Session+6

6.1 Opener
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Do you believe that videos can lead to innovation in the classroom? Explain your answer. Videos can certainly lead to innovation in the classroom as they are another medium for creative output. The key to innovation seems to be collaboration. The video mentions that the "traditional" scientist scheming in isolation does not produce a wealth of new ideas. In order for students to innovate using videos, there must be a mutual sharing of ideas. That is, students should not simply view videos or only make their own, but they must be able and required to respond to the work of others. It is only when new ideas arise out of old ideas that true innovation is taking place.

How does Prezi, the tool that Chris Anderson uses in the video, differ from traditional presentation tools for the classroom? I am a little unsure of what Prezi is exactly, but if it is the medium used to produce the entire video, it seems that Prezi differs from traditional presentation tools in that it is able to seamlessly integrate different types of media into one presentation. For example, within his own video, Chris Anderson uses additional videos, images, animations, etc. to get his point across.

**6.2 Online Video Resources**
General
 * WatchKnow: free database of educational videos on the wed that are categorized and peer-reviewed by educators
 * TeacherTube: free database of educational videos, documents, audio, and photos for teachers to use and edit
 * HowStuffWorks: Discovery Channel site that includes articles and videos of "how stuff works"
 * The Futures Channel : "real world" educational videos that include applications of educational content
 * TED : videos of talks by innovators, inventors, creators, etc. on all different topics from all over the world (including talks by scientists)

Science
 * [|Periodic Table of Videos]: videos about the elements as well as other aspects of chemistry and chemistry in the news
 * **[|Bill Nye the Science Guy] : YouTube channel of Bill Nye the Science Guy video clips**
 * **[|Steve Spangler Science]: YouTube channel of Steve Spangler videos of at-home science experiments**
 * **[|Discovery Channel]: YouTube channel of Discovery Channel video clips**
 * **[|PBS]: site including PBS videos as well as associated off-line activities and lesson plans**
 * **[|The Science Channel]: YouTube channel including various sorts of science videos**
 * **[|California Academy of Sciences]: YouTube channel including videos from exhibits and scientists at the California Academy of Sciences**
 * **[|Garland Science] : YouTube channel including cell biology videos, animations, and techniques**
 * **Untamed Science: site that self-produces videos about various science topics and news, aimed at middle and high school students**


 * My favorite new sites for chemistry videos

I have to comment that while trying to look at the various sites and take a peek at some of the videos offered, I was very frustrated with the speed at which the videos streamed. I am using hotel internet and don''t have the greatest connection, however I can anticipate that if I were trying to watch videos for a class on a regular basis I would be extremely annoyed. If I were to realistically watch these videos in their entirety (even those only 2 minutes long!) I would have to open the video, go do something else for 10 minutes and wait for the video to load, and then watch uninterrupted (hopefully).

6.3 Frame, Focus, Follow-up
Use the following teaching strategy when showing videos to students.
 * 1) **Frame:** Provide a context that helps students pay attention to the main content of the video. Ask students questions about the topic explored in the video to activate prior knowledge. When necessary, tell your students enough about the part of the story preceding the segment, so they can follow along.
 * 2) **Focus:** Help students notice the important moments in the video by providing them with a specific focus, something to look for while they watch. Without a focus for viewing, students see all sorts of interesting details - but not necessarily the idea or information you want them to focus on.
 * 3) **Follow-up:** Provide an opportunity for students to summarize what they saw - because they will see different things, and not always what you expected them to see! Re-telling what they saw helps students consolidate their understanding and remember it.

6.6 Create Your Own Prezi
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Reflections on creating my Prezi I really enjoyed making my first Prezi. I took much more time to make it than I originally anticipated- mainly because I was able to play around so much with the layout, size, and pathways. I think that creating a Prezi took much more thought than a Powerpoint. Like an interactive concept map, it required me to analyze not only the potential connections between topics but to prioritize them as well. In terms of its use as a presentation tool, I'm not sure that the Prezi I created is much more effective than a Powerpoint, other than the fact that the layout of the Prezi doubles as a concept map. However, there are likely more interactive tools that I could have incorporated into the Prezi- I simply am not aware of them. I will keep playing with it and will definitely consider using Prezi as an alternative format for mini-lectures and as a possible product for students to create.