Image and Photography

It is easier and more satisfactory to use one's own images and photos instead of steling them from the web and risking troubles.

A teacher should be able to:
- draw a picture, scan, save and publish
- make a good photo which he/she can use in teaching, edit and save


The difference between good and bad photos is obvious to anyone! And it is not so difficult to follow several basic rules to make your photos better.


"Kreativní fotografie si neklade za cíl zobrazit realitu (takové to tam Mařenko bylo) ale zobrazit 
něco víc. Zobrazit emoce (pocity, nálady ...), které autor na místě cítil a chce vám předat.

Když se díváte na fotografie z vaší dovolené obvykle si vybavíte pocity, jaké to tam bylo (jé podívej - tady jsme byli ...). Díváte-li se ale na fotografie z cizí dovolené, vidíte jenom obyčejné pláže, hrady, zámky atp. Prostě emoce spojené s místem a zážitkem vám chybí a proto vám často tyto fotografie připadají obyčejné. Dobrá fotografie vám dokáže předat pocity a zážitky i z míst, kde jste nebyli. A o tom to je...

Když stojíte v lese, vidíte široko okolo sebe, vnímáte vítr, šumění lesa, vůni jehličí a do zad vás pálí slunce. Toto vše na fotografii však chybí. Je tam jen obrazový výsek a to ještě ve 2 rozměrech (3 rozměr prostoru / perspektivy chybí). A proto je to tak těžké. A proto je pokoušet se o to taky tak krásné!"

http://fotoroman.cz/

TASK 1

Look at the following photos. Do you like them? Why?

Matterhorn

Loreta

Praha

Růžička

What shall we know?

1. How to compose a photography

The basics of composition (in Czech)

Practical composition (in Czech) 

Golden ratio - zlatý řez

Do not forget:

concentrate on a single idea, object, feeling

get closer, fill almost the whole field with the target object/situation

TASK 2

Look around, go to the corridor if you want. Try to compose a photo which will show the atmosphere at school.

_________________________________________________________________

What shall we know?

2. How to save an image

raw - full data

jpg - compressed (lossy)

tiff - for print, usually lossless; can handle CMYK

bmp - full data (bitmap)

gif - small (and animated); saves only used colours; 8bit

png - lossless, successor of gif, 8-24-48 bit

For web, an image with the longer side of 1600px is big enough, Let's say the size limit is cca 50KB - to save space.

When reducing the size, always keep the original untouched! Save the small version as a new file, say, IMG2345_Small.jpg. 

JPEGS reduce the size exponetially, so if you reduce the original at 80%, the amount of data may be reduced form 12MB to 1,5 MB. 

More in Wiki (in Czech)

and Wiki (in English)

Formaty pro ukladani fotografii

_________________________________________________________________

TASK 3

Choose an object within the class and make a picture which shows only the object - as if you needed an illustration of the word.

What shall we know?

3. How to make a photo of an isolated object

- check the background

- fill amost the whole image with the object

- search for light

- use simple aids, such as lamps, scarfs, sheets of paper

- experiment 

Product Photography at digineff

_________________________________________________________________

... want to know more?

http://digineff.cz/

http://www.digimanie.cz/

http://www.fotoradce.cz/

http://fotoroman.cz/

HOMEWORK:

1. Choose the best photo expressing the school atmosphere you made, and insert it into your Homepage (index.html) and publish online.

Your brand new website

HOMEWORK:
Choose a topic and a target level for your HotPot and Interactive board exercises.
Insert this information into the comment to this blog entry.

Format:
Your Name
Topic (in detail)
Level + age

Example:
Novakova
Winter clothes
6th grade - elementary



Task 1:
Create a folder named PCSkills on your pen drive.
Create the index.html file in NVU. Save it into the PCSkills folder.
Insert your pre-prepared texts into the file index.html.

Experiment with formatting, colours, consider the role of images and graphics...

Insert a link into the KAJ Dept. page.
Insert a picture you took (avoid copyright problems!).


Task 2:
Create an account on webzdarma.cz.
Read the conditions and other information.
Upload your index.html and the image.

Bask in glory, admiring your first hand-made web page!

