Posts Tagged iMovie


CUE 2009On Saturday evening, we wrapped up CUE 2009, where the Digital Media Academy provided hour long hands-on sessions that were attended by over 350 teachers, educators and administrators. Course topics included iLife Bootcamp Featuring iMovie & iDVD, Video Editing with Final Cut Pro, Web Production with Dreamweaver and Flash CS4 and Photoshop CS4 for Photographers. Attendees were taught by DMA’s professional instructors, including Tom Wolsky, Beth Corwin, Sandy Novak and Tom Tuttle, all regarded as gurus in their respective areas of expertise.

The following is one attendee’s reflections on her experience attending three DMA hands-on sessions. Linda Muhlhauser is the Digital Media & Computer Concepts Teacher and Webmaster for Murrieta Mesa High School in Murrieta, California on the southwestern edge of Riverside County.

Attending the CUE conference is like being immersed in a swarm of technology bees. The rush of energy and enthusiasm is contagious and exciting! After four years of attending the CUE conference, I have learned to come with streamlined goals of what I and my students would benefit from when I return on Monday. This year, ideas for the infusion of my new interactive writing pad into my curriculum were foremost. Using Wiki’s as a collaborative project will benefit my students in many ways; learning Internet etiquette, researching and reporting from primary resources and collaborating on a website project will be new for most of them. At CUE, the opportunity to learn about many technology tools is available but where is the training and support for all of this beyond CUE? The only one that I saw in the exhibit hall was Digital Media Academy.

Looking towards the future, as Department Chair of Technology at a new 21st Century high school with new monies to spend, I will be choosing hardware and software for our Digital Media programs. CS4 is on the list (the latest version I have is CS no number!), and my anxiety level toward learning the new suite of tools was definitely on the rise. The CUE schedule showed that Digital Media Academy (DMA) was providing mini workshops on Flash, Dreamweaver, CS4 and more. Dedicated to standing in line to get my admission ticket early, I was able to attend three of DMA’s workshops. Through clear step-by-step instructions given by the teachers in these workshops, my fears toward CS4 have been lessened. Obvious to me by the third DMA session, DMA’s CS4 “boot camp” training available in the summer would be exactly what I needed to be an effective teacher in the fall. DMA has caught my eye at past CUE conferences and this summer it will finally become a reality. Thank you DMA for the opportunity to learn!

Linda Muhlhauser
Digital Media & Computer Concepts Teacher/Webmaster
Murrieta Mesa High School
www.mesarams.com (new HS opening in August, 2009)
951-288-7845

Abraham Lincoln Middle School StudentsTraditionally on the last day of the annual CUE conference, selected students from various regions of California have an opportunity to present projects as part of the CTAP Student Technology Showcase Program. The California Technology Assistance Program (CTAP) is funded by the California Department of Education and is divided into eleven regions covering the entire state. CTAP provides assistance in integrating technology into teaching and learning, especially in the core content areas. Every year at CUE, the CTAP Student Technology Showcase is an opportunity for teachers across the country to be inspired by real life examples of student work, presented by the students themselves!

I had an opportunity to talk today with three eighth grade students from Abraham Lincoln Middle School in Fresno County, CA. Trent Viau, Celeste Mendoza, Ally Miller and Colton Pierce (not present in the photo) showcased a ten-minute video on General Sherman and his Civil War March to the Sea. I was drawn to their video because of the professionalism of their work. Upon talking to these students, I learned that their documentary had won an award in the 2007 National History Day Contest. Focusing on the contest’s theme of “conflict and compromise,” the documentary asks whether General Sherman’s March to the Sea was “morally correct.” When asked about their conclusion, Trent commented that “it was for a greater good.”

In addition to being impressed with their critical thinking skills, I was inspired by how much work these students put into creating this piece. They started the summer before the 2007-8 school year and spent most of “their own time,” especially weekends, to work on this. They relied on one parent’s computer and created the whole documentary using iMovie and GarageBand. What impressed me about their work was the smoothness of their transitions, the use of historical photos and artifacts, and the eloquent narration. I felt like I was watching the History Channel.

This story is just one example of how technology integrates well with teaching in the core content areas. With the use of video editing and audio recording, history is literally coming alive for thousands of students across California and across the nation. To be further inspired, I would encourage watching the online version of the Student Technology Showcase.


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