Make no mistake about it!  I loved teaching this one! Loved it!  Loved the process, loved the people, loved the problems, LOVED the results, and suddenly as we watched most of the 33 pieces last night and finally moved into the story circle after everyone wrote and wrote their ends to their process pieces, I was exhausted.  The conversation about the articles was rich and shared by the community.  It was a joyous event and it was cool to have Devon there to witness it the whole thing.  I think he truly appreciated the work of the group and the atmosphere as he invited me to teach the course next year.

I feel great about everything but saturated!  I race to the finish line, I get there and then…thud! Where am I in this?  I don’t feel the thrill at the end.  Oh well…It was great even if I’m numb.

And now what do I have to do for the SI?

1. Finish the calendar at least for the first week

2. Camile in week one?

3. Loggers/food/DD : Who volunteered?  Rebecca?

4. My DS log!

5. My workshop/ blogging in the afternoon/directions for the EAnthology.

What else…

  Last weekend I was a nervous wreck about this week that I am just about finished with and as you might expect, it’s ending strong!  My SUNY DS course has one more night left and I just burned the last of the DVD’s for everyone to leave the course with.  3 disks for each person, 33 digital stories to share together and have for as long as the disk lives.  I created a few extras for myself ,but I think that a highlights disk might be in order to share with others.  I will be watching closely as we see them together.  The bottom line is the clarity of the voice over.  I wonder if they will  agree.

I think I need to bring that focus home stronger.  You need to hear the words! Of course great pics resolution and music that doesn’t overpower, and transitions that just move us along.

I am so ready to celebrate the work of this class.  They have been wonderful, beyond my expectations.

And tomorrow, Orientation 2 without Mary but with Tom and the trio of returning fellows and just that phone call with Rebecca was reassuring.  Nice!  I have my list and my new responsibility and time this week to work on my workshop and afternoon of instruction.  HELP!  Kirk? and others?

I will be keeping my reflections for SI’07 here.

What a great experience!  All digital stories were due last night and at 8:45, I was copying Jessica’s last piece onto my Rugged external hard drive as it poured outside.  Inside the room had been a hive of energy since 4PM. Even earlier.  Cindy there ahead of me, obsessed with getting her work just so, of course, it was her piece that as I watched the first dvd version that forced me to dump the DVD and reload her Dad’s piece.  In her efforts to “get it right” her didn’t balance the volume and all those powerful words would have been lost under a very loud music track.  I couldn’t ignore the problem and thank God I haven’t yet trashed an earlier version.  Thank God.  I could see a preview of her sadness.  I had to correct this and did!

Marcella, Sara, Nancy all pushed themselves to the ultimate end and they all felt good as they left for the evening.  Everyone is looking forward to watching all the pieces together as a DS community and sharing food as well.  They will have interesting process pieces and articles to share for one last story circle.

What can I do to make the course better?  I really want to know.  To take it in and think hard about revisions.

I really missed this space to write and reflect with…so here’s my SUNY DS reflections to include:

SUNY DS Class Reflections June 26, 2007

We have two more classes and almost everyone has finished their pieces before schedule.  There was a great feeling last night as everyone worked for the whole session on computers, but because the class feels comfortable as a group, they feel comfortable to get up and support each other.
As Sara struggles in the back and I can’t get to her, Nancy is working with her, Cindy is working with Nancy,  I have Cindy working on my computer, Christine needs a song, I download one from Itunes and then she calls a friend for a better song for her piece.
Yes I have everyone working on Garageband to use their free share software and most did that, but once I realized that I couldn’t count on edublogs at the still time to upload everything to the blog, I had to change my plans and just stick with creating everything on DVD’s and not moving their work to the blog,  I wonder about that.  How can we add more of that into the course next time?
For now, I am taking on the responsibility to use IDVD to create the 3 disks. What can I do next time?
So this is what we have left to do:

1. Final touches on the 3 pieces all due at the end of class on Wednesday: With correct titles on save as…
Share work on storyboards.
2. Writing the process piece with the kid’s model?(Xerox) The last section of this piece will be written after the pieces are presented on the last day.

3. Using the blog for final reflections?

4. Working to find articles online and in library to share together at the last class.

Future DS Plans:

1.Moving to a PC lab with headsets provided.

2.Using Photo Story 3 to allow for work done at home on personal PC’s and have the poetry piece directly connected to a classroom project.

