RobTV - a television program created and produced by students

When searching the internet for suitable ideas dealing with multiliteracy I came across that particular homepage about all kinds of new technologies being successfully integrated into classroom settings.
Cell phones to document findings during science labs, texting messages or sending pictures to the teacher after class to report could also be found as well as the usage of digital cameras. Just a few years ago, digital cameras were too expensive to be considered a staple of most school technology departments. Those schools lucky enough to own one were unlikely to consider it a tool for classroom use -- certainly not one that could be entrusted to a student’s clumsy fingers. Nowadays they have to be considered being used in schools for any kind of presentation. Students can document class projects and special events with the cameras. Children incorporate photos into their reports and multi-media presentations. They can also edit the photos to create all kinds of art. This year, each student is creating a design for mouse pads to sell as a technology fund raiser. Some of the kids are embellishing photos of themselves for the mouse pads.
The most interesting project I found was describing students of an elementary school in Pennsylva-nia, U.S.A. creating and producing their own television program (RobTV). Students are involved in the whole storyboarding process and decide what the topic of each and every episode will include. The use Windows Movie Maker and/or Microsoft Photo Story so that the episodes narrated by the students can be produced. Afterwards, they record the voices necessary for the stories. When finished these videos are uploaded to Teacher Tube and links are added to the school’s Web site. The only things you need are a computer, Internet access, a microphone, digital camera, and video camera. The editing software and Web-hosting services used are usually free.
Thus, parents and grandparents living in other states or countries can easily follow school activities through RobTV, and those who live nearby use it to catch events that they may have missed because of work or travel. RobTV has also introduced teachers and staff members to parents and community members during open house.

I am sure that this really helps the students, parents and teachers to identify with the school. Moreo-ver, it helps to develop important competences regarding multiliteracy.

Cheers,
Melanie

4 comments:

Berlin New Literacies said...

Sorry I forgot to give you the web site...so here it is. check it out!
:)

http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/archives/curr.shtml

cheers mel

Berlin New Literacies said...

Mel, you are right in pointing out that the 'price' of technology has gone down so dramatically over the last few years! As you said, this allowed more classrooms/schools to provide the necessary equipment for teachers and students. Does this mean teachers will be using them? This is probably a different question.
p.s. can't quite find the webpage...alice

Berlin New Literacies said...

Hey Alice,

here is the exact web site presenting RobTV:

http://www.educationworld.com/a_admin/partners/partners049.shtml

I am sorry I guess I just copied the wrong one.

Regarding the question whether teachers use them or not is definitly a different question depending on several factors such as age, interest, awareness of technical changes and improvements...

Berlin New Literacies said...

Reading about the use of textmessaging in the science lab I came up with a more general concern: as technical devices offer such a rapid and readily way to exchange information/ideas/opinions .. the question might be "Will any kind of "e-messages" really contain as much thoroughly thought through content as e.g. a term paper/an essay ?" When it comes to brainstorming / mind-mapping / finding ways to make a topic more easily accessable though I find the online exchange of "snippets" very useful ...

andrée

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