Use these questions as a Guideline. Be Patient. Be Flexible. Be Sensitive to the Mentee's Needs. These are only recommendations.
1. Do you currently have a Blog?
If yes, go to question 1.A. If no, help them (1) Create a Blog, (2) Fix the settings, (3) Add an entry, (4) log out, (5) Access their Blog through the address bar (Ex: http://podcast.arpisd.org/users/joy )
1.A. Can you describe how you plan to use your Blog or how you would like to use your Blog?
If yes, ask them to show their Blog and discuss ways that the Blog might be updated with media.
If no, then ask them to describe content that they need to deliver within the next 6 weeks.
1.B. Ask questions like:
What areas of instruction do you frequently have to re-teach?
What areas of instruction do you find students have more difficulty with?
What would you like to have students learn the first time you give them instruction?
What areas of instruction do you frequently re-address during the school year?
If it has to be repeated, then this is a great subject for multimedia and the Blog.
What would you like parents to know about your classroom instruction?
Are there major projects that you would like parents to be aware of?
Are there student products that you would like parents to view?
2. Have you uploaded a text file or graphic to your Blog? (Text file is uploaded with the paperclip and the graphic is uploaded with the music notes) If, yes then go to Question 3. If no, go to Question 2.A
2.A Do you have a text document (Word Doc) that you can practice uploading to your Blog?
2.B If they have a document camera show them how to take a picture with their camera of a work sheet AND a live object. When you take a picture using the document camera you are saving a .jpg file. Have them save the two .jpg files (work sheet and live object) into a Podcast folder on their desktop. Show them how to upload the two files using both the paperclip and the music notes so they can see the difference. Show them how to delete uploaded files from their Blog.
3. Have you uploaded an audio file from Audacity to your Blog? If yes, go to Question 4. If no, make sure they have Audacity and Lame loaded on their computer. \\maroon\teachers\software\audacity Show them how to record, edit, and amplify an audio recording. They should practice by first typing a textual message and uploading that to their Blog. The audio recording should read the textual message. Teach them how to save as an MP3 in the Podcast folder on their desktop and upload this file to their Blog using the music notes icon.
4. Have you created a video with audio using your document camera? If yes, go to Question 5. If no, go to 4.A
4.A Ask them to spend some time creating a typed outline for a lesson they would like to video tape. Ask them to email you when they have completed the outline.
NOTE: Notify me to download Free Studio to the Mentee's computer. Email me the teacher's computer number so I can remote to the machine and download the software.
NOTE: Lady Bug cameras can export files as MP4 so make sure they are on that setting before you begin.
4.B Upon next meeting, demonstrate how you would copy and paste the typed outline into the Blog. Have them practice their video lesson a couple of times (recording each time) and select the best video product to convert to an MP4. If you think the teacher is ready to learn the conversion process...let them watch you otherwise you convert and then help them upload the product to their Blog
4.C During some later meeting (after teacher has made 3 or 4 videos) show them how to convert their AVIs to MP4 using Free Studio.
5. Have you created a multi-clip video using Windows Movie Maker? If yes, go to Question 6. If no, have them create a "talking head" video with your Netbook. Upload the video to \\video\share\Podcasts so they can download it onto their computer. Make sure to name the video something unique!
Talk them through the simple version of Movie Maker (Import video to Movie Maker, drag it to timeline and then export as a Pocket PC video). Show them how to import this video into Movie Maker and export as a pocket PC video and then upload to their Blog using the paperclip. If they are comfortable, show them how to convert their video to an MP4 to upload using the music notes. Explain that both videos should be available on their Blog for Apple users and for PC users.
5.A Next session: Show them all the details of Movie Maker: importing document camera videos (using multiple clips), transitions, and titles. Go over exporting again, conversion, and uploading both files to their Blog.