I-Movie Projects

I was really impressed with all the I-Movie projects we saw in class on Monday night. They were all well done and unique. One group used a variety of pictures and music to connect the topic of nature to their own personal lives. Another group used a program that allowed them to have a live news report while another group, who disliked their book, turned their project into a lesson of "what not to do" as a teacher. The diverse creativity was entertaining but also teaches us about personal differences. Everyone is creative in different aspects and express themselves in various ways. As teachers, we need to recognize these differences by using a student's skill as a starting point for learning. We should encourage them to be creative and to try new and different things. However, this is also very applicable to teaching. Not only does every teacher teach differently but also each lesson will impact students in different ways. I think teachers should incorporate technology projects, such as I-movies, into their classrooms.

I also think that teachers need to be taught more technological skills. I grew up with technology even more so than teachers I had in high school (who were 23) and I am still behind in technology. Kids learn things so quickly that teachers need to be constantly updated in their skills. I think this can be included within teacher workshop days throughout the year. The I-movie project was a very beneficial one for me because it allowed me to learn some of these skills through experimentation. Granted, our group did not get as nifty and crafty with the special effects as other groups did, but we learned a lot. When we first started the project, the only thing we really knew how to do was to videotape. Now, we can upload it to a computer, do some basic editing (with text and music), and upload it to YouTube. While I think technological skills are important for teachers to continually learn and refine, when workshops are devoted to it, there must be some hands on learning where teachers can use trial and error because it is only through making mistakes that anyone ever truly learns anything. Finally, I think the I-movie presentations will be more meaningful to Educational Psychology students because they are much more engaging and interesting than a simple presentation or book report. We can work togther (gaining group skills), learn technology, make connections, critically think, and decide how to communicate our message to the audience. I do not think that book reports always involved learning that many skills. Not that book reports are all bad; as I will be an English teacher I will probably use them from time to time as well, I just think we need variety.

To see my I-movie project click here.