In addition to our bi-monthly How Do I Do That Sessions, the BPS EdTech Team recently announced the App Explorer Challenge. This is a new way for teachers to earn 3 hours of Inservice credit. The first challenge is to create a 2-3 minute movie using the iMovie iPad app. Help Desk is eager and excited to provide support to teachers of all content areas and help them meet this challenge! In an effort to accommodate the needs of our busy teachers, we are offering our one-on-one assistance during the school day–no appointment necessary! Teachers are encouraged to visit Help Desk periods 1 through 7, Monday through Friday and work with Mrs. Scheffer and/or the Help Desk students to learn iMovie.

Technology with a Purpose

Not sure where to begin? Not a problem! Before we jump into the creation process, we will discuss your course, as well as your student learning goals, and will brainstorm which concepts from your curriculum are best suited for using a tool like iMovie. If you have an iMovie project in mind that you want your students to create, we can help you produce a student exemplar. Creating an exemplar is an excellent way to show your students what you expect. Have a traditional assignment or lesson that you’ve been wanting to transform into something digital? iMovie could be the perfect tool. Once the topic of your iMovie is finalized, we will work with you to turn your idea into a reality! Not only will you earn Inservice credit for your finished iMovie, you will gain access to an app that promotes creativity and collaboration, can be used for a variety of assignments and projects, and is an app that your students will love! In addition, you will have one more piece of evidence to include for your teacher evaluation. So what exactly will Help Desk do to help you meet this challenge?

Help Desk will:

1. Install the iMovie app onto your iPad. We will do this for your students as well. The app will be purchased through the Volume Purchase Program (this means there will be no charge for the app for you or your students)

2. Show you the step by step process to create your first iMovie. We can start by showing you iMovie trailers (the simplest way to start) and work from there to create an original movie.

3. Help you plan the iMovie through the development of a storyboard/script

4. Show you how to incorporate quality images, video, audio, and titles into your iMovie

5. Discuss the technical aspects of iMovie including lighting, camera angles, editing, timing of transitions, etc.

6. Show you how to save and share your iMovie

The best part of working through this process is that you will be able to facilitate the creation process once your students start using iMovie.

Bonus Activities/Extra Credit:
We will show you how to export your iMovie to YouTube and can assist you in setting up a YouTube channel. Additionally, we can show you how to manage your YouTube channel settings. You will learn how to make your videos public, private, or unlisted. You will also learn how to enable and moderate commenting on your YouTube channel.

I Already Know How To Use iMovie:

Great! If you already know how to use iMovie and you want to work on meeting the App Explorer Challenge independently, simply come to Help Desk so we can install the app for you and then you’ll be free to start producing.

I Want an iMovie Rubric:

After learning iMovie, I’m confident you will be excited to try it with your students, but how will you assess their iMovie? There are lots of rubrics for iMovies you can find online, but not all may fit your individual needs. Some of the major criteria you may want to evaluate include:

1. Planning and organization; the development of a storyboard and script
2. Quality of video clips, images, and audio (background music and/or voice over)
3. Use of titles, subtitles, transitions and effects
4. Mechanics and technical- camera techniques, lighting, editing, etc.

If interested, I’d be happy to work with you to create a custom rubric you can use to evaluate the work of your students.

So come to Help Desk and let us work with you to create a little iMovie magic!