Tag Archives: video

5 ways you can use…Flip Cameras!

Flip cameras are a great tool for higher education for several reasons. They are small, compact, easy to use, and even easier to transfer to computer devices. The USB cable flips right out from the side of the camera and right into your device to reduce the hassle with cables and cords. While the flip camera cannot hold an extremely large amount of data (2 hours is its space limit), it is great to incorporate into your class projects to encourage students to get creative and really get into class material. Here are 5 ways you can use flip cameras in your classroom:

  1. Create a project proposing students to create their own public service announcements or commercials related to class material. This could work for any subject, from history to health!
  2. Have students practice their job-seeking skills by recording them interviewing for a fictitious job. They will be able to play back the video and engage in both peer and self-assessments.
  3. When students are delivering speeches in class, use the flip cam to record their speeches so they can view themselves later on and get instant feedback.
  4. Have students create a mock news segment related to class material.
  5. For an end of the semester project, have students create video diaries, reflecting all they have learned in the course throughout the semester.

Additionally, flip cams are a great way to record demonstrations or experiments (think chemistry or art classes) for students who may have missed class or want to review for an exam or lab practical. They are perfect to record segments of lectures where they need to “see” something to really understand it. Flip cams have the potential to make any project into an exciting adventure. For more ways to use flip cams in your class or how to use these devices, feel free to contact us!

The Power of Multimedia

The other day we introduced a class to various multimedia tools available for use in the Media Lab to help assist them with their final project for the semester, where they are instructed to get creative and use multimedia. Going over all of these fun tools even got me excited for their final project, even though I am clearly not a student in the class.

The Media Lab offers wonderful resources for students to use both within the lab and for checkout to use on their own time. From Flip cameras to microphones and movie editing software, students are provided with an area where they can utilize tools and also get assistance from student workers and full-time staff.  They are provided with all the tools needed to create videos, blogs, documentaries, audio essays, or anything else their creative minds can conjure up.

Utilizing the tools available for students in the Media Lab is the perfect opportunity to get your students more involved in class material and evoke their interests in technology. Instruct your students to get creative using multimedia tools for projects and perhaps they will gain more from the project than they would writing a typical paper. Be sure to visit us in the Media Lab in the lower level of Brookens Library and we will be happy to help you and your students!

A Technology Resource at your Fingertips

Did you know you have an incredible tool available at your fingertips for free?  If you haven’t checked out Atomic Learning yet, make sure you do so you don’t miss out on all it has to offer! Atomic Learning is available 24/7 to UIS faculty and students at no charge and has 30,000+ videos and tutorials to guide you through the computer applications you use every day (and a ton more you may want to learn about!). Atomic Learning offers several 2-minute tutorial videos for each application, providing assistance in completing specific tasks and learning new features. Atomic Learning videos can also be embedded in your Blackboard courses to assist your students.