Raider Strong Podcast: Workflow That Makes It Happen

I finally understood and completed the entire workflow for creating and producing a podcast to iTunes!

I made the intro and exit music in Garage Band on the iPad. (Starter Book) I made the art work in Canva on the iPad.  I recorded the actual interview on the iPad.  I uploaded it to Google Drive where it can be produced into an MP3 on the iPad.

Here's where the entire process on the iPad could stop and people could listen to it via the Google Drive Folder.

However, that's not officially podcasting.  I needed to get it to a host, I chose Soundcloud for now as it allows three hours of free hosting.  See the product.  After that, I connected with iTunes Connect. This is the official "housing" area of all iTunes podcast accounts.  I used my iTunes account, completed all of the information, and waited 24 hours for Apple to approve.  Now, you can find my podcasts on iTunes OFFICIALLY!   

UPDATE:  Once the Soundcloud app is installed, use the Garage Band's "sharrow" to produce the podcast directly to Soundcloud.  No computer needed.

MY GOAL: Interview as many Raider Strong employees as possible which will help promote the GREAT people that work in our district. 

RELATING TO STUDENTS' LEARNING EXPERIENCE:

After conferences with Ms. Thut, we created the beginnings of how it looks for students.  Our students will focus on:

• Consuming quality content using Environmental podcasts found on iTunes
• Critically think about what makes an exemplary podcast both from a technical stand point and content stand point.
• Collaborate with experts on YouTube or in the community to develop a passion for an environmental issue that is important to them. 
• Create a series of three podcasts that directly relate to the environmental issue that they want others to know about.

While all of the creation can and will be done on an iPad.  Our students will spend time in the library downloading their podcast from Google Drive and then back up to Soundcloud. We will also use their Pulaski iTunes account to establish an official Podcast account.

I'm thrilled at the final results and can't wait for our students to experience the thrill of podcasting!

UPDATE: [June 2, 2017] Students really did a great job, and had fun doing it! They created unique "entry music" to their podcasts along with rich content.

UPDATE: [February 1, 2018] teacher asked for no frills step by step directions.  Read Them

Some of them can be found HERE.
All of them can be found HERE if the permissions are correct.

GIVE IT A LISTEN, Subscribe, and Review

If you are interested in more of an elaborate set up, THIS post provides great information!

Flex Mod Feature - Course Phasing

I was asked by our assistant principal to create updated videos that help others to understand the features of a flex mod schedule.  Two years ago, we created a series of videos called "40 Seconds With Flex Mod" which asked a question and got an answer.  This was created to inform students and parents while we prepared to enter the flex mod schedule which was eight months away.

We started the flex mod schedule in the fall of 2015, and we felt it was time to "tell our story" as it pertains to our unique schedule.

The process for completing the video started with filming of the three phases of the course.  I used the S1 Shoulder Pod iPhone Mount, an iPhone 6s Plus, MacBook Air, iMovie on a Mac, Canva, and YouTube.

The Process:

• Determine the meeting times of Chemistry for an entire week.  We always think of courses in weeks and how it looks.
• Capture video from Large Group on Wednesday using the S1 Shoulder Pod and iPhone
• Capture video from Small Group on Thursday using the S1 Shoulder Pod and iPhone
• Capture video from Lab on Friday using the S1 Shoulder Pod and iPhone
• Transfer video into three different folders on the MacBook Air utilizing AirDrop (amazingly fast and efficient)
• Import video into iMovie and edit
• Confirm names and spellings of students in movie via Chemistry teachers
• Create a YouTube Thumbnail in Canva
• Upload the video into YouTube (two places: PHS YouTube and my YouTube channel) and add a customized YouTube Thumbnail

Making a video takes time!  Everything does!  However, the tools are present that help the process to be efficient.  Hopefully, the final product(s) can be something that transports a viewer to the experience and walks away with a better understanding of the subject.  You owe it to your learning environment to "tell your story".  I look forward to seeing what you produce!

I would like to publicly thank Mr. Manning, PHS Media teacher, who I've had the fortunate opportunity to spend many hours creating videos so that we can tell our school's story. He has truly taught me so many video producing skills in the past five years.  I really didn't know what I didn't know!  However, that's the beautiful thing about a high school.  In a sense, it's a village or city with every profession who has a master trades(wo)man.  There is always someone who knows something about something.  And as teachers are always willing to do, they help people understand how to make, fix, or create something.

