Creating a Video Using Windows Movie Maker

In order to create a video using Windows Movie Maker as you can watch here, there are some steps to follow. This week's task about Windows Maker is to use simple functions of this program.

Follow the following steps and create a short video using just pictures, audio files, transitions between the pictures. When you have any problems, please watch the video.

1. Open Windows Movie Maker from Start Menu/Programs.

2. You will see that there are three steps to create a video on the left side of the screen.

a. Capture movie

b. Edit movie

c. Finish movie

3. Import pictures and audio files from your computer.

4. Just dragging pictures from the screen, place the pictures in order.

5. Click on "Show Timeline" and then drag the music file.

6. Add transitions between the pictures.

7. Finish movie. Here, there is an important issue to mention. You can save your project in two ways. The first one is saving as a "project". You can save as a project clicking on the "diskette icon" or CTRL + S. This copy is for you to edit later. If you want to save your project and work on it later, you should save like this. However, if you want to save it a movie and watch, or sharing it with your friends, there is much to do. There is a link under "Finish Movie" heading - "Save to my computer". You can see how to save it to your computer as an AVI or MPEG or WAV files.

If you still have some problems after watching the movie above and reading the instruction, please do not hesitate to ask us.

Kim Tesuque

Hi. I am an ESL teacher living in Israel. I am impressed by the backgrounds written in this blog's posts. I am on sabbatical now. I am interested in using digital storytelling primarily for use in my daughter's blog, my primary and most long term student!

When my classroom has computers, perhaps I can use it there too.

Kim

Maria Laura