Videoconference with Mr. Glen Cornish
Painted Light Images Educational Corporation, a 501(c)3 non-profit public benefit/educational organization, is working with the Glendale Unified School District and instructor Richard Mellott, along with the Technology Specialist, Katie Warren, to begin the district's entry into video conferencing, using iChats and SKYPE videochats between professionals and classes. Glen beamed into a 7th grade English class this summer to discuss “persuasive writing styles” which progressed into “persuasive marketing” and storyboards for a PSA, written and presented by the students themselves. From this short visit, the young English students learned writing styles, brainstorming of visual ideas, story boarding, and presentation skills. “This was our pilot program to work on integrating video conferencing within the class curriculum. Afterwards, we found stunning what had developed, and how the class ran with it. The students made this test bigger than life for us. We’ve gotten years worth of ideas from these young adults on how to make this work, and they learned from us as well.”
Videoconferences with Dr. Linda Logan
On February 6, 2009, the Young Black Scholars Club at Roosevelt Middle School hosted a luncheon, at which four prominent Black Achievers presented their life stories and lessons to the club. One of these presenters was Dr. Linda Logan, who appeared in a videoconference format, via SKYPE, with the assistance of Richard Mellott, one of the Resource Specialists at Roosevelt. At 2:30pm, Dr. Logan "beamed in" and gave a short presentation, and answered questions from the club members who had a question.
On February 26, 2009, Dr. Logan will again appear, as part of the Black History Month Celebration, concurrent with the Black History Assembly. She will appear at approximately 12:00pm, during which she will give a motivational speech to the students of Mr. Mellott's and Mr. Carter's classes.
Videoconferences with Lauren Segal of NextAid.org
On February 25, 2009, Mr. Mellott's 6th period English class participated in a videoconference, using Skype, with Ms. Lauren Segal, founder of Next Aid, a non-profit corporation involved in providing services, educational opportunities, and career training for youth orphaned by AIDS in fourteen villages (and more on the way) in Western Africa. She gave the students an overview of the program, and answered questions directly from students. In the future, it is hoped that Mr. Mellott's classes will be able to continue talking with Ms. Segal, and some of the youth groups with whom she's working. The videoconference revealed many needs on the part of students and adults to be educated on the extent of the effect AIDS has had on the African continent.
Professionals & Educators Mix it Up at the Kress in Hollywood, CA!
Professionals and educators were invited to a "Mixer" at the Kress, which had generously donated the rooftop space, where they made contact and heard about videoconferencing opportunities. This Mixer was free to Teachers and Professionals, sponsored by Painted Light Images Educational Corporation, a 501(3)c public benefit organization, which is dedicated to bringing working professionals to the classroom of interested educators at no cost, and with technical support available. Many did join us on February 27, 2009, from 6-9pm, and they enjoyed the vista, as well as meeting the movers and shakers who were bringing this wonderful No-Cost educational resource to public educators and their students. The contacts made at this meeting will continue to enrich the lives of many children, just in time to assist in their education in 21st Century skills.
Videoconference with Kevin Gerard, Author
Kevin Gerard lives in San Diego, California, with his wife and four children. He teaches sociology and statistics for the California State University. After running three companies and working a variety of jobs, Mr. Gerard enrolled in school and earned a master's degree in sociology from Humboldt State University. He returned to San Diego after completing the program and worked with two professional research organizations over the next seven years. In 2004, Mr. Gerard resigned from the second position in order to pursue a writing career. While still teaching at the university, he spends the bulk of his time writing for publication. The Conor and the Crossworlds series provided the main impetus for his decision to permanently extricate himself from formal employment.
During his talk with my English class, he was able to reveal some of the secrets a writer, as well as fascinating information about his Halo Habit, spurring the student's interest in him as a person. We certainly hope to see him again!
Videoconference with Todd Felderstein, Executive Director of The Story Project
Our Vision
What Makes Us Most Unique
Think about it. You enter a classroom only to find the writer of BIG FISH, WILLY WONKA, and CHARLIE’S ANGELS is the teacher. On another occasion it’s a musician whose song you hummed only moments earlier while walking down the hallway. How about that stunt coordinator who makes a living creating outlandish feats in order to make the impossible, possible? I bet he has some stories.
