1. Michelle Halvorsen, Texas School for the Deaf
Vlogs, Blogs and Pod-Casts: Providing Vocabulary and Content Support at Home to Increase Student Retention
Do Sign Language Lesson Intro: Teacher, Bathroom, Nucleus, Bear, DNA
Michelle Halvorsen, Texas School for the Deaf
Austin, TX
November 5, 2010

2. Agenda What are Vlogs and Why Should You Use Them?
What did I do? Why did I do it? How did it work?
Example Vlogs and Ways to Use Vlogs with Your Students
Step by Step Demo
“Play” Time

3. What are Vlogs/Vod-Casts?
Video that can be uploaded to a website or downloaded to a student’s iPod or laptop for students to use a resource when reviewing vocabulary and important concepts
Example Vod-Cast:
You can find more examples on my class blogs:
**Could also save to a USB and transfer to a student’s laptop OR to parents/students
**Use of VoiceThread

4. What are Pod-Casts? Pod-Cast
An audio recording that can be uploaded to a website or downloaded to a student’s iPod for students to use as a resource when reviewing vocabulary
**Could also save to a USB and transfer to a student’s laptop OR to parents/students
**Use of VoiceThread

5. Why Use Teacher-Created Vlogs or Pod-Casts?
Provides specific vocabulary and/or content support at home that directly relates to what has happened or is happening in your classroom
Increases student retention
Increases student participation and engagement
Increases parent awareness of topics covered in class
EASY to create and upload!
**It’s not some random website with potentially too high or too low content information (or wrong information)
**It’s directly related to what and how you teach because it’s YOU
**When students take advantage of it, they are more prepared for discussions in class (other students see this and may be persuaded to view the videos/listen to podcasts as well)
**Gives a “study” tool for parents who may be uncomfortable with the material

6. How I First Used Vlogs: My Action Research Project
Students were given a Pre-Test to assess key vocabulary
During the unit, I created and posted a video review each day that new material was presented
Students were required to view and respond to the review videos (graded component to encourage participation)
Students were given a Post-Test to re-asses key vocabulary and to determine progress
LSGC explain and Few to no resources for DHH students, and captioned resources were often not appropriate levels
I did this during our cell membrane and cellular transport unit
**Had them respond by answering a question such as “pick one membrane protein and assign it a nickname, then explain why this nickname is appropriate”
**Seeing student comments allowed me to assess misconceptions and areas that I needed to re-address with those students
**Students also created their own vlog on one topic as a project

7. Impact on Student Performance (Pre-Test vs Post-Test Scores)
During my action research:
All students (except one) who viewed four or more videos showed at least a 7 point (25%) increase from their pre-test to their post-test
All students (except one) who viewed four or more videos received a passing score on the post-test
In contrast, the student who viewed only three out of seven videos showed a 15% point decrease from the pre-test to the post-test
Overall, this post-test had some of the highest scores of the year
Students who consistently viewed videos were also more engaged and participated more easily and freely during class discussions

8. Other Uses of Vlogs/Pod-Casts
Students create their own!
Use for review or final projects
Use to document labs or do a video lab report
Use for discussions of current events
**This year my students created video scavenger hunts of living vs non living things
**Students are documenting success of their pop-bottle ecosystems using video
**Students in anatomy created mitosis movies using animations
**Biology students made symbiotic pairs movies
**Anatomy students have made videos of terms and body landmarks

9. A Second Student Example…

10. Vlog/Pod-Cast Materials: What Do You Need?
Computer
Vlogs:
Web-cam, digital camera or video camera
iMovie (Mac), Movie-maker (PC) software for vlogs or AVS Video Editor (free software)
Pod-Casts
Audacity (free software for recording and editing) Garage Band, or iTunes for pod-casts
Microphone (available at most electronic stores for $20-30)
Recommend FLIP cameras

11. The A-B-Cs of Vlogs and Pod-Casts
Decide how often you will create your videos or pod-casts
Each day, once each week, towards the end of a unit, etc
Write a short script to follow while making your video or pod-cast
Record your video or pod-cast
Edit (if necessary) your video or pod-cast
Post your video or pod-cast to your class blog, to students and parents, and/or upload directly to student’s iPods
Script or list of key vocabulary—mine are more “on the fly” or quick and dirty

12. Step by Step Video Creation Using iMovie
Open iMovie
Click “Create a New Project”
Name your project
Click on Camera (“Built-in-iSight”)
When ready, click on “Record with iSight”
Film your movie, click again on “Record with iSight” to stop filming
Save
IF YOU HAVE NO WEBCAM—RECORD ON YOUR CAMERA, THEN DOWNLOAD AND IMPORT TO IMOVIE

13. Step by Step Video Creation Using iMovie
Drag Clip to bottom area “Drag Clips here to Build Your Project”
Edit (view Tutorials online for more advanced editing)
Save
Get ready for uploading:
To Website: Click “Share-Quick Time” and choose web- streaming and name your project
To student’s iPods: Click “Share-iPod” and then click share
Your movie is now ready for uploading, saving to a USB stick, ing, or transferring to a student’s iPod/laptop/iPad

14. Step by Step Video Creation Using Movie Maker
Record/Capture your video using your webcam software or digital camera first
Open Movie Maker
Click Import-Videos and select your desired video file
Click on that clip and drag it to your story board
Edit (see tutorials for advanced editing)
Publish Movie

15. Step by Step Audio Pod-Cast Using Audacity Software
Open Audacity Software
Plug in microphone/headset if you are using it
When ready, press Red button to record (you can press the blue pause button during recording to pause)
When finished, press the Yellow Square to stop when completely finished
Edit (view Audacity tutorials for advanced information)
Exporting:
Click “File-Export As WAV” and name the file (this is a Windows program)
Click “File-Export As MP3) and name the file (to do this, you must also download the free LAME software)

16. Blogs Very easy to set up A place to upload your videos or Pod-Casts
Also great for announcements such as homework or test dates
Suggested FREE sites:
wordpress.com (cannot directly upload videos, must link to a site such as TeacherTube or YouTube)
blogspot.com (can directly upload video files)
(free and “Pro” versions)

17. Helpful Links
iMovie Tutorials:
GarageBand Tutorials:
Movie Maker Tutorials: x
Audacity Audio Recorder and Editor:
AVS Video Editor: Editor.aspx?sct=aff&ct=regnow&cid=175028
Sites to upload your videos: or
Audacity and AVS sites also have tutorials that you can link to from their main pages

18. Other COOL Websites for Projects that I must share…
( for FREE access to FULL version)
Example Student
Project on Biomes:

19. That’s a Wrap…
To download this PPT, visit and click on “Files for NABT 2010 Attendees”
Feel free to contact me:
Questions???
I would love to help you create your first vod-cast or pod- cast, so please feel free to write up a quick script and make your product, I will be here to help you!