3. Using text more( have it there for the first class) Move beyond DS to reading on Web 2.0?

4. Articles?

5. Add one last DS: process piece as a DS!

6. Online tools?  The blog work was hit hard by its overhaul right in the middle of the classtime.

7. Can’t wait to try this again.

8. Last class: another viewing spot?
SUNY evaluations.

Additional:

2-4 –hour sessions a week worked out, allowing for time to write, create and share in a story circle and work on the computer.  It was good to begin with a poem piece where the text was a given and could be used as a classroom presentation.
And as that piece was worked on the group could write the second piece…working two pieces simultaneously and then the third folded in so that the first piece moved slowly but the other two were being worked on simultaneously.  So the last two pieces really moved quickly once the process for the first piece was clear.  That would be a good way for people to prepare for the class.  Select a favorite poem/taught poem on reading piece and consider photos for it… a storyboard to create before class…

It’s critical for me to download their work to my external hard drive.

Playing with online tools.
ToonDoo

Wikis

Group Photo

Include in Process Piece: Bringing DS into the classroom.  How could you use this process in your classroom?

All DS need to be quicktime files

 Now this was a great DS day!  I lunched with Trace and talked about our common passion for the adventure with DS and the web. We talked about her work/my work, software: Premiere vs Photo Story 3 vs  Imovie now that Trace has a brand new Mac laptop. And plans for a tech inservice.  And I saw her work.  Fantastic!  What a thrill!   A great partner!

And then my DS class.  A wonderful session.  Everyone wrote about their pieces, using the Digitales elements as a rubric source.  And then the story circle: MAGIC.  Then moving to computers and pieces were finished, or close to it.  Not everyone, but with the addition of Garageband and figuring things out with the help of Tine.  She feels great about saving the day, we moved people on….

The course feels clear: the future work…the rest of sessions, the last session is getting crafted…I would love to write more but I can’t even see this page, so for now, I’m signing off.

BK

My class of 11, is proving to be a very manageable number,especially with some SUNY tech support during the class.  I wonder if someone would be necessary in the future?  The value is troubleshooting to keep the hours moving smoothly.  I wonder if someone is needed for the early sessions? I’m wondering too, if we should be relocated in the future, to a PC lab.  Who does the Apple lab really benefit?  Me, for sure, but most people have PC’s at home and if we were experimenting with Photo Story 3, participants could be working at home as well.  Something to consider.  I need to experiment with the software, I do have a PC laptop on my desk at home.  Why not wipe off the cobwebs and play?  Kevin’s inspiration.

At this midpoint the 3 ds pieces are all in process.  The two written pieces have been drafted.  The personal piece has gone through a few drafts, shared in a community story circle with pointing feedback from the whole group and specific support from me using the 6 DS elements from Digitales.  The ABC piece has been written in the last class with a story circle and a push to continue that at home as well.

There is a clear due date for the three pieces, the class before the end and a conversation about the process piece that should include the process of creation for all three pieces worked together. (Here I need some student models to share.)  The writing process has been dynamic, the circle is the most powerful element, bringing everyone together to share pieces that are funny and emotional and bring the group together as humans.

When we all move off to the computers some of the human element continues as participants work together and I begin racing around the room with Vish, dealing with issues and questions.  The latest problem centered on some bugs with importing photos into Imovie.  On some machines when photos were brought into the Imovie software they disappeared.  Some people left the session very frustrated with issues of time passing.  Very few have been able to get into the lab when class is not in session and so the 5 hour class is essential for completion for many.  I am thinking more and more, PC.

At this point, we need to be more and more focused on the computer work, to get them moving to finish the poem piece, which is free from a personal writing.  Not everyone is dealing with music yet, but once that’s done we can move it to IDVD and then work on the the other two pieces.  Where are they??? More drafting.

The story circle should continue…

What’s being done at home?  Who is working at home?  How have I incorporated the text?  What about online tools(bl0g for sure) and the articles to be read and shared.  I think the next class needs to be on the computers with a group discussion.

What am I forgetting?

Interesting composition….I need to check in with the progress for each person.

 After the dust settled from the chaos of creativity on our last class, I realized that this always happens when you move from everyone working as a group, neat and nice to the chaos of running in lanes and I am racing from lane to lane in a pool of computers and wires and screens and mice and headsets that work and headsets that don’t.

And then there’s the people in the lanes, some who dive in and rise up and they are gone in a flash.  Every once in a while they come up for air and question. But they are moving on their own.  Just give them space and check in every so often.

Then you have some who need hand holding to begin, more hand-holding and you wonder, but not to worry, they start to walk on their own and when they need you, trust that they will call for you.

Then there’s a group that works very slowly, not that they demand much, in fact you have to watch out for them because they won’t ask for much, but they can get lost.  Gently remind them to keep breathing and moving.

