I finally got up my nerve to add the narration and was fairly pleased with the audio.  Could've done better if I had a few more lifetimes and no connections to humanity.  The pictures had a tricky thing:  you can't move their location to another file on your hardrive at all.  The program gets indigestion and you can't get rid of the big red X frames til you replace the file to its original location with its original name.and then cut it out.  That provided a sour point at the end.  I fought with it and conquered. 

The uploading depends on you saving it to wmv file not a project file.  Also, the files are large even for small projects.  There are many issues to cover with server hosting of multimedia files such as these.
There are servers specifically for this type of file with Windows - currently its $59 a year.  I found one with 10 mg for $3.95.  Found one for free, but of course the sign in didn't work and 24 hours later they had not contacted me.  Finally just put mine on comcast because of concern that NEIU server might have issues with the file size.  I could access comcast's info faster.  Wanted to finish and go on to my next 2 pieces of work.  And someday, I will be done.

Can't tell that I'm tired and cranky, eh?  My kids can.

The Jewelry image and design Courtesy of Sam Silversmith
The Hummingbird Image (c) Arthur Grosset

So.  My computer hasn't got an imput for analog video or does it!  I'm still working on that.  I rememer the Dazzle but I am trying to see if my multimedia computer is going to cooperate with my theory of work-arounds.  I now know that if you're not digital vid you're needing conversioin.  With streaming media I cannot grab clips like the old days.  Streaming media requires another software to grab.  It's readily available for another fee.  There are almost no clips to download of politically correct material.

Warning!  Don't search for "video clips" or you'll find much more than you bargained for.  I actually have a plan.  Being bi-platform (someone will undoubtably read that the wrong way...    ; )

Windows Movie Maker has made me rethink presentation of visual materials.  Like most newbies I have wandered through lots of novel ideas and probably want to throw in the kitchen sink.  From my composing I know that there is a real mistake to be made by using any novelty for novelty sake.  It is the true sign of an amateur.  I may not escape my inclinations but I will certainly try to play with fewer than I want to...

Wonderfully insightful and revealing entries.  From your assessment of your skills against those for 12th graders, to your "aha's" with Netscape, through Finale and midi, and your mastery of Paint.  Your comments truly exemplify how principles of adult learning are integrated in this course.

Some we solve and some we don't.  After too-many-to-count tries, I succeeded in getting a page up with a photo background.  The process is called layers and there was an html coding for it in Communicator 4.0  but it did not work for me in the Composer screen we use.  Hmmmm - just realized I use 7.1 not Communicator...   maybe.  Another aha.  Anyway, I finally tried several things and 2 worked.  I put some text boxes in a photo background and saved it as a jpg.  I also discovered that I had a program called Paint that worked even better because I could make my lettering transparent and then 'layer' it over the art.  This got saved as a jpg and then I found an html script where I sub'ed the jpg for the regular rest of page and voila another page was born with the photo background I wanted.

Started the newsletter tho' I know there is or will be some adjustment to the assignment.  Fought a bit with this, too.  But alas, the learning is in the wrangling.  Being able to stop and start over repeatedly (my learned trait from being a musician) is really helping.  I found the microsoft templates but the column thing is the secret although I still needed to find the wrap copy feature.  Found that I could do this in Microsoft Works and save as an HTML and I loaded up my art and after as;dflkj   tries it works.
Now if I will only finish it.  It's only half done...     My new motto:  "Seize the html!"

Why is my webpage all jumbled in Netscape browser!  How can I get my webpage to use a jpg or gif as background and get the copy to transparently layer over in Netscape composer?  I think I'm ready for Dreamweaver or something.  Another job maybe..  it'll pay for some software.  Finale saved me musically and now I need something for webpage design.

Okay, now that I fought with this webpage (and I have the cuts and sore right thumb to prove it!),  I am going to take a few days off.  If anyone points me to a computer I will urge them to leave the room.  I am not tired.  I am phenomenally zonked.  My stubborness is useful.  It will ___________
(fill in the blank).  I don't want to think about it.  We finally get out of school tomorrow.  I am going to sleep for 3 days.  If I snore in class wake me UP!!  (I think....)

4.  ISTE Standards Set a National Agenda for Technology in Education

 

In looking at the NET’s (National Educational Technology Standards) chart two things were apparent to me.  The obviously stated fact of  49 out of 51 states adapting, adopting, aligning with or referencing these standards.  Having said that, it is also clear that some states foster this with students, teachers and administrators (e.g.  Alabama, Connecticut, Illinois; to name a few)  while other states might focus on only students (e.g. Hawaii, Oklahoma, Utah are some).  Some states focused only on administrators (e.g. California and Pennsylvania and others).  In fact, the targeted groups are not fully represented in over 23 states.  Clearly technology education is important enough for standards but lacks a consistent inclusion of students, teachers and administrators in every case.  It is rather hit and miss in targeting all the appropriate groups.

 

Are you personally prepared to integrate technology and prepare students to use technology as defined for the grade level(s) for which you are or will be certified to teach?

 

I am more prepared this week than last!  Given this course and my goals I expect to continue to try.  I’m not phobic, nor am I without experience and background.  Nevertheless, I know that this will be an ongoing challenge and not always a comfortable one.  It is, in my mind, very important that we let knowledge arrive from any appropriate sources including our students. 

 

How do your personal skills for using technology compare to those expected of students

completing grade 12?

 

In the profiles of technologically literate students number 1 and 2 are areas where at any given moment I feel particularly weak.  Although I try to keep up and stay informed let alone discriminate the value of new systems, gear and technology, it seems a daunting if not incomprehensible task.  My life, compared to my parents, is a frantic race and although I can rely on ‘experts’, the analysis of who really knows is itself a time consumer.  Number 9 evidenced jargon that was unfamiliar.  I’m sure that some of what it mentions is already at hand.  Thus the terminology itself can be intimidating.  As for the others, I feel that most of them are things I feel I am capable of. 

 

5.  The applications of learning that Illinois espouses are very applicable to my endorsed areas of music, social studies, language arts (as of Aug. 2004) and psychology.  I have been using a synthesizer work station (midi) in my classroom with my students for 8 years.  Songs are routinely notated in Finale software for playback, instrumental arrangements and transpositions.  Students learn music theory on an interactive self correcting program.  Songs in Quecha have been found online so students can hear some-one sing from the Andes.  As I am able to provide a connection through a teaching website, some more avenues will be available.  In my particular case, I see approximately 800 students every week.  Thus, my communiqués to students can never reach the level of someone teaching 150.  I look forward to increased hardware, software and tools to help manage my number of students and to increase the technology infusion into curricular areas.

Last night was the charm. My web page loaded over and over.  I wanted to be sure it wasn't a fluke.
Today at school I wanted to show it to the librarian at school and UGH!  the pix wouldn't load.

Here is the site.  http://www.neiu.edu/~ljelimon 

I did another page through Comcast's (my ISP)  menu system without the Netscape composer page.
It was much easier and faster but did not allow me as many choices.  This is an adjunctive page with the free Wi-Fi sites.

Here is that site.  http://home.comcast.net/~ellesong

Love to have somebody visit them.  I am the only one making my counters go up right now...