I can’t begin to add up how often I’ve seen students learning through YouTube or Help Forums. Some learning new makeup and hair routines while others reviewing video game techniques and even a few doing research for their current projects all through informal online postings. They learn these techniques from others then use them in their lives, so as their teacher why shouldn’t I see merit in this and try it myself?
So I have challenged myself to learn how to use video editing/creating software so I can create better entry events for my students projects. I have put off learning this skill for far too long! In project based learning we launch projects with something to hook the students. Some teachers use demonstrations, activities, written events or videos to get the students excited and interested in the project. I have used all of these methods but have not yet created my own launch video. I’ve seen some great work from my coworkers (see a picture of their entry event to the right) and it’s time to step up my game!
In the next five weeks I will use only “the network”, YouTube and help forums, to acquire this new skill. I will reflect through blog posts and create a sample project entry event from the skills I learn.
Some sites I plan to use are:
Lynda.com – final cut pro tutorials
YouTube_FCP1 – YouTube Tutorial (image to the left)
Final Cut Pro Site – Help Spot
Help Forum – public input forum
Wish me luck!
Sarah DiMaria e-Portfolio 
I love that you made the immediate connection to how student peer learning has moved onto the Internet! Especially with the “video game watching” a growing phenomena that many adults don’t understand, but kids are being very savvy about when it comes to learning new tricks, tips, and gameplay.
Learning something technical lends itself well to “self-taught” methods like this, especially a video editing tool. While Final Cut is a BEAST (I haven’t even tackled it), you should find some ample resources out there, for both specific tasks within the software and larger tasks/practices that make larger video projects easier. Apple’s Final Cut Pro X support community will be invaluable! I’ve found many solutions, and requested help there with a lot of success.
I’m curious what you want to tackle first, and what sort of video you’re hoping to create? Tech tutorials, or content? What video creation elements do you have experience with already, and which ones might make sense to focus on first? Capturing video, audio, or simple cuts and edits?
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This was supposed to post under your comment! It’s been a learning process with WordPress!
As I start my learning I am going to look at my coworkers examples on YouTube of movie entry events and highlight what I like about the way they put the movie together. I’ll note some of the things I would like to know how to do then use YouTube and help forums to learn how to do them. As I learn a new skill I will practice it on the app. I will most likely be learning iMovie instead of Final Cut Pro but as I see what my iPad Pro can do I will have a better idea. At the end of my learning I will put together a sample entry event for one of my first projects of the year!
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Hi Sarah!
I am taking some time tonight to check out other course members’ Networked Learning Projects. Your first paragraph really caught my interest! You are totally right – students are SO interested in YouTube. My nephew (fourth grade) often watches video game tutorials so that he can get past his difficult levels in his video games. Great point about the hair and makeup tutorial videos too – my high school aged niece loves those as well. Anyway, I have never heard of “final cut pro” until reading your post! Do you know how similar/different it is to iMovie? You mention that you want to create a “launch video” for project based learning. I love how the skill that you are choosing is something that will be helpful for your teaching practice. I created a five minute science video when I was in TE 831 this past Spring, and I was so pleased with how engaged my second grade students were! They told me that I was a “professional” because I was on YouTube. LOL
What grade/subject area do you teach?
Great post!
-Beth Nykerk
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Thanks for reading Beth! I know between iMovie and Final Cut Pro they do similar things but Final Cut Pro I think is more complex. I am going to actually tackle iMovie for this project. As I’ve been researching iMovie is easier to get on my device and probably a better way to start then diving into to Final Cut. I teach high school math. Next year it will probably be 9th and 10th graders. I’ve been doing some work with elementary teachers and I love hearing about their projects and videos they make!
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Sarah,
Thanks for responding! I can definitely understand how you might want to utilize iMovie – I have it on my devices because I’m a Mac person and my school has iPads for all students and teachers. I utilized it for a couple of projects last semester and I definitely needed to look up some tips online with some of the issues I ran into. I can’t say that I’m “proficient” after those two projects, but I suppose something is better than nothing. I think that high school students would be receptive to iMovie as well! Best of luck. 🙂
-Beth
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As I start my learning I am going to look at my coworkers examples on YouTube of movie entry events and highlight what I like about the way they put the movie together. I’ll note some of the things I would like to know how to do then use YouTube and help forums to learn how to do them. As I learn a new skill I will practice it on the app. I will most likely be learning iMovie instead of Final Cut Pro but as I see what my iPad Pro can do I will have a better idea. At the end of my learning I will put together a sample entry event for one of my first projects of the year!
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Hey Sarah,
I am interested in seeing how you progress in learning how to use Final Cut Pro. I used Adobe Premiere CS5 the past school year to edit our Middle School News. It was a grueling task, but it was rewarding to see all the different reactions to the final product. I’m looking forward to how it all turns out.
Best of luck,
Phillip
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