Winding Down - Winding Up

The university semester is winding down. Final assignments are being given. Final class dates are being determined.
However, things are winding up for me. Fellow student and blogger, Miss L, and I have the honour of presenting at both the Byte Conference and BU. We're talking about why we blog, but Miss L does us more justice, so if you want to learn more about it click here.
Also, this week I'm heading back to a school I worked at last year to run a video editing workshop. I made the following video to capture the interest of the students and to use for guided practice with video editing.

I love making videos and am glad to help others learn how to make their own. I'm also going to bring this workshop to BU in February and a Professional Development session for education students.

I'm going to end up being pretty busy, but it's something I enjoy and rarely even seems like work. I hope to get permission to showcase some videos made during the workshops, so stay tuned.

More on Movies

My cooperating teacher at my most recent student teaching placement has a huge collection of video resources he uses in his classroom: from lectures to concepts in action. They are a very effective way to differentiate and engage.
However, physics is a real-world course. It attempts to explain the patterns and relationships observed in nature. Watching videos or simulations can abstract the concept and make it harder for students to see the real-world connections. Live demonstrations are great for showing concepts, but my CT strongly encouraged students to be more than just consumers, but to extend themselves and become producers. Why just watch the demonstration, when you can do the demonstration? Why just watch Youtube videos in class, when you can make the Youtube videos?
Every year, for every unit he encourages students to figure out how to apply concepts in their life and film their demonstrations. A large percentage of his video collection is past student-made video demonstrations. There are videos on the Doppler Effect, conservation of momentum, circular motion and many more. Making video demonstrations require higher order brain functions and forges a stronger connection to the concept than simply memorizing a formula and diagram.
I plan on implementing this strategy in my teaching and will model production over consumption by making videos (both for fun and for class-use) and sharing them with my students.
Here is a sample of some of my recent production:

I'm participating in the Star Wars Uncut project. Check it out!