M1bmv3phT1wTUO-FP-_b2Oy2BnUN5xbydYz3xOjeS4Ok7C_Ic2jbChzZAqCMbpeqTNgfFuUOL9zV-37I2Jvjki0-7Aka6U9RiY/s320/1%2529+art+exhinition2.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br />You could show a panoramic view of an outing<br /><span style="color: white; font-family: "Gill Sans"; language: en-US; mso-ascii-font-family: "Gill Sans"; mso-bidi-font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3"; mso-fareast-font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3"; mso-font-kerning: 12.0pt;"><a href="http://photosynth.net/view.aspx?cid=869b4d72-195a-437c-a1cc-395a544fb4d4">http://photosynth.net/view.aspx?cid=869b4d72-195a-437c-a1cc-395a544fb4d4</a></span><span style="color: white; font-family: "Gill Sans"; font-size: 40pt; language: en-US; mso-ascii-font-family: "Gill Sans"; mso-bidi-font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3"; mso-fareast-font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3"; mso-font-kerning: 12.0pt;"> </span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Mnu7w4g2KoolnpQf37wDGdRT4ZtHDXZLAtEPKI10XYYxdLwSezXEYZwTUBNghvHBYyfsO-TT8kwg1gIkh8Q6sqa7Ie99nhZS3oKPxYR_x0cUC4WY35BX2rWX45rZZWDs_n2_AJfTTJA/s1600/1%2529+art+exhibition+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="102" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Mnu7w4g2KoolnpQf37wDGdRT4ZtHDXZLAtEPKI10XYYxdLwSezXEYZwTUBNghvHBYyfsO-TT8kwg1gIkh8Q6sqa7Ie99nhZS3oKPxYR_x0cUC4WY35BX2rWX45rZZWDs_n2_AJfTTJA/s320/1%2529+art+exhibition+3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong>Ideas worth trying…</strong></span> <br /><br />•Use it to show around your classroom<br />• Use it for an outing<br />• Show something that is happening at your school.<br />• Use it as a vocabulary lesson<br />• Use it to demonstrate everybody’s work. <br />• Submit your photosynths of views to Bing Maps <br /><br /><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong>Microsoft provides plenty of online help for Photosynth</strong></span> <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAXXj7VLa69QsEle2dWYQwxG5p2DAeMAc6NXn3zrUQy4YxLyhTM04FMz5o1iEmL1TP0C18qZtGYeQB4XJADfUDAml8sALvXz677BeyaHtF5oB_ow57xCNLI27WNc-cZX7TH4LDY0UZfVg/s1600-h/image%25255B7%25255D.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmyJbkqNQYjlAhJemoOjw7N6WJcNDS0fVqAs5GZgD4at-RGUns4T24TaPS81lQHUJSE0xms49olOgHUmY6e8nieBBkZA57UiiRJWQFh0Kkxl6cCgpiOWk09kxGz_5c0dJUJlKaafMZPeI/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="224" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>A video from UK Partners in Learning </strong><strong>‘How to use Photosynth’</strong> <br /><br /></div><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/-cAf6m6YZU4" width="420"></iframe></div>

Microsoft tools Photosynth Web tools Microsoft Free tools #2– Photosynth

What is Photosynth? Photosynth is a powerful set of tools for capturing and viewing the world in 3D. You can take photos in a 360 degree tur...

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Microsoft's free tools #1 - AutoCollage