And then, there are some that no matter what you offer, just need to deal with their own frustrations.  You try, but it’s hard for everyone to find the way and some people have to find it for themselves.

So you have a class in the water.  Everyone has room the swim with their own strokes, you just need to keep the lanes moving straight.

SO on to Garageband and checking in.

Okay, first day with technology and we hit the wall.  Voice over works great on my laptop.  I can work either type of mic, prongs or USB.  But on the classroom computers where’s the hole for the prong?  Most people came in the pronged headsets.  So we had three headsets to share!  We did!  I think everyone was able to record their poem voiceovers.

As expected, some people moved quickly through their vo’s, had their photos, played with the software, and are probably ready for the music.  They are following through and will probably soon have everything done and be ready to help others.

Ahhhh….it’s cool to watch how people deal with obstacles along their path.  And my role in all this and what happens when I am stumped and the monitor is stumped and we just move on.

There’s a lot to do and most everyone could move to their pieces. I think it’s important to break things up.

 Class #3

Our texts have arrived and in the process I reconnected with the author and made a nice tie with college bookstore manager.  All good!  I think this is a worthwhile text and the class is so focused on really using the medium that it doesn’t feel like anyone is going through the motions, taking this just for a grade or an easy 3 credits.  It’s not an easy class.  Everyone feels nervous about the software, so it’s good, that I am with them in my own learning.  I was there and I think they understand that.  I didn’t start with a passion for technology.  I think that sharing my tech autobiography with them as my introduction, was a good place to begin.

We began with writing update.  Then sharing the elements of a good digital story and that’s in their books.  Then they went back to their drafts for another working.  And then Vish printed out a copy for everyone.  Story circle!  with Peter Elbows, pointing.  Peter Elbow and this process was new to them and they loved it and felt the power of becoming a class community by sharing their writing and tears and feedback.

Some stories are clearly done or close.  You could tell!  I wonder if they could tell?  I was dying to talk about some but I also wanted to respect the use of pointing and get to everyone.  I spoke to some people individually and next week when we share again, I will use feedback a bit differently, using the rubric that works with the “ds elements”.    Some stories need to be tightened, some more specific.

Then demo work: taking them through the blog links I set up for them, sharing the resource links, Kevin’s blog, our ds blog, etc. Then working their own dashboards etc.

Then preparing for the voiceover and they didn’t have to take notes because I had the tutorial for Imovie presented on the blog as a page.  So they are working their poems first, with the text given.  Some make get to the lab the experiment and Vish is great about supporting what I demo.  She knows the working of the lab, saving work, sharing good free share sites of high quality photos.

So we are moving along.  Great!

Great fun last night, although I did have road issues as I was driving home. CONSTRUCTION!  There was an accident on the way up just before the New Paltz and that was a good 20 minutes stopped dead, but no problem, I had 20 minutes to spare, but at 10PM, after a full day, ugh!

But what a wonderful class.  Amazing what you can do in 4 hours!  We met face-to-face for intros, they read each other’s tech autobiogs, I shared lots of DS Personal stories: the NFA kids, mine, and then my poem piece, and the ABC Collaboration so that they could get a sense of what projects they would be doing.  With the windows open I gave them a short, visual walk through the Imovie software.  Many are new to macs, but they don’t seem to be having too much trouble getting adjusted.  There could be some open to move to mac.  I should be working for Apple… That’s another life.

Then everyone wrote to the fork-in-the-road prompt on their personal blogs, I showed them a bit about the workings of blogs.  A few have been blogging, but most haven’t.  Interesting mix of people.  Some are teaching already on the early end of careers, or are subing, or just grad students.  Some are TESOL students who have worked with Martha.  A very interesting group of women.

Okay…they wrote, and wrote, wanting even more time.  Some admitted that they never wrote much.  Then they shared in pairs and included their reflections with their first drafts.  I pushed them to keep their drafts separate, starting new posts for each draft and annotating the changes. Some wanted to start over, not publish on their blogs their first drafts.  We talked about issues of private vs personal.  They are all very connected to what this will look like in their classrooms.  Some teaching now, are ready to experiment with projects in their classrooms.  What a laboratory for study!  I like the fact that the blog is directly connected to the ds process and with the ABC project, they can be working with online tools.  Wow, I hope I can keep the excitement going!

We finished with reflections for the night on the class blog and everyone could read each other’s reflections.  It’s too bad this is not like Writely, where they can comment on each other’s reflections.  But that might not be necessary here.  They could on a wiki…I have to think about that.  I haven’t used wikis myself.
Kevin, Troy, what do you think about a wiki here, to share and comment?