1. Using Camcorders as an Educational Tool
Starting and Maintaining a Student-Run Televised Morning Announcements Program At Your School
Dov Rosenberg
dovrosenberg.com
NCETC 11/ /1/2005

2. Why Teach Children to Use Camcorders?
How do children benefit?
Learn how to make a finished product
Learn how to communicate both visually and verbally
Take pride in their work
Learn a skill in preparation
for the workplace
THEY LOVE IT!

3. Ways to use Camcorders in the Classroom
Instructional videos
Class rules/procedures
Student Projects
Whole Class Multimedia Project
Multimedia Mania
Morning Announcements Show
Lily Pad Live!

4. Teaching Children to Use Camcorders
Framing
What do you want in your shot?
Panning
Left to right, g-e-n-t-l-y
Zooming
Nice and smooth
USE STUDENTS AS TEACHERS

5. Teaching Children to Use Camcorders (cont.)
Flip the viewscreen around so your subjects can see themselves
Hook the camcorder up to a TV with an AV cable so the camera person can watch

6. Equipment Tripod ($30) Microphone ($70) Lighting
Camera mic is problematic
I recommend the Pressure Zone Microphone (PZM)
Lighting
Flourescent lighting looks poor
Standard clip-on work lights are $6 each!
You’ll need a lot of lights, I recommend six to eight

7. Sharing Camcorder Projects
Movie Maker
This PC-based program will allow you to upload and edit video
Most camcorders need a FireWire card to import video
iMovie
I use this Mac-based program
Can import from camera, edit, and compress video to upload to the web
You can also burn video projects to CD-ROMs and DVDs or just record them onto VHS!

8. Equipment Needed (cont.)
Digital Camcorder
The Samsung SC-D353 ($285) is the only model in its price range that supports an external mic
FireWire Card ($39)
Most digital camcorders use FireWire to import video to computers
All Macs come with FireWire ports, but many PCs do not

9. Other Equipment Use PowerPoint with a TV for your teleprompter
Install a video card ($50) or use an AverKey ($70) to connect computer to TV
Child operates computer behind TV
Example teleprompter files

10. Lighting Work lights are cheap ($6)
The aluminum makes them effective at diffusing light
Place them to eliminate shadows

11. What About Music?
I made a CD of music and posted the track list for students to choose which song they want each day
Speakers should be as far away from the mic as your subjects
Try mounting them behind the kids
Teach fading in and out

12. The Web and Video Projects
Both Movie Maker and iMovie allow you to compress video for the web
Your webmaster can upload it to your website
Excellent web article about shooting web video!
Make sure you’ve got parental permission!
English version of form
Spanish version of form

13. Paperwork LPL Application Employment Contract Parent Letter
In Spanish
Parent Letter
Student Sign-In Sheet
Job Assignment Sheet

14. Watch Lily Pad Live!

15. Equipment Pictures & Links

16. Camcorder I recommend Samsung digital camcorders
Most leading brands have eliminated mic inputs
The Samsung SC-D353 has a mic input and is a very good bargain at $285

17. Tripod Essential! ($30-$100) Steadies camera
Makes panning & tilting easy
Ensures against dropping

18. AV Cables
Camcorder to VCR
USB
VCR to TV
FireWire

19. Music As you can see, this stereo comes with speakers
You can mount and connect these instead
But, with longer speaker wire

20. Microphone
The Pressure Zone Microphone (PZM) rests on the floor in front of the people or person speaking
Purchase Link
$60-$200

21. Computer Screen On Your TV!
To get your teleprompter working right, you need to connect a computer to a TV
You can use an AverKey ($70)
Or try installing a video card ($50)
AverKey
Video Card

22. Teleprompter Files
Take a look at some of the teleprompter files we used on Lily Pad Live!
Basic Monday through Thursday Format
Friday’s format has some subtle differences

23. FireWire Card
Although digital pictures are exported through USB, very few camcorders export moving video through anything but FireWire
FireWire is a type of cable used to connect camcorders to computers
Purchase Link
FireWire Card $39