Friday, April 26, 2013

Student Presentations using iPads

There are many ways students can show what they've learned, I'm finding/creating assignments to incorporate the ipads more and more.  I want students to show what they've learned using different methods on the ipads.  The objective to this assignment is: I can identify and describe the Principles of Design:  Balance, Proportion, Rhythm, and Emphasis  (These are the four we focus on). 

Here is the assignment I created to help students meet the objective above. I used an app called...




The students are basically producing a "mini movie" where they put their voice over pictures.  They must find pictures that represent each one of the Principles of Design listed above and explain in the video WHY their picture is a good example.  I used to do this assignment with magazines and had students find examples of each of the Principles of Design, then they would justify their selected pictures and create a portfolio.  This now seems so old school, magazines, glue, markers.  I was afraid if I moved to the ipads they would be able to Google the photos but not be able to explain why their picture/look is a good example...I was a fool!  They have to be able to justify their picture to talk about it and they are struggling to find pictures they can justify.  Well, they were   Watching the students work through this project has been amazing.  The kids are going so far above and beyond what I expected. The kids are problem solving and every single student is engaged in this project...even the boy who doesn't care about fashion and doesn't want to be in the class!  Here is my sample that I now know is inferior to what my students are creating!  I wanted a basic sample to show them AND I needed to do the project in order to write it out in assignment form, that is part of my artistic process...I did this in about thirty minutes, I was in a rush, as always, and I am not proud of it, now that I see what teenagers can do! 
 
 
The kids took this assignment one step further using...
Pic Collage
 
 
Pic Collage is another fun app that enables the students to add more than one picture, the basic free version of Videolicous only allows the students to use ten pictures, they want to add more, imagine that.  Yes, that is correct, my High School Students want to do more work than I asked of them.  I am a Rock Star of a Teacher!  At least I feel like one today, I love these moments, they don't come often, I'm going to relish it while I can!  My students are going crazy finding as many pictures as they can fit on their Pic Collage.  I have NEVER have a situation where EVERY SINGLE STUDENT is doing more than the instructions say, but this is the case with this assignment.  I will obviously revise this in the future now that my expectations have risen, even above what I thought I was capable of!  Once the students create their Pic Collage they simply take a screen shot which is then uploaded into their photos.  We back up our photos into Dropbox before they leave for the day, obviously!  Here is the first draft of the assignment.
 
Principles of Design Video
Clothing Design

You are going to make a video of yourself talking about the Principles of Design using the app, Videolicious on your ipad. 

We are focusing on these Four Principles of Design:
·        Proportion
·        Balance
·        Emphasis
·        Rhythm

Part I: Research and Script Writing
You will need to find the following pictures (you may want to use this as a checklist to make sure you have everything):

1.      Title Page

2.      Word: Balance

3.      Picture of Balance

4.      Word: Proportion

5.      Picture of Proportion

6.      Word: Emphasis

7.      Picture of Emphasis

8.      Word: Rhythm

9.      Picture of Rhythm

10.  You get to pick one of the above sections/Principles of Design and add two pictures instead of one OR you can have a closing picture that says, “The End” or something like that…you pick!  Directors choice!

**These do not have to be in this order…

Decide what you will say for each picture or Principles of Design, you may want to write out a script before you record yourself.


Part II: To make your video:

Once you find your pictures you are ready to make your video!  You must have 10 pictures (the app won’t let you use any more) and you must talk for one minute during your video (the app won’t let you record any longer.
 
Click on the app and follow the instructions, you will load the pictures, and record yourself talking about each picture…which means you may need a script so you know what to say!  Finally you can add music to go over your video.  Then Voila!  You have a video!