Task 3:
Create your pesonal speaking avatar at http://www.voki.com/
and insert it into your index page.
Upload and refresh to check!



BASIC RULES:
1. Save, save, backup, save...
2. All files in one folder.
3. No spaces, no diacritics in filenames.

The beginning

Task 1
What does it mean TEOTWAWKI?
Find at least two artificial works which use this acronym in their title.

Task 2
What approaches did you apply when searching the web for answers?

Task 3
List 3 skills which are vital for a good web user.
Enter your suggestions into the comment to this blog. Do not forget to sign your entry!

Internet Survival Guide

CREDIT REQUIREMENTS

active participation, working on classroom tasks
80% attendance

Projects: (submission deadline April 7, 2015 - prolonged max to Apr.9, 12:00 - high noon)
1. A personal website (includes: personal profile, a page on your hobbies/interests including active links to references, HotPot index with basic info (topic, age, level) and links to all HP exercises, a link to Interactive Board material)
2. Hot Potatoes project (matching, multiple choice, gapfill, min. 10 questions each)
3. Interactive Board material (includes: T's book = target group, objectives; topic presentation and explanation, various tasks for practice, audio, video, illustrations, active links, inner links)

4. Classroom-based tasks: Gorilla project; 2 photos (one on the topic school, one free of choice) with audio comments

Topics:

1. CR, basic Internet skills, web safety

2. Creating a webpage - elemetary; Avatar

3. Working with images

4. HotPot software

5. Working with audio

6. Interactive board - elementary

7. Interactive board - advanced

8. Developing the webpage

9. E-learning principles

Audio

Audio material is regularly used when teachng speaking and listening in foreign languages. Therefore the teachers and the students should be able to edit and modify audio as well as texts.
Probably the bet freeware available for editing sound is called AUDACITY.

Audacity Basics - you should be able to
- install Audacity and the lame library which enables export to mp3
- open a file in Audacity
- edit the file: cut and paste, fade in/out, change speed, delete, add silence
- create a new file
- combine two files (e.g. speech + background music)
- inserting silence (e.g. as a space for an answer)
- changing the speed or pitch (carefully!)

TASK 1
1. Listen to the story of a toddler falling into a gorilla cage at Youtube.
Download two files from Capsa: WTF_ Toddler Falls in Gorilla Cage.mp3 and Gorilla sounds.mp3. Combine them, in order to make a thrilling report on the event, max 70 seconds long.
If you feel like it, find more sounds (e.g. crowd cheering, Zoo animals sounds etc.).
Upload the story with an appropriate illustration to your web.

You can use Free YouTube to MP3 Converter to get audio from youtube easily.


TASK 2
2. What does the word "podcast" mean? Go to Podomatic, create an account and browse the site. How can we use it in teaching English?

Good examples - Teacher Luke at Podomatic, Splendid Speaking for advances learners


REMEMBER - before editing, create a backup copy of the original!

Improving your website

Tasks for this week:

1. Web Home page
- create menu
- format the home page (columns, images, edit the text)
- create your speaking Avatar at Voki
(create, copy the source code and paste it into the chosen place of your homepage - you must open it in NVU as "Zdrojovy kod"!)


2. Web structure

- add a HP page, informing about the target group, the topic, the list of target vocabulary, and including separate links to all three exercises.

3. Hot Potatoes
- create a matching exercise, a multiple choice and a gap fill.
- link them together (see the instructions below)
- put them online


TIPS

 This is the suggested order of HP exercises (Can you guess why?):

1. Matching
- 10 items (target vocabulary)
- if using pictures, set the same height for all of them  (e.g. 100 pixels)
- find out how to set the timer, shuffle questions, show a limited number of questions

2. Multiple choice
- 10 questions
- 4 distractors (no mistakes!)
- use sentences, not isolated words
- feedback - additional information, input

3. Gap fill
- 10 gaps
- context (e.g. a story)
- choose the gaps wisely  :)

Tips:
+ Create feedback which is interesting and informative; do not hesistate to include facts from our real life.
+ Do not skip determiners, e.g. articles:)
+ do not hesitate to include images, links, or audio!


