Friday, November 19, 2010

I learned something new

It's fun, learning new things.  A few days ago I attempted to do something that I learned about at a conference in August.  I wanted to give my students MORE.  They were complaining that I didn't fully explain something that was a large part of the last exam so I wanted to explain it again, but I couldn't really take class time to do it.

So I tried Jing.

Jing is so cool.  It is free.  You download it and then it can capture up to a 5 minute video on the screen.  On the screen you can do anything.  You can open a website, you can draw pictures, whatever.  And you can narrate.  I don't even need any extra equipment, it just picks up audio from the microphone that is SOMEWHERE in or on my laptop (I don't have a clue where).  Then you can transfer the narrated video to a website, give someone the website address and BAM! The students have a mini-lecture of the stuff they didn't understand in class. 

Totally awesome. 

I don't know if it will help their grades, but I am doing my part and learning too.  I might have fun with this for personal use also.  Ooooh, the possibilities :-)

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Once again, my camera is broke

This is what I get for buying a cheap camera.  But then again, if my camera was broke and I had bought an expensive camera, I would be sad and out some money.  So I come again to the decision of what to do about a camera.  I am starting to go insane not being able to take pictures of my constantly changing children.  But we are about due for a phone upgrade and some of the phones have 8gig cameras.  Pretty nice.  And we don't have a lot of money for a NICE camera (like the ones I like that Kacie and Jawan and Jodi and Melissa have).  It would be great to just HAVE one even if it is only a $75 one from Walmart.   So I don't know if I should miss out on more moments while I wait to save money to buy a nice camera and in January get a phone with a decent camera in it (not that I am getting the phone for the camera but the phone I want happens to come with the decent camera) or do I ask for an early Christmas gift so that I can capture my young ones precious moments?  Decisions, decisions.