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">I love all the Microsoft programmes that are free to teachers who join the Partners in Learning website. One of my favourites is AutoCollage. Have you tried it?  This is one really great way of capturing all the students in your class in various activities during the school year. <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHoa-giOJBAkYmfbF7tPhwC0V7wGtlnZit-utaCAJexIovQgcCq6fqueXbP1EYA_tW-Oo7YLWjQVOmIU7TYlZfnjSH_TE5WbqC6E5GGIJ1kG39QinJ7QVQalDYmuxtGjzsJ5f_3BI8DaY/s1600-h/image%25255B2%25255D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlo_oyVX2Y1tqM0kl56xk1WbwtfMgZ8ab1jKfaaxPQIh0JPZxucSzpPJwwH-Sz2jnmHhzxeh-ZC0et5CUy0QKHpKJ89fmprWhIfRd2yG-TRBOO5DOPCvi0X_N-TjG_g_otDGZcZrnAbbo/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="244" /></a><br /><strong><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">How does AutoCollage work?</span></strong><br /><b><br /></b><br /><b>1. Put the photos that you want to use in a folder in My Pictures</b><br />When you open AutoCollage you’ll see that it picks up all the folders of photos in My Pictures. Choose the folder you want and immediately all the pictures in the folder will appear in the middle.<br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgROrZrPONbqdYrMsNhuP3fQE1HGNjoManSSByka4V6QTPSYxmR-l8vQPFsIpW5gYiqiXQ2Shu2WPHA98k9ZqNZE4e0E-1CQcQ64cZGfumJntzmcbegelza-wGg9l-DR9tInsNdVGyddQs/s1600-h/image%25255B10%25255D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgka-Bg-_3QDGvyzT0NfuJ1Nks6CubwudcjipTm-SQzRcCLegY0QXPCBZBBCwVmOV0IngvRVkS7rbrTmL5-1kMU5XygYAfy_HwZDrnILgiSsj6ieF4odJFHFIwJrh64Zr6fZ72oOhW7MTI/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="240" /></a></div><b>2. Click on Create</b><br />AutoCollage starts to swirl the pictures around. This is where you make some choices in the settings. Do you want some to be bigger than others, for example?<br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm-Y3hypCwpzCJhE6jy9NVBx1THJ1yncg7IypYLmdeKhoJt3lTRVhuueH3oybJAh1SFzpBI3tMjYkQxEKuXz6-qP5fTg9L0yTtY39HdcIUVVxz2ErD_UdqZ1bhtyad7LHKHXY9pnCYxJ4/s1600-h/image%25255B29%25255D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBf6iCn1h8MDG_R5PqI1htX5HYjElYsj8AWFlyHU2_A8behoXEhQslPA6oS67oKtP81fobVKZWC7FjEcqKyl5iOYx4O00WKzqt07Qp5GHZgqthOM_mWdztkcqdF1rqzHEkQmDr49h6wco/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="412" /></a></div><b>3. Your picture starts to take shape</b><br /><b><br /></b><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjREl4tmp9bAvBu2JvxlCi9xgnN3XN7EqTTSedSRH6luq4gBPTlph_h8ZfsFOU66XIT457wzQGIOIXgwqjHOspSndOwzHz0A62oxkcEfaRtBeTdPhEVm-EWNyxk9_3mHxAefj0XSnbeT-Q/s1600-h/image%25255B32%25255D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="138" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggv5mpkW0sqfPmuFrPeuyf_ag0jwuyM-svksugb8Gah147hdiysa3IVTFeHWP0TyMXet3_eWUubS0Y6QLv5Tp6kmMiRcCHTKRSnudpiUVS2D-K6b5tsiACK3fibFzKUTFLbqI1enJ8Oyw/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="244" /></a></div><div align="left"><b><br /></b></div><div align="left"><b>4. What’s the verdict?</b></div><div align="left">If you don’t like the resulting picture just click on Create a again and a different arrangement appears.</div><div align="left"><br /></div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSDc0IdVr8X9Rfoa_0E334tQgUOPigog4tdWcs_0g7wOAOHSB3AaN-OuzI9WaEIPNYIbHsUt3X1XFBXL0qbW32PjqCKBlFXItrwHhL4N6Fvc-IPlanT4wYOWcC9Q4xBXQhWP6-SpBo4L0/s1600-h/image%25255B35%25255D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="155" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCSRY-6ZqEe8MYWYAPvu39wUQ_EPUw9mkH7s_QHUcz5oMqCiQ1oY6nGBpePmiJ17ENQKyiqOd5krdtlNu8KWKdE_2MqE5zeNrmsurlyBZgTZARGk1QjE_dIM19XEPHzS1fEVAVVG_fygU/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="244" /></a></div><strong><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Classroom ideas for Autocollage</span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></strong><br />1.<b> Create a picture to put on a classroom door that incorporates everyone </b><br /><b><br /></b><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVXpJJAdKD-Ds2KgyY1l0WUnbvqHBbwY1ph8lO9SrcFEmsHUyHHbXdVPQpIqfUugXNMPPwFJutVgI139wWq9-CRkt8QrX4K98M1Wm26iTznD33MoaTSuKpxBx2TXRz7nZZUf1OuGABda0/s1600-h/image%25255B38%25255D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGb4VNwzxVwqBmxluAjwsthEQvGXKIirbuQpEq00T6PJ5JTeC8GYp5PVMwAdDYhKqqVkOaXSIimlIH_326xmTcls7lB7D2OtZKLB8nL0XTDSIPSx27PvFnPXz9Mz90I0HrVdqB_JrXgCA/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="244" /></a></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="left"><b>2. Use it as a way of capturing everyone’s finished work or to remember names!