My Genius Hour Blog

Today I finally completed my Genius Hour Project. It should be noted that I may have not completed my initial goal which was to create a story about a cat getting into a box. I did create a video of a cat going towards a box so I think it counts for now. So, what did I learn about myself during this time? Well, I learned that it was rather difficult staying focused on creating this video especially since I have been so busy. So, finding time to actually sit down and do this was rather challenging. Plus, I found it very difficult to find the proper software to use to create a video such as this which was due particularly to my tight budget. I tried to use free online software and also iMovie to create this. I settled for Moovly which I thought was decent, but had limited options for its free users as well as I had to triple check that I always saved my work. Another challenge was actually creating the animation because I didn't want to use paint or some drawing app to create my dr...

Upon researching how to create an animation video, I have finally decided on what I want my animation video to about: a cat going into a box. I have chosen this idea for the story purposefully in that, it is a very simple action a cat going into a box--I wanted to set an ideal goal. I would have to start with creating my characters and creating a story board. In terms of what I learned about this activity, I learned that it is a really interactive activity in that you may need the help from peers to put the video together. Also, it takes a lot of dedication to create such a video so whoever tries to do this project will learn to be very patient and dedicated. In addition, this video can be used for a wide array of subjects--so it I can potentially use a project such as this for my future students.

My genius hour question is "Can I create an animation video?" I have always found animation to be very interesting and the process of creating animated video pretty cool. However, I have never had the time to actually attempt to do an animation video. So, I decided for my genius hour to do a relatively easy form of animation--or so I thought. Upon researching this question I have found that it is in fact a lot of work and I have to spent a lot of time on researching and carrying out this project. So, I am giving myself 20 days to complete this project. The way I will measure my progress is first to create a script for a 30 second video. Then I will try to do at least one slide a day; I'm estimating that I will have approximately 20 slides. Also, I would have to dedicate a significant amount of time learning how to use the appropriate software. Hopefully, I will be successful...we will see.

Copyright is an important concept that should be discussed and explained to both teachers and students. From previous experiences, I have found that both students and teachers have a hard time actually understanding what they can use and what they cannot. Additionally, if they do use a resource many often forget to cite where they got that source. As such this tutorial on copyright, I found, is very informative. I was originally aware of copyright from my undergrad but, I found these articles (cited below) were especially helpful in terms of what responsibilities 'I' as a teacher have to teach myself and my students on the type of resources to use and how to use them. As I went through this tutorial I learned that teachers can use certain resources online as long as they do not use it for commercial use and that they make sure that they cite the resource. As I have now learned, I would encourage my students to be aware of the copyright license or search for images in a way wh...