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Conference Session and Workshop
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Each of the sessions below can be presented as a one-hour session or a 3-hour workshop (unless otherwise noted). By adding an extended hands-on component, many of the sessions serve as the springboard for a full-day workshop.
Please send e-mail to begin a dialog about specific topics for your conference or workshop. We'll be glad to tailor a session to fit your needs.
Technology Projects and Plans The name says it all - a straightforward presentation of several of our latest curriculum-based technology projects. Suitable for a wide range of ages and abilities, and designed to adapt to several curricular areas. Let's put your school's technology investment to good use!
Audio for Media Production: Music, Microphones, Mixers, and More! We've totally re-vamped our popular audio session to bring you the latest information about microphones, audio mixers, and production music. This is a great session for those just starting-out in school video production, as well as those "seasoned veterans" looking for a few tips.
Nonlinear Digital Editing - Exploring the Tools Planning to get into nonlinear (computer-based) editing, but not sure what to buy? This session presents important selection criteria for beginning the purchasing processing. Systems considered include computer-based and stand-alone systems. Learn the strengths and weaknesses of each system so that you can by the best editor for your school. Also included: a discussion of the digital editing process. Editing equipment is expensive! This session can help you avoid costly mistakes!
Production Music Mania Everyone wants to follow copyright law when it comes to using music in video and multimedia productions. But do you know where to find the professional-sounding music that your students want and deserve, and still stay out of jail? This session explores production music in the school setting. You'll learn how to order free demo CDs, and you'll hear music from some of the leading companies. Also: a live demonstration of software that lets you create you own custom music with just a few mouse-clicks!
Putting the "New" in News Shows Is your news show ready for an update? You're guaranteed to leave this session with ideas for spicing-up your school news show with video segments, graphics, sets, music, and more. Topics include: ideas for news show segments, eye-catching graphics, creative news show openings, simple sets, and affordable teleprompting systems. Learn how to integrate your computer into your school news show. Useful to both novices and experienced producers.
Your School Web-site - Making It Work for You Is your school web-site just taking-up cyberspace? Would you like more than just a "web-presence?" This session offers ideas for creating a school web-site that will truly serve the students, faculty, and community. Go beyond those animated GIFs and kaleidoscope backgrounds. Aim for the real goal: content! Also: showing-off your students best work with web-oriented projects. Do you know the #1 mistake made by most school web-sites? If not, you need this session!
Wow! Your News Show Just Got Better! With so much to do - research classes, storytime, orientation, and so on - many media specialist have never progressed beyond the camcorder-only news show. This session shows some low-cost/no-cost ways to upgrade your school news show, and instantly make your show more watchable. This session is most appropriate for beginners, although most media professionals will gain some new ideas.
Let’s Get Digital – Creating and Working with Digital Images Are you interested in the latest still digital cameras, but a little confused by terms like JPEGs and Bitmaps and GIFs (oh my)? It sounds like you need to "Get Digital." In this workshop, you’ll learn about digital image formats and how to select the best digital camera for the situation. You’ll also learn how to insert those images into popular applications. (Note: workshop designed for PC platform. Session can be presented as a 2-hour lecture-demonstration. If a hands-on workshop is desired, host must provide computer lab setting with recommended software.)
Technology Projects that Make It Home! Your students are making some great technology projects in your computer lab, media center, or classrooms. But you’re frustrated that so few of these great projects are ever seen by parents! Does that sound familiar? Then you need this workshop. We’ll show you how to record and package your existing projects into the video format, and present plans and examples of projects that are a little more "home-friendly." You, your students, and their parents deserve no less.
The "Ize" Have It: Creating Classroom-based Web Pages Learn the steps and processes for creating a successful classroom-based web-site with your students. Topics include: software, hardware, organizational strategies, and common project pitfalls. How about tackling that local history project, or school web-site you've always imagined?!? See your students' best efforts of the web!
Producing School News Shows Lights! Camera! Action! You’re on the air with your school news show. Learn the tips and techniques to make your programs smooth and professional. We've been doing this for years! Learn from our mistakes and successes. Topics include formats, equipment, segment ideas, and forming your student team. Take your news show to the next level!
Video Projects Across the Curriculum Used as a tool of student expression, video projects in the classroom can breathe new life into tired assignments. Learn about projects your students can create with just five items of equipment. Curriculum integration, cooperative learning, and alternative assessment techniques can all be explored using video projects. Be the hero of your school (if you’re not already). Television Production Curriculum You have your television production equipment and a class full of eager students. What should you teach? This workshop explores the scope and sequence of television production classroom activities, and offers proven philosophies of instruction and content-reinforcing video projects. Choose your curriculum before it chooses you! Videography: Making the Shots Learn the videography methods that show the mark of professional video production. Find out what makes some television programs looks so good. This workshop features examples and demonstrations of techniques that you and your students will use in every video production. Television Production for Elementary and Middle Schools This workshop is so popular that we wrote a book about it! Elementary and middle schools all over the country are doing amazing things with television production. Learn how to create an elementary/middle school news show with basic video equipment. Provide videotape services for you school, and learn how to build a better system piece-by-piece. A treat for media specialists working within time and budget constraints.The Television Production Survival Guide Let me guess – the principal has assigned you the task of producing a daily news show, teaching television production class, and organizing a TV club, and your skills are in the area of book-talks, cataloging, and computers. You need the "Survival Guide" program – everything you need to know to get started. Includes: working with students on a news show, equipment orientation, backdrops, in-service for fellow educators. Sharpen your pencils – you’ll learn more in this workshop than you thought possible!
Producing School Orientation Videos A new student enrolls in your school. One hundred parents sit in a PTA orientation meeting. VIPs from the state office drop by unexpectedly. Don’t sweat – just pop-in your school orientation tape! Walk through the planning of a 5 – 7 minute tape about your school or department. Learn how to create a great program with just a few items of equipment. Get tips on production and post-production. No one else can make this tape!
Keith and Christopher are also available to meet-and-greet your conference attendees, attend banquets and receptions, and sign copies of their books.