</b></div><div align="left"><b><br /></b></div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxl5VDm_lcbNfKevoRGesiwL0LcFxuxBeiyOfDyutOx_KYEI6nbwrnLpci7afWqy0_PamIuB-I_YntviGdiUUmX-m1jX8szi8Hz642Gz4jcmitBWfJsr_xUP9ccK5LAbKpAsABt8V3N8o/s1600-h/image%25255B41%25255D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXXfi2yxm4cMkwz54cMFKr-zcKgZ3AEkeVHlffXJ7xCcwLq3XJ1YbY5uE3_MPMIM7PnIr210fe_U1cN55qWt_1B71xSrG2JdElgtF3LYBmlfVLpHeV8cTlo3tNmfYK7lQZokFzPYa5ywE/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="244" /></a></div><div align="center"><br /></div><b>3. Use it to collect memories from a project. (This is from Lisa Gair’s Adopt-a-donkey project) </b><br /><b><br /></b><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6IIuu1GZYQQjgOdPihS16Vry-w4nHFrWBmkK0RDIXsC1gUoG1R0_SPWrI6z_b-SzPRZ-038KneipdTqel_mF-R-RRTSFo6MowJ6yvj2ISdkkcTrn1VmbSH7yqX9TC8J6Ps-0whLhMJiY/s1600-h/image%25255B44%25255D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimOldUlSXcyR_oQR9d3iRwVBuwMS0yo4f6P2v3Fa7mCXsiHfJpSwHPHHOo0KN5GdZVGXZs0h8F15Rvpi0r25bIQAjEaVKYqL1jxIwnVog5fSJFp1MOp7VXYZh7Mg__YbbDBWQ2OfQOU7k/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="244" /></a></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="left"><b>4. Use it for collecting themes about South Africa and writing poems about the theme as was done by the class of 8 year olds at St John’s College in Johannesburg. </b></div><div align="left"><b><br /></b></div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7-lxlDdFCnPnrbccTdOOGbOVNEgd8IgdHWncplJJDMDcZWPY7gkqPrkDIZG6Lh5j0UHvV5EhDE0mGcAsv1vJQGZmtO_G8FU-Y7hspHcQzKMzeEmB2z6JgQhZcVTM2ojBO9wxWL6mrib0/s1600-h/image%25255B50%25255D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUQpD-Q1z72zFIaJuLT4J6aXTD2Y2OWt1qypCgbH_-a1_H6sASGkY_401I2ZTemRQZ9TTalwoSf9rdok-_B8At4-jn_2Ot7R66zfl7U54HzdyhURv0r9xShWO_RpSNXUlXnes9QjR0xQY/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="244" /></a></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="left"><b>5. Use it in Maths for collecting pictures of Shapes</b></div><div align="left"><b><br /></b></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnguY5MheMZBPFf27rGvNxoRED1j0O3Oez0WDrGfCPNEAydXX1pNlDNXSBHdt8aL9XGbpMiLl0Vn1if0v3SC-xfXnjJtQueg2dFzPmDc2HPJbGoMtbixtxYHaWx-6cVm4ukGVpl3NlAPI/s1600-h/image%25255B55%25255D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxuwXSgdIymu8ETi4C1vMDpwr8wfgtepXplTvkUNw9F9Bq27tvxw-Puf_cwWXTW3IKEZ1sQq8Pk3WI9718b7Hdw6IOzmPtVrqXtt9BOUYSaCYMw0txYMAXjjQpvx0nJgqOAC5pP59qdJQ/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="240" /></a><br /><b>6. Other ideas that could work</b><br /><b><br /></b><br />• Make a card from the class for some occasion<br />• Creative writing exercises – ‘How does this make you feel?’ ‘Moods and feelings’<br />• Book cover for a planning book<br />• Create a vocabulary exercise using PowerPoint and store it on a blog<br />• Create certificates<br />• A collage of a novel’s characters<br />• Background for a PowerPoint presentation<br />• A record of a lesson with everyone showing their product <br /><br /><b>7. Microsoft has plenty of step by step instruction available on their website </b><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRuh7cM9Myca073uWVMOWdebOtFLp3WtatyqckOiNQfrUSBAedAk362gWn8c2cVgeuIQzii7UuaRB36xawkxcwLowzrKepMYwH4msm8O8Mg8VHJd7JBsA0GkyblEP_l5mdUFjokyF40F4/s1600-h/image%25255B61%25255D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1D8ZRYEUoNLZRaNCr2OPNg7HyqKGEXXT_8YXL6Kn02dvBUFqZHje0pcqjacZPipybSxkDUJgcBtXDCrJfFqI0FPpP9_54x-BwBM_nClSj8Pua2fWv8VJLiwOpBGnUNXhv_yQd-izvZyE/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="213" /></a> <br /><div align="center"><strong><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></strong></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><strong><span style="font-size: medium;">A video from UK Partners in Learning </span></strong><strong><span style="font-size: medium;">‘How to use Autocollage’</span></strong></div><br /><div align="center"><br /></div><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/1GAUW0wRd4A" width="420"></iframe> <br /><br /><a href="http://youtu.be/1GAUW0wRd4A">http://youtu.be/1GAUW0wRd4A</a></div>

