Thursday, January 27, 2011

Nerve Wracking!

I had some success with embedding videos into my blog after last spring when I had a graduate student come and do his dissertation research involving blogs and videos in my class, but before that I hadn’t really used it much. I understood how to embed things from other sites using code provided, but I always thought I should be writing not showing off techie stuff on my blog. Oh, well, that would be wrong! :)


So the part of using multimedia on my blog is that I can go overboard. (If you need proof, look at my avatar post--I got a little carried away.) Last spring I was a video embedding fiend because I had just learned the skill and in order for me to learn something well enough to remember it, I have to do over and over again. Behaviorism obviously worked on me.


Here is a video called Hans Rosling's 200 Countries, 200 Years in 4 minutes by the BBC. I have used it this week in my graduate class to discuss using video for teaching.
We actually watched it twice at their request because they wanted to see if they had missed anything the first time through. I asked some questions about why certain things happened when and they gave interesting, thoughtful answers. I think this video can create lots of good discussion for students of all ages.

As far as how I am going to use this, I think maybe I will do a poll on which avatar to use as a way to add a different type of multimedia to my blogging. Or maybe not! I just went into Blogger to add this post and the list of ways to embed code is not there! Hmmm, wonder what happened to that item on the tool bar.  I guess I'll have to go and read the Blogger Blog. (Acutally, I was thinking of Wikispaces and their widgets, so never mind that last little rant!)

So maybe this is NOT as nerve wracking as I first thought.

10 comments:

Lydia Schultz said...

Hi Laurie--

When you have open the window for composing a post, your box has two tabs--compose and html. You can switch back and forth between them, and paste in html from other sources.

Thanks for posting the video. It's pretty interesting.

Kay said...

What a cool video. I never would have thought I would be interested in statistics of health and wealth, but I watched fascinated. I wonder what it would look like if you added education as a variable.

Thanks for your nice comment on my blog. Have you considered posting book trailers to youtube?

Nancy C said...

Hi Laurie -
I was chuckling as I read your blog because I think many of us are like you - when we find something new - we do it and do it and do it until we got it! (if that makes sense).

Loved the video you included for a several reasons. 1. It was captivating - it was really an interesting topic. 2. It kept me wondering how it was made? I was fascinated and 3. It made me think how powerful a video can be when it comes to understanding a concept.

Thanks for sharing (and thanks for your complimentary comment on my blog too!)

Keep up the good work. By the way - I like the picture of you as your avatar....I like all the avatars but I think the photo just works!

Michael Grether said...

That is a great video! As a social studies teacher, I love the discussions that can be generated from its material. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could have that type of technology in our classrooms to create lessons and engage our kids? While I wait for that to happen I will try to find a replacement bulb for my overhead.

Kathryn T said...

Laurie
This is a fabulous video. I didn't think I was that much of a visual person, but this video goes to prove the effectiveness of visuals. Thanks for sharing that. I am sure would lead to really interesting discussion.
Kathryn

Malyn said...

Interesting video. It reminded be of gapminder.com. It's an interactive on wealth and health of nations.

My experience was definitely nerve-wracking. You can read all about it on my post for this challenge entitled Teacher, be a learner - step out of your comfort zone, the teacher is me.

Happy blogging.

cheers,
Malyn

Anne Mirtschin said...

Hi Laurie, thanks for sharing this embedded video. Did you follow Lydia's advice and did that work or has your html tab somehow disappeared? Let us know if you are successful.

Sheri said...

Hi Laurie, Thanks for the video. Wouldn't it be nice to have a tech crew to help develop tech tools for lessons? The information relates to an article my grade 8 students have read about Africa. I just found a link to complex thinking and "screenagers."

<a href="http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/feb11/vol68/num05/Too-Dumb-for-Complex-Texts¢.aspx”>Educational Leadership:Teaching Screenagers:Too Dumb for Complex Texts?</a>

Complex texts; complex graphics: we teachers have a lot on our plate to help students become critical thinkers. Your blog and video adds to the conversation for teachers. Thanks

MrsSarno said...

I really love the positive spin about poverty in that movie! I teach art to 7th grade, and we do a unit on poverty. I am going to show them that movie!

Thanks!

Nancy said...

One more thing, I saw Buckminster Fuller talk for about 2 hours at Town Hall in NYC in the early 70's. It was just him, I don't think he had any technological back-up, no slides or anything. It was riveting, he was captivating and wonderful throughout!

Just him standing on the stage talking!

So what I mean is, fancy gimmicky tools are great, but not necessary.