During these English courses I have come in contact with a lot of different useful ICT resources and I believe that they are good tools to use in the classroom. From these resources I have singled out Photo Story because I was amazed of how easy it was to use and how professional the result got.
I also think that this is something that you as a teacher easily can use without needing to ask for help from the support unit at school.
How Photo Story works and what you need to make it work
Photo Story is a software that you as a user can download free of charge from Microsoft (http://www.microsoft.com) if you have a updated licence on your computer and that you can use to create digital Photo Stories for example.
When you download the program it asks of you to install Microsoft Windows Media Player 10. You also need a headset with a microphone and if you want your own pictures you need a web-camera or a digital camera.
There are an excellent demonstration of how you work with Photo Story on You Tube, it can be a good thing to look at this before using the program if you are feeling insecure and want some information on how to do.
After this is done you get started by preparing your story, your script and choose pictures to attach to your story. The pictures can be your own or downloaded from the Internet. Just make sure that they are free to use and do not have any copyright.
Here are some links for free pictures on Internet:
http://www.fotofinnaren.se
http://www.fotoakuten.se
It is also important to write where you found the pictures.
Once you have done this you can start the program. You start with one picture then you write a text on it if you wish and the you make a recording of you telling the part of the story that are connected with the picture. In the last step you can attach music to your story. After the story is finished you save it.
How Photo Story can be used by teachers and pupils
I believe that Photo Story can be both a useful and rewarding tool for the teachers as well as the pupil`s.
As a teacher you can use the program to make an introduction of yourself as a new teacher in the class.
It is also useful when you plan a theme with the class. It is a funny and interesting approach to use Photo Story and you than have a great material to show the pupil`s as you work through the theme. It is easy to draw up information and other things that are important for the pupil`s to notice and remember.
The children of today are very familiar with computers and digital stories and I think that when you as a teacher adapt to this technology you capture the pupil`s interest and motivation.
As a pupil you can use the program to create stories that involve both the told one as well as to present historical or other areas that you are to investigate and present to the class. It is a way to encourage the pupil`s to write stories, they can make the story came alive instead of just being read aloud in the class for example. By using the digital Photo Story the pupil`s can get a work that they feel proud of and which is professional in its presentation.
Another positive aspect is that by publishing it so that many people can view the presentation will give the pupil`s a feeling of importance and that their work matter.
Other considerations when using Photo Story
As I mentioned earlier it is important to think about copyright when you download pictures and music from the Internet. One other thing to think about is to get an approval from the pupil`s parents about taking their pictures and then using them in the story.
The program itself is free of charge but then you may need extra peripherals like a headset with a microphone in order to get the right sound when telling the story or presentation.
As a teacher you need to keep in mind that it takes time to get the stories finished. It is also a good thing if you have the possibility to use more than one computer in the class in order to speed things up. Otherwise the pupil`s may lose interest for the exercise if they have to wait too long before it is their turn.
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Hello Frida!
ReplyDeleteIt was interesting to read abut how you think that Photo Story can be used in the class room. Since we used this program earlier in the course I am familiar with the program myself.
Your thought about how the program can be used as an introductiion to a theme or as a help for a new theacher is really interesting. I hav enot thought about it myself that the program can be a "helful friend" when you are new at work and perhaps could need some support. I definately agree with you that the program can be a help to catch the pupils attention and to make yourself be more interesting. (And hopefully what you have to say and want the pupils to learn.)
One other positive thing about this post is that you mention that it is important that consider copyright and that it takes a lot of time to make the small movies (even if the program is userfriendly it still takes a lot of time). I think that it also is important that you as a teacher talk with the pupils about (if you are for example charing the movie with others, maybe on YouTube) what is appropriate to puplish on the internet. I would have liked if you have mentioned something about this, that since internet is so accessible to many people it is important to think several times before publishing. But at the same time, you as a teacher must of course check what your pupils have created before publishing anything. But you can only controll what happens during school time. so a talk about this could be in place anyway.
So, this weas a really nice and informative blog post, and most definately useful if you want to know more about Photo Story.
Thanks a lot!