AutoCollage Microsoft tools Web tools Microsoft's free tools #1 - AutoCollage

I love all the Microsoft programmes that are free to teachers who join the Partners in Learning website. One of my favourites is AutoCollage...

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How much do you know about Microsoft's free tools for educators?

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 18px;"><i>Submitted by Fiona Beal</i><br />Did you know that Microsoft has a number of free tools that can really make your  lessons come alive? Recently, when we attended the Partners in Learning (PIL) Institute week in Redmond, we didn’t spend very much time in the computer labs because the emphasis was on 21^st century lesson activities, yet the tools enhanced everything we did.  In this post I would like to show you some of the ways the PIL members used the tools. In future posts I will take each tool and explain it fully showing its potential in lesson activities.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><u><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></u></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Photosynth</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><br /></b>Photosynth<span style="background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-origin: initial; color: #222222;"> (</span><a href="http://photosynth.net/">http://photosynth.net/</a>) <span style="background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-origin: initial; color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">is a web-based </span><span style="background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-origin: initial; color: #222222;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">software application from Microsoft Live that analyzes digital photographs and generates a three-dimensional model of the photos and gives a 360 degree view of a scene. With this application you can shoot wrap-around panoramas and easily share them with others. This has ENORMOUS potential for school outings.  I must confsss that I knew about photosynth before leaving for the USA but I hadn’t explored it. Now I can see that it is a simple yet effective programme that can make any outing memorable.  On most of our learning excursions PIL members took many different photosynths to share with others. This meant that everyone could benefit from all the excursions.</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">Neung made 10 different photosynths of the Seattle underground.  Here is one of them:</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="300" src="http://photosynth.net/embed.aspx?cid=f032feb0-2fc7-407c-90ee-67e13f3cab03&m=false&i=0:1:0&c=-2.4032:-0.225885:-0.0989103&z=603.469485023876&d=3.05778237455914:-2.22787423666449:-2.02439037975834&p=0:0&t=False&delayLoad=true&slideShowPlaying=false" width="500"></iframe></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-origin: initial; color: #222222;"><br /></span><span style="color: #222222;">One group took a photosynth of the Spaceneedle, one the highest points in Seattle. It is marvelous to still be able to still experience that  breathtaking panoramic view via the photosynth. </span></span><br /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="300" src="http://photosynth.net/embed.aspx?cid=869b4d72-195a-437c-a1cc-395a544fb4d4&delayLoad=true&slideShowPlaying=false" width="500"></iframe></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">B<span class="Apple-style-span">art used photosynth to teach us 7 Dutch words in his kitchen when he got back home</span>.</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="300" src="http://photosynth.net/embed.aspx?cid=5767adbc-f7b8-4d9d-ab38-7aec9558820e&delayLoad=true&slideShowPlaying=false" width="500"></iframe></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Bing Maps</span></b></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><br />You know how it is when an application is introduced and it is good – well you tend to use that application even after others have been developed! So, I have been a Google maps fan and that is what I generally use in my lesson activities. I didn’t realize the potential of Bing Maps! There are so many interesting apps that go with Bing Maps that our learners will love using.</span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">In this overview I will show two interesting ways that PIL Institute attendees used Bing Maps.