Ditching the Final Exam for Emerging Technology

Last semester I gave my Buffalo State College students the option of a fun project instead of a final exam. About half of my fifty students chose the project which was to create an animated video. I was never thrilled with giving a final but it was expected when I first started teaching online. Now that perceptions of online teaching have evolved, I feel comfortable offering students something more relevant to them. Last semester, they did a great job and I can't wait to see what students do this semester, here is one of many:


This semester, I have ditched the final exam and students will work in teams to create a final project using emerging technology tools such as text-to-animation from xtranormal, PPT presentating using google docs presentation application and pbwiki. I gave them this example of a google presentation which they can use to model their final project:



Students have already done web and library database research on a computer/Internet topic such as how to buy their own computer or Internet safety, and submitted an annotated bibliography on the topic. They will be put in teams according to topic chosen so that they can share research and create one project for submission. They will teach us a bit about their topic by sharing their presentation with the class via the peer review option in ANGEL.

Student Engagement or Whatever Grabs Their Attention and Keeps 'em Engaged

I tried out a new teaching with technology tool today and shared it on facebook. I am hoping to get some feedback as to how useful the tool might be for my classes. At blabberize.com, I was able to create this "animated" version of my cat that has her speaking with a "Cheshire catish" grin. I could use any image and have it speak to my students to give them directions, an overview or just as an anticipatory set occasionally spouting something to grab their attention. What do you think?

Presentation Tools Abound

Just can't seem to keep up these days. We are halfway through the semester and since creating their xtranormal video animations as a class partner/icebreaker activity students have been busy learning how to search the deep web by doing eight lessons at the Barebones Search website, starting a wiki at pbworks.com, testing out Google docs as a collaboration tool and more, all in addition to their daily computer application assignments in myitlab simulation software. We still have a few presentation tools to try out including blogs and prezi. By the end of the semester they will chose a presentation tool to show the class the steps and considerations they would undertake when they buy their own computer. That should probably be enough to choose from although I may allow them to suggest their own presenation tool as well. Should be interesting because in the past my students only used PowerPoint for this final project assignment. It seems to me that there are so many tools that could spice up presentations these days!