The Amazing Web2.0 Projects Book

This book has been compiled by Terry Freedman (@terryfreedman) website http://www.ictineducation.org/
Teachers and educationalists from all over the world have contributed examples of Web2.0 projects to this book and what a great resource it is. Teachers will find many practical ideas of how to use Web 2.0 technologies in their teaching and learning.

Amazing web 2 projects 2 online version

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Youtube and downloading

Youtube is a great resource, but not always the best one to show in front of students. This is because people can post inappropriate comments or the side panel might show other examples of movies that are supposed to be similar to what you are watching but in reality might be a little bit suspect! Therefore it is a good idea to download the movies you want and store them on your own hardrive.

So how do you do that?

Windows Users.

There is a very handy application called youtube downloader
http://youtubedownload.altervista.org/

Download this application, double click to install it

Copy the URL from the youtube video page

Paste it into the youtube downloader window

Click Ok and the movie will download to your desktop. (You may need to play around with the Convert to settings to find out which is the best conversion for you)

Mac Users
Copy the URL from the youtube video page
Go to http://vixy.net// and paste the URL in the box
From the pull-down menu, select "MP4 for iPod" (this is a both efficient and compatible video format)
Click 'start', and wait for it to convert and download
When it is downloaded, drag'n'drop the file into the iTunes application or play it through QuickTime Player

Artrage and Portraits

Artrage is another one of my favourite programmes for several reasons

1. it is free with a limited palette of tools (but it is worth paying the $1 per license only available to New Zealand schools for all of the tools)
   
2. it has been created by New Zealand developers
   
3. it is a fantastic programme

Martha's art lesson is all about portraits. She had thought about the children doing something using the computer. I suggested she use Artrage. There are some wonderful youtube movies that demonstrate drawings and paintings being created in Artrage. These movies are great motivators to show children how art can be created using software.

Another feature of Artrage is the ability to import photos into Artrage, by clicking on the Tracing button (0r add tracing image in the older versions), navigate and find where your photo is saved (for portrait photos ensure that the face fills most of the photo).

Use the pencil tool and set pressure high, softness and tilt angle low and draw around the outline. Remove the photo by clicking Tools- Tracing options - Clear Tracing Image. This can then be printed out, photocopied up to A3 and use what ever medium you choose to finish off the art piece.

Or maybe for some of those children who have those highly developed intrapersonal and visual spatial skills (and time) let them use the painting tool to finish the painting in full.

This programme is updated regularly so make sure that you download the free updates. The instructions in this post relate to version 2.5.20

youtube movies

I am a great fan of youtube movies. They are my first port of call when looking for information on a particular topic. This is one of my favourites for motivating spontaneous art work.

I suggested to teachers that they show this movie to children and then set up a wall that has a large piece of paper and black vivids available. Decide on a theme and then let the children create. The rules are anybody can draw and add to the picture. This is an activity that children can choose to go to. Here is an unfinished example from Philippa's junior classroom.