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222;">Dan from the UK was first. Before we got there he asked everybody to think about joining <a href="http://about.me.com/">http://about.me.com/</a> and write a brief introduction about ourselves. He then joined these to a Bing Map. This is a great way to get to know who is going to be at an event before you meet them personally. Here is the map: <a href="http://binged.it/rry3gM">http://binged.it/rry3gM</a></span><span style="color: #222222;">. If you click on the image below you will be taken to the original in Bing Maps. </span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYFk4u8FQ_UI1bDiOAnDdbLr-Y8ANcARxKYUkD_uc3cCLb_wy4hkF-FKqnXr96xg3tSERzvPO3cqEDMZ8waVhLA7qDP6Ansvrorrw1GHl2jNQEWyjMc4Ny62dGnOZlDOk3AnVAJZ80VG8/s400/dan%2527s+map.JPG" width="400" /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Once you click on the person’s number on the map you can click on <em>‘more info</em>‘ and you’ll be taken to their <i>about.me</i> page. Dan is still adding details of everyone, but as he says, it is a great way to visually connect and possibly even collaborate in the future. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">Bram from Belgium made a Bing Map of all the places the various teams visited in Seattle. if you click on the map below you will be taken to the original in Bing Maps.</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br /><div id="mapviewer"><div id="LME_maplinks" style="line-height: 20px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnWgLzi1ARVenNj0nH-WfS6hcznBHPJoORMHY8i7dXGFHd2Fi3VHaR5EcJ6SQeJ-nDvbahgUEguwN3mS8VAlbdD-fk22bf8Tr1Elh3kmKYDuJ6ARAz5EQse6XE2YKX5mojJyNZH48po0Y/s400/Bing-Map-for-the-Partners-in-Learning-Institute-540x334.jpg" width="400" /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">Another interesting feature, I think, is that when you have created a photosynth about a place, you can submit it to Bing maps and if they like it they will add it to their map.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #222222;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">One Note</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />One Note is an incredible programme for keeping yourself organised. One of our presenters Sonja Delafosse used One Note instead of PowerPoint for presenting her sessions. One Note also has a great web app where you can share your notes. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">Here is Sonja's YouTube video called 'What One Note can do':</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><div style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/-JLuJ62rr04" width="425"></iframe></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>Mo</b><b>vie Maker</b></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><div style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222;">Of course, Windows Movie Maker is the hit of all time. We all made movies about everything and uploaded them to YouTube in a flash. Nothing went unnoticed. </span>I don't think we'll ever forget the PIL Institute week because so many lovely movies were made about it by the attendees. Here is one I haven't used before:</span><br /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/CI4XDd7CnvY" width="425"></iframe></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222;"><b><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Songsmith</span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222; line-height: normal;"><b><br /></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">This a great hit in schools. It is so easy to use and it does most of the work for you allowing you to end up with a very professional sounding version at the end.  W</span></span>hen our group was having a practice session on Song Smith, by the end of the session there was already a movie on YouTube!</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/-53nUeebcg8" width="420"></iframe></span><br /><div style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">In the TeachMeet session there was a video about Songsmith within minutes.</span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/u4EIVDZAH0U" width="425"></iframe></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Well, that ends my introductory post to some of the Microsoft tools and how they were used to make the week at the PIL Institute live on as an unforgettable memory forever. These tools are well worth exploring as you prepare your integrated lessons. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div></div></div>

Microsoft tools How much do you know about Microsoft's free tools for educators?

Submitted by Fiona Beal Did you know that Microsoft has a number of free tools that can really make your  lessons come alive? Recently, when...

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