Creating a Screencast for MICCA

The 2007 MICCA Convention is next week and I have been working with Kerri Cole on a presentation about Video Podcasts (Vodcasts). I created a screencast of the presentation last night primarily to practice the presentation but to also have available to conference participants. It's my hope that more and more MICCA presenters will create a vodcast of some sort for others to watch. MICCA has so many good presentations that you just can't get to them all.
I have embedded the video below and you can read more of my reflection by clicking the "Read More" link below the video.



As an instructional leader, I would use this format for many different purposes. I feel it's a great format for facilitating professional development. New teachers need to have available to them examples to good teaching. As more and more demands on teachers' time is asked of them, there is less time for collaboration among peers. This collaboration is extremely important for the development of a teacher - new or experienced. Using vodcasts, teachers can view sample lessons at home or at school when they have the time to do so. This gives teachers greater control over their own professional development and does not lock them into a block of time to receive the opportunity.
Vodcasts can also be used to present instuctional practices, research, and technology. Most staff development excersizes are a "spray and pray" presentaion where a leader presents information and at the end of the meeting wishes the teachers good luck as they try to implement the information into their instruction. There is generally now follow up. Using vodcasts, teachers will have a permenant reference of the information they were presented. Of course, this does not make up for additional collaboration with other professionals, but it doest give teachers the opportunity to refresh their understanding of the original presentation.
Another way I would use vodcasts is for Welcome messages to parents and community members. Parents appreciate direct communication from the principal and using a blog site like Blogger and vodcast videos, parents can put a voice and face to the written word. It also allows the parents to see and hear the inflection and body language of the principal. The written word does not convey these "hidden messages" well and is often misinterpreted. With the vodcast, the intonation is there and can minimize misunderstanding. In addition, when miscommunication does develop, the vodcast can be reviewed to see why the miscommunication may have occured.
If you watched my screencast, I gave even more examples of how to use vodcasts as an instructional leader. So if you haven't please take the time to watch.