Vlog #2 Playing with Multimedia

Here is the second installment of my 6-8 week Vlog Series about multimedia. In this Vlog I quickly talk about playing with multimedia and suggestions based on Wes Fryer's book Playing with Multimedia: Ideas for Powerful Sharing (Fryer, 2011) along with new discoveries in my own learning in the Master’s in Educational Technology.

Wes Fryer (2011) does a very good job providing lots of resources for teachers who want to incorporate multimedia in the classroom. I recommend getting the e-book version of this book in order to have access to all the hyperlinks and additional resources that Fryer includes in his book. I want to highlight some of the resources that Fryer mentions in his book that I found to be extremely helpful.

Blogs

Fryer highly recommends using blogs and wikis for teachers. Teachers can create a classroom blog in which students submit written work and rich media and the teacher acts as a moderator before publishing. He also conveys the message that either blogs or wikis are an excellent way to get to listen to each student’s voice and opinions about a topic. Most frequently there is never enough time to listen to all students in a class. Blogs and wikis allow for collaboration and interaction. Check out Fryer's blog about Classroom Blogging Options.


I personally use Blogger and despite some complicated setting up issues, once you get past the setting up of the blog it is very easy to use. Another alternative is the VLOG. A vlog is a recorded version of a regular blog. This is the simplest to use in a few easy steps:

a) Sign unto Google with your account

b) Go to You Tube on the applications 

c) Click on the upload buton

d) On the right hand corner select record 

e) Give permission to your camera 

f) Start recording

g) Add a title and check on the settings in case you want to add a description or other features 

Digital Library

Fryer suggests to join Scribd, a digital library for all sorts of digital books and comics. Scribd has a 14 day trial.

Video Making

I had the opportunity to use Crazy Talk 7 and Bitmoji app on Android to create a one of a kind character that talks. Crazy Talk 7 is one of the best products to create fictional character that you can make talk by recording and modifying your voice or by uploading previously recorded audio files and attaching them to your character. Crazy Talk offers a 15 day trial. Bitmoji is a free app that students can use to create their personal avatar or bitmoji to send to others or use as images for other projects.

I recommend this project for delivering information, allowing students to become a fictional character to demonstrate mastery of content, or just as a fun way to engage students in the classroom. I created a character named Sofia that will help me introduce concepts in my Spanish 1 classes. Here is a simple project I created using the free trial version of Crazy Talk 7 and Bitmoji.