I chose to create a mock digital story that provides an example of something my students might construct as part of a lesson or unit in a course I teach. For example, with the VoiceThread above, as you watch it you will see that I have researched a city in Mexico, commented on each photo, and others have commented on the photos as well. This is an example of a project that I would give my students to do as part of their final portfolio and a good portion of the grade would be commenting on other videos. It is important because students would be able to utilize the Spanish language, complete research about the culture, products, government and politics of a foreign country that speaks Spanish, and also write in the Spanish language. They would then need to read other video comments as well as read the information in order to find good information to complete the project. This would be an all around exciting and excellent project for my students to complete. We could then post them online for their parents to view their work and see their progress in the Spanish language.

Creating the digital story was very simple, although I did have to work out a few minor kinks at first due to my own errors. At the time that I am writing this I do not have a microphone available, but hope to have one before the assignment is due (because I do have one at my parents' home) and will be there this weekend, so hopefully I will be able to see how my voice comments affect the outcome of the story. The doodling is an interesting technique, but I have yet to figure out how to incorporate that into my Spanish curriculum. If anyone has any ideas or thoughts, please run those by me!

As you can see above, I can use the digital storytelling to showcase my students' research, but there are many other ways to utilize this unique technology. First, it is necessary to say that this is a fascinating technology and I believe that students will be thrilled at the prospect of learning how to use this. The students can use digital storytelling to have oral exams over book reports; students can actually have debates using digital storytellings over hot topics (of course they would use the Spanish language!); we can keep a running tab on how their language skills are improving throughout the year through digital storytelling; educators introducing new topics with digital storytelling to gain the students' interest, etc.; and finally, something that Ms. Sarah Wilson is focusing on that is an excellent idea is that of having students present themselves using digital storytelling. This is especially useful for students who are upper-level Spanish and can prepare and speak in full, complex sentences about their past experiences. It is an 'About Me' presentation in the first few weeks of class that would focus on bringing the classes together. I think it is an excellent idea.  

Photo Attribution:
Original Image: Quinceanera Alter
http://www.flickr.com/photos/aliceomega/1358730826/sizes/l/

by: impercivibleneon87 (flickr account name)

Released under an Attribution Non-commercial No Derivative Works 2.0 Generic License.

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/deed.en

Before this week's lab in CEP 416, if a student had approached me to help her look for images online about a project we were doing in class, in this case Quinceañeras in Mexico, I would have directed her to a few different websites that I have used in the past. For example, I have used Google Images, Yahoo Images, MSN Images, or just search the internet using the keyword 'images' to see what came up. This is what I have used in the past to search for images as well as where I have used to get images from. In regards to how to cite the images, the thought would have honestly not crossed my mind. I would not have mentioned to the student to cite their image at all. If she would have been adamant about citing, I would have said to list the website where she found it on. I am sorry to say that I have never cited an image source until I realized in this lab that it was actually considered stealing to use someone's image without their permission.

However, it is a happy day now that I am able to say that my perspective has changed on searching for images on the internet and I would lead my student in a different search direction after the lab this week. Although I realize that these other websites mentioned above can still be viable sources (only if they have the correct 'some rights reserved' copyright), however, there are a plethora of other images available to the students. For example, if the students does a search at Creative Commons Search, they will be able to find images provided through many different search engines. The student can also use FlickrCC to search, as well as other websites. I will also sit down with them and go over which images they will use by showing them how the licenses work. I will also show them how to correctly cite where the image is taken from (see example above).

Focus: Spanish Level II Focus (Typical Grade 10)

Michigan World Languages Standards and Benchmarks:

Connections 3.2: Point of View: students acquire and recognize the distinctive viewpoints that are only available through the world language and its cultures.

   - 3.2.M.a - Use audio, video and/or print material available only in the target language to acquire information.


Comparisons 4.2: Comparing Cultures: Students demonstrate an understanding of the concept of culture through a comparison of the culture studied and their own.

   - 4.2.M.a - Identify the significance of the cultural practices within the target culture(s) and compare them to one's own.


Michigan Educational Technology Standards and Expectations outlined for Grades 9 - 12.

Technology Communications Tools:

1. Identify and describe various telecommunications or online technologies (e.g., desktop conferencing, listservs, blogs, virtual reality).

2. Use available technologies (e.g. desktop conferencing, e-mail, groupware, instant-messaging) to communicate with others on a class6nbsp;was giving them. Allowing them to choose from the resources gives them more motivation to examine what each resource offers them, and then they can choose from that.

My websites will be used in very different manners. They are all very useful and technologically advanced (of course), and students will use them to help increase their learning. I used the del.icio.us account bundle, lacasa, to give my students the opportunity to go and pick and choose which websites they wanted to use for the week. Also, they will be using Google Calendars to keep up-to-date with what we are doing in class.

For example, students can learn vocabulary for the family and house through the elementary Spanish website. (They will using this website on Tuesday, February 12.) Here, the students can listen to the vocabulary in a native speaker voice, say the vocabulary aloud, repeat the word back as they flash on the screen, and then see how some of the sentences are formed that deal with the vocabulary used.

Next, on the same day (Tuesday, February 12), students can utilize Flashcard Exchange to make their own flashcards of the vocabulary they learned, save the flashcards they made as well as print them off to remember them. Students can make them in any language as well as use images on the flashcards to help them study the vocabulary.

Next, on Wednesday, February 13, students will use ePals, where students will communicate with fellow students from Argentina that they have communicated with throughout the year and discuss with them either through e-mail or instant messaging how parties in Argentina are put together, what they do to prepare for parties and what they do at the parties to further their knowledge of how to celebrate on Friday.

On Thursday, February 14, students will use the Study Spanish website to further their knowledge of the simple paste tense, which we will begin learning on Thursday. We will not use this website as the primary source of learning, but the students do have the option to use it as a resource and it offers online quizzes, vocabulary lessons, verb conjugation, etc.

Finally, throughout the week the students will use their blogs on ePals and Blogger to keep track of what they are learning so that I know they are learning what I want them to learn or I realize that they are not learning what they should be and I can change my learning style or do something differently.

These websites can help these students as a resource to further their knowledge in the Spanish language.