You Tube Video Editing Tips

This week, I've been working with my students to create their own Google Sites, with the understanding that any images or video that they post to their sites need to be licensed with a Creative Commons license and properly cited.

After several failed attempts, I created my first video using YouTube's video editor and was able to successfully create a screen cast of my process!

Here is my first mash-up video:

Here is my screen cast, explaining how to create your own mash-up video.

Here is a copy of my copyright dispute!  While the original YouTube video was approved, the screen cast of me teaching how to create the video was flagged for using third party content, the song "Hot Buttered Popcorn," which was featured in the clip.   This was a terrific lesson on the nuances of copyright and fair use.

Screen Casts to the Rescue

One of the most challenging things about teaching a class of 23 seventh graders about copyright and Creative Commons is that they all learn at their own pace (and almost no one wants to listen to a lecture about the importance of citing sources).

I learned this the hard way, prompting me to create a series of screen casts that would allow my students to work at their own pace.

This week, I used Screencast-o-matic to create lessons about Creative Commons!  I saw with my own eyes that this was much more effective than a live, linear, step-by-step performance.