Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Reflections on my DropBox Screencast

I love trying out new technologies! Sometimes they appear easy to manipulate and on some days they take a little time and effort to nail down. Researching DROPBOX was enjoyable and very productive, and analyzing the tool using SWOT was very worthwhile. I could see great benefit in applying this concept to classroom learning.
The next step was crunching all my content for presentation into a 5-minute script; easier say than done. So much to say in so little time, including many edits for content which didn't fit the time limit. However, with a little practice the task was completed. After downloading JING and engaging my mouth behind the microphone, it was time to record my presentation. Easier said than done! So many times I'd begin on solid footing only to hear (and feel) it slip away from me. Do over, do over again, and again......argh! Suddenly I realized how much I hated listening to myself talk into a microphone, and at 2 AM I thought it best to take a step away from it all and sleep on it for the evening. When I awoke at 8 AM, I promptly headed for my computer and nailed it on the first try. What a great feeling of personal satisfaction that was!
The final step of using SCREENCAST to download the ShockWave Flash went fairly smooth, too. Suddenly I saw light at the end of the tunnel....and it was time to post to iTunes. And although I know I could have spent another 3-4 hours tweaking the project, I know I'll be better prepared for the second go-around in the coming weeks. Overall, I learned a good lesson about perseverance....and being patient with myself. Better yet, I was able to take advantage of some really cool technology; and I see a direct correlation with being able to use a screencast in a learning environment, be it directed to a classroom, home or any other remote setting.

http://bit.ly/97wlj4

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