The Story Project’s pool of mentors, all accomplished, working artists, generously volunteer their time and talent to be part of our program’s legacy. It’s recognized that media is a tremendous tool; it makes perfect sense to use that tool to motivate kids’ academic studies all the while validating the fact that the future holds a myriad of possibilities.
That’s our secret.
Don’t you think it’s time that you be part of our story?
Mr. Todd Felderstein, Executive Director of The Story Project, a non-profit corporation, beamed into our classroom, and talked with students about how outlining and writing compensate for bad memory. He also talked about his work with students, via the Story Project. Our down-to-earth conversation, which also included two students, Jose and Kevin, about how outlining and video storyboarding can be very visual ways to organize writing, seemed to resonate with our purposes. Also, we will be using some storyboards, in an effort to emerge with a short film of our own. We also plan to be in contact with Mr. Felderstein, if there is a question my students want to ask him.
Videoconference with Stanley Trollip, Co-Author of "A Carrion Death."
The gritty Botswana depicted in Michael Stanley's A Carrion Death (Harper) differs from Alexander McCall Smith's gentler vision, but the jovial, corpulent Det. Kubu is a winning creation.
Follow-up, June, 2009: I went and met Mr. Trollip and his partner in crime-novel writing, Mr. Michael Sears at a book signing at the Mystery Bookstore in West Los Angeles, and bought the newly released novel written by them, The Second Death of Goodluck Tinubu (Harper), which they graciously signed. I am hoping to have them come back and talk to my class again during this coming school year. Michael and Stanley are pictured below with an unknown feline. "Dr. Livingston, I presume?"
Video Web Broadcast from Room 1003
Presented by The V.I.E.W. Program Produced by Al Sutcavage, Executive Director
Featuring Rev. John Neiman (personal friend of the Frank family)
Special Thanks to Richard Mellott (teacher - Roosevelt Middle School, Glendale, CA)
June 4, 2009: Rev. John Neiman spoke to our 4th period class, and also displayed his scrapbooks of Anne Frank memorabilia. He was a friend of Otto Frank, Anne's father, and is still in contact with Miep Gies, recently helping her celebrate her 100th birthday.
See the website that was put together with the View Project's assistance, and view the videos online at uStream.tv.
Website: http://foranne.ning.com/
Video Conferencing Resources
The files listed below will help you understand the purposes, methods, and possibilities brought to the classroom by the ability to do live interviews with people who are involved in various fields, from writing, to publishing, and other walks of life, not just in our country, but internationally. There are schools around the world whose students want to know what it's like here, and who are willing to share what it's like there.
14 months ago: Apple Inc. CEO Steve Jobs (lower left) and Apple Vice President Phil Schiller (on screen) demonstrate iChat Video Conference with upside down image special effect during Jobs' keynote address on the opening day of the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference 2007 (WWDC 07) at the Moscone Center West in San Francisco, California 11 June 2007. Developers and IT professionals from around the globe come together for the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference that runs 11-15 June to connect with Apple engineers and get a firsthand look at the latest technologies.
www.daylife.com/photo/0a9FgLS6bMcMl
AT&T website on Videoconferencing for educators helps expand the concept of videoconferencing beyond the usual, and helps with the design of educational experiences that extend well into, through, and beyond the curriculum.
Videoconferencing resource for educators, parents, and technology specialists
Texas State Library Resources for Videoconferencing
Videoconferencing Cookbook
Introduction for Teachers Classroom Basics Educational and Human Factor Issues Guide for Selecting and Testing a Videoconference System Preparation and Delivery of a Videoconferencing Session in the Classroom Case Studies Links to K-12 and Classroom Resources Bibliography
| vc_tips_-_interviewers.pdf |
| vc_tips_-_interviewees.pdf |
| vc_tips_-_good_visuals.pdf |
| vc_tips_-_camera_shots.pdf |
| vc_tips_-_presenters.pdf |
| vc_tips_-_meetings.pdf |
| vc_tips_-_multipoints.pdf |
| web_conferencing_ebook.pdf |