2016 Goody Traithlon

As readers of iPaddiction know, the Goody Triathlon is ONE OF THE BEST things I do during a school year!  I am blessed to use my technology talents to create and update the website.  It's amazing that four years ago we completed everything through email and snail mail.  Now, every piece of communication is through the website, Google Forms, and images/video!


I'm also able to help capture the day's accomplishments through images.  In the past, images and video of race participants and mentors were taken on an iPad, dropped to iMovie (on the iPad), and uploaded to YouTube.  All of this needs to be done between 9:30 A.M. and 1:00 P.M.  Last year, rendering the video and uploading the video was almost not accomplished.  I also wanted to have more up close and personal "smile" pictures.  I changed tactics and tools slightly.  I used a Nikon D5300 camera on loan from our Art Teacher, Mr. Sperduto.  This had a 200 zoom lens on it which allowed me to get close enough to see smiles of accomplishment.

I removed the SD card from the camera and dropped the images into iMovie on the Mac.  I had all of the title pages, bumpers, transitions, and music set so that only the images needed to be "dropped in".  I also didn't render the movie and upload it to YouTube.  I simply "played the movie" in iMovie.  This saved me a GREAT deal of time!  As you can see, over 300 people were able to view smiles and accomplishments from the day BEFORE leaving!

The Goody Triathlon is an amazing accomplishment for the participants who overcome so much to complete a triathlon!  Thanks to the technology, I was able to capture the accomplishments!

iBooks Author for Publishing Student Photography Books

Today, was the culmination of hours of planning.  We introduced the students to iBook Author as they are going to create a chapter in our class photography book.

About two months ago, Mr. Sperduto and I, determined the digital workflow for students submitting photographs on a weekly basis through Google Drive.

Now that all of the six student pictures have been taken, students are creating an interactive book using iBooks Author.  Because this was our district's first attempt at using iBook Author, I created the iBooks Author template (can only be viewed on a Mac loaded with iBook Author) so that "image place holders" were used for "drag and drop" photo placement.
Watch how the learning environment took place...


We completed this learning activity because

• we wanted a medium for students to publish photographs outside of the classroom
• our Art Department received an iMac lab
• students used Photoshop on the Mac

I would like to thank the iBooks Author Google Community for the tremendous help and insight to get this idea off the foundation.  I would like to especially thank:

• Anthony DiLaura
• Julie Willcott
• Cyndi Danner-Kuhn
• Katie Morrow
• Steve Dickie
• Peter Pappas - tremendous resource (s)

I would also like to thank Mr. Sperduto for allowing this idea to develop into reality.  It was truly awesome co-teaching with him and to see students formulating a book with their photographs.

Photography iBooks Author Template

Photography Final Products Fall 2014 (File Must Be Downloaded)


Creativity: student photography and placement in their book

Promotional Video Lunch N' Learn Year 2

Creating a promotional video for our Pulaski High School weekly Lunch N' Learn provided me with a great opportunity to use a technology tool that I learned about at the Apple Distinguished Educator Institute in Austin.

Final Cut Pro X provided me with so many eye catching graphics that no other program has provided me.  I decided that I would use the great people of Pulaski High School to promote our Lunch N' Learn.  I recorded as many people as I could saying, "I'm there!" using my iPad 2.  I then used the fantastically efficient Photosync app and Mac client to seamlessly and efficiently transfer the video clips from my iPad to a Mac wirelessly.  I imported the different media clips into Final Cut Pro X and combined them with the amazing graphics that Final Cut Pro X provides.  I decided that the best song for this video would be OK Go's Here It Goes Again! because it's our second year! Through the sharing options that Final Cut Pro X provides, I was able to easily upload it to my YouTube channel.

The entire process of recording, editing, and producing took just under three hours.  I am thankful that I am able to use Final Cut Pro X and look forward to finding more features and uses for this amazing production tool.

The promotional video is being sent out this morning to over 80 high school staff members as tomorrow starts year two of our wildly famous (ok, just famous) Lunch N' Learn.  I truly appreciate the energy and enthusiasm that our staff brings to these volunteer learning sessions.  Our staff also did a fantastic job of demonstrating their unique personalities when stating, "I'm there!"

Awesome!