Category Archives: CTS

Winter Traditions Collaboration (Grade 1 and High School)

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Winter_TraditionsToday, my new friend, Brenda Cleland and I wrapped up a collaborative project that my ComTech 10 class and her Grade One class did together. The Grade One class (the Clients) have hired the high school class (the Freelancers) to animate their drawings. The students were paired up and assigned a blog post in which they were able to have a conversation in the comment section. The Freelancers asked the Clients how they wanted their drawings to be animated. They were not allowed to change the artwork in any way; it would be like changing a client’s logo! We hope you enjoy the results below. Be sure to read the comments in each blog post to get a feel for how well the two groups communicated without meeting in person.
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The URL: https://sites.google.com/a/epsb.ca/winter-traditions/home

And on that note, Mrs. Teacher List and I wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and all the best in the coming year! Rest well and we’ll connect again in January.
– Pete

Adobe Slate for Browsers

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adobeslateLast year, Adobe created an iPad app called Slate. It is an engaging and simple-to-construct storytelling engine. The problem (for me, anyhow) is that it was only available as an iPad app. This week, Adobe released a browser version, making this much more widely available. There is no cost to use it however students (or a lead-teacher) need to use an Adobe I.D. (13+ yrs). It’s simple to learn and the results are stunningly professional. My Photo students will be diving into this tool in a few minutes…
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The URL: http://slate.adobe.com/

Splattershmup

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splattershmupWhat happens when you combine classic arcade game movements with painting action? This summer, I had the pleasure of meeting Andy Phelps. Among other titles, he is the founder and director of the RIT Center for Media, Arts, Games, Interaction and Creativity (MAGIC). Andy asked this question and had the skills and resources to explore the answers, resulting in Splattershmup. Splattershmup is a game that allows players to “reflect on their in-game actions and strategy through visual reflection, and to approach the creation of art as an arena of action.” The art that is created in the game can then be shared and discussed. It’s a really cool concept and perfect for a Friday recommendation.
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The URL: http://splattershmup.rit.edu/

CameraSim – Rule of Thirds

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camsimAbout four years ago, I recommended CameraSim to help students practice their digital slr camera skills online. I’m going to be using this simpler version today to introduce composition with the Rule of Thirds. It’s a great way to get started before we break out the cameras for the class period!
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The URL: http://camerasim.com/apps/focus-frame-shoot/

Resources for Assessment in Project-Based Learning

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pbl_assessmentThis is kicking around Twitter this morning. From the article: “Looking for tools and strategies for effective assessment in project-based learning? To support you, we’ve assembled this guide to helpful resources from Edutopia and beyond.” Author Andrew Miller has assembled a long list of tools and sorted them by Best Practices for PBL Assessment, PBL and Standardized Tests, Research on PBL Assessment, and Additional Resources.
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The URL: http://www.edutopia.org/pbl-assessment-resources?utm_content=resource-roundup&utm_campaign=pbl-assessment-resources&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=socialflow&utm_term=link

Polona Typo Project

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polonaMy work pals, Noel Taylor and Karly Kulpa, passed this one on. The Polona Typo project, based on the new Polona API, (Polona.pl is a National Library of Poland website) makes it possible to type, share and print your own sentences using thousands of letters from the books, posters and maps created over more than six centuries.
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The URL: http://typo.polona.pl/en/