HP exercises can be interonnected using the menu Configure - Buttons.
Suggested course of actions:

1. Create HP matching exercise Ex1. Connect it to the index.html. Make sure you have all the files, including images, in the same folder as the exercise. Save, export.
2. Create a HP multiple choice exercise Ex2.Connect it to the index.html. Carefully fill in the feedback! Save, export.
3. Create a HP gap fill exercise Ex3. Connect it to the index.html and Ex1.html. Save, export.
4. Connect Ex1 to Ex2, and Ex2 to Ex3. Save, export.
5. Open your index.html in NVU. Add links to all three HotPot exercises. Save.
6. Upload all files (index.html, Ex1.html, Ex2.html, Ex3.html, all images) to the web.



Do not forget:
+ No diacritics, no spaces in filenames.
+ Save everything you want to put online into a single folder. No subfolders.
+ Regularly save your changes.

Interactive Board Advanced

A  What should the teacher do?

- present text, images, sound, animations, video, links
- give the class a chance to think
- support creativity
- use the time wisely
- motivate the students


B What should we include?
- a functional combination of text, visual support and audio
- variability of all sorts
- empty space
- motivating activities (games)
- feedback

C Technical skills to be mastered:
- inserting text
- inserting images
- inserting audio
- inserting links

- locking
- grouping
- using layers - covering one object with another
- containing
- magical window


Promethean Planet: Examples of IWB tasks
Youtube tutorials
How to use Containers
Multiple Containers
How to make a magic box
Creating Action Objects
Magic revealer window



TIPS:

USING CONTAINERS
1. Text to be moved:
Identification: Name = Panda
Contain: Return if not contained = True

2. Image or a space where to put the text/answer:
Can Contain = Specific object
Contain Object = (Select Object) Panda
Contain Rule = Completely contained

Česká verze:
1. Text (objekt), s nímž se bude pohybovat:
Identifikace: Název = Panda
Kontejner: Vrátit, pokud není obsaženo = Pravda

2. Objekt (obrázek), kam se text/odpověď přesouvá:
Může obsahovat = Konkrétní objekt
Obsažený objekt = (Vybrat objekt) Panda
Pravidlo pro obsah = Úplně obsaženo


Magic revealer window (Activ)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNYwDJ0ghkc
http://www.prometheanplanet.com/en/Download.aspx?ContentId=76847

1.    Insert two images
2.    Put one of them to the Top layer
3.    Create a rectangle. Settings:
           a.    Margin (ohraničení) – cca 20
           b.    Výplň – Nic
4.    Activate the magic ink. Fill in the rectangle.
5.    Set the order of the resulting two objects (rectangle will be above the magic ink to make the margins smooth)
6.    Group them together.

Interactive Board for Beginners

ITB works as a multifunctional tool: you can present text, images, audio, video, internet resources...
But you (or the students) can also INTERACT with the board - write answers to questions, drag and drop, draw, or play games.

Our task today is to explore the possibilities of SMART and Activ IWB software. The editor works intuitively, and some choices are similar to those available in MS office. To get an idea, we will also evaluate some internet-available examples.

CLASS TASKS
1. Create your own project! Open Smart or Activ Inspire. Start a new file.

2. Insert a text, an image, a weblink, explore the pen function.
    Browse all menus. Feel free to experiment and have fun creating. :)

3. Explore the imbedded galleries.

4. Create an activity to practise the set of vocabulary you chose for your project.

5. Do you know how to get the IWB material online?



HOMEWORK
1. Check some shared interactive board materials:
http://www.veskole.cz/
http://www.jazykyinteraktivne.cz/
http://www.pekarjeucitelonline.cz/
http://www.gymnaziainteraktivne.cz/
http://www.activucitel.cz/

2. Choose some ITB material for both types of software, download and view. Which positive and negative features can you identify? Enter your ideas into the comments to this blog.

3. What makes a good ITB material? Think and discuss - work in pairs. Enter you comments into this blog.

4. Create your own project! Open Smart or Activ Inspire. Start a new file.

5. Insert a text, an image, a weblink, explore the pen function and the flash animations which are included in the gallery. Browse all menus. Feel free to experiment and have fun creating. :)