Students and Teachers Creating Learning Objects with
Explain Everything
Dr. Tim Pelton
Associate
Professor
Department of
Curriculum and Instruction
University of Victoria
ISTE – SIGML
Webinar
March 14, 7:00 pm EST
Introduction
Our
abstract from our SITE 2013 Paper (with Leslee Francis Pelton) entitled:
Using an iPad to Explain
Everything by Creating Interactive Activities and Vignettes
Explain Everything is a fantastic app that has huge potential to
support students and educators in the learning process. The Explain Everything
App (and others like it) allows teachers and students to create projects such
as interactive activities that can be used by others to explore concepts and
processes. As well, through its
recording functions, it also allows teachers and students to generate and
publish vignettes or video expositions of their understandings, and demonstrate
proficiency in applying such knowledge to real situations. Besides introducing the potential of Explain
Everything, this paper presents an outline of a workshop to support others in
exploring this tool in their schools and districts.
Note: I am one of the creators of the free MathTapper apps (www.mathtappers.com) - for iOS devices (yes free - no ads or up-sells either). I have no affiliation with any of the apps presented below. They are just useful tools.
I teach Mathematics Education to Pre-service teachers so most of
my examples will be mathematical – but hopefully it will illuminate the
potential for an app like Explain Everything to generate learning objects in
any area.
Outline
for Webinar:
- Big Picture
- Reviewing the Potential
- Mastering the Tools
Big Picture
How
can iPads (and Tablets generally) support education?
- access to content (textbooks, websites, blogs, wikis, etc.);
- exploration of interactive content/activities – to discover relationships, to master concepts, etc.;
- consolidation of processes within some context – to build mastery and fluency;
- demonstration of mastery and skills - by capturing a performance;
- creation of interactive activities to share understandings; and
- creation of conceptual vignettes to support the learning of others.
What are Learning Objects?
- a digital object that can be used to support learning
- interactive spaces or linear presentations
- stand-alone activities, demonstrations, observations, etc. – or collections of such
- purpose created or collected and repurposed
- easy to share
- created by educators to support learning or by learners to demonstrate mastery
- may be augmented with supporting content and search terms
- e.g., learning objectives, teacher guides, assessments and other information
Who
is going to create them and why?
- instructional designers – to illuminate concepts and processes
- educators – to support their classroom learning process
- students – to demonstrate understanding
- students – to educate younger students
- parents – to share their understanding
- scientists, authors, etc. – to share their discoveries/creations/ideas
Reviewing the Potential of Explain Everything
Interactive
objects to support exploration and consolidation
Project files can be created, retrieved, exported, imported, shared by email and by websites. They end in ".xpl"
E.g., 1
Canadian
coins: This
EE project presents Primary and Intermediate level learners with an activity
where they can manipulate images of coins (high fidelity) and record the
process as they demonstrate proficiency in recognition, counting change, making
change, explaining relationships, etc..
Download the project file: https://www.dropbox.com/s/phc3cdwz17jznev/Canadian_change_table.xpl
Video using the EE coins project
E.g., 2
Fraction Strips:
Students can use images of various fraction strips to explore such concepts as equivalent fractions and comparative size of fractions.
Download project file:
Video using the EE fraction strips project:
E.g., 3
Multiplying Fractions:
By creating a collection of fraction regions (1/2. 1/3, ¼. 1/5) and then generating a set of the possible fractions that might be represented – in horizontal and vertical orientations - we can manipulate these to examine the potential meaning of fraction multiplication, and use that model to support the development of an understanding of the nature of the traditional process.
Download the project file:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/147x7pnld2er51z/rect-mult-fractions.xpl>
Video using the fraction multiplication project
Animations/vignettes to support student understanding through demonstration
- How tall is a tree?
- Sum of fractions
- Trip to Grandma’s house
- Volume/capacity of a box
Mastering
the Tools: Quick overview of some useful apps
Paper 53 (free +)
- Nice interface – e.g., Sketchbooks
- Tools: eraser, pen, watercolor and others + rewind (bi-directional)
- Free for fountain pen, some additional cost for additional features
- Export by screen capture
- No zoom
- www.fiftythree.com/
Background Eraser for iPad Mini ($0.99)
- iPhone app also works – and scales up well.
- Easy to use
1. Import
images
2. Crop
3. Erase
background (adjust threshold and feathering)
4. Export
(PNG or jpg) - note that the background
looks black on ‘Photos’ app
iMovie ($4.99)
- Nice interface – Easy to use
- Everything on your iPad – no need for external devices
- Can take audio from external mic
- Import movies and improve audio, add background, etc.
- www.apple.com/ca/apps/imovie/
Photos (free)
- photo managing app for iOS
Explain everything ($2.99)
- Create slideshows
- Screen casting with animation
- Effective set of tools
- Each slide can be recorded independently
- Newest version supports editing within a slide
- External (mac based) compressor available for $15
- www.explaineverything.com
Guided practice
Choose
a simple example that supports the exploration of all of the tools and share it
with the participants. E.g., Angles in a triangle
Use the problem solving process to complete
Understand the problem:
What needs to happen for
this learning object to be effective?
- Clear voice and diagrams
- Accurate information
- Short (very important!)
- Visually appealing
Make a plan:
E.g., create a storyboard with Paper 53.
Carry out the plan
Using Paper 53: Sketch a triangle
- Moderately careful sketch
- Angles are distinct (recognize that they will have to be inverted)
- Color in, and trim with eraser
- Screen capture (hold down power button – then tap on home button)
- Now in Photos – with white background
Using Background Eraser: Trim off the
background so that it can be manipulated
- Load image
- Crop
- Erase background
- Export as PNG file
- Now in Photos – with transparent background (shows as black)
Using Explain Everything:
Make first slide – title page
- Choose template (color of background and text)
- Text “The sum of the angles in a triangle is 180°”
- Audio overlay after ‘The sum of the angles in a triangle is 180°’
Make second slide – One triangle turns into
three copies
- Import image from photos – three copies of the triangle – stacked
- Audio overlay ‘to demonstrate this … 3 copies’
- Simultaneously move the 3 copies apart
- Duplicate slide
Make third slide – with the two outside copies
rotated and brought together
- Rotate the two outside triangles 180° (without recording animation)
- Audio overlay ‘rotate two of the triangles… bring them adjacent…”
- Simultaneously move triangles adjacent to the middle triangle
- Then draw a arc showing 180°
- Duplicate slide
Make Fourth slide
- Zoom in on central triangle
- Audio overlay ‘To sum up…’
- Simultaneously use laser pointer tool to highlight angles
- Export project as video
- Save it into Photos
Add finishing touches in iMovie
- Add audio track overlay (music – quiet)
- Export to YouTube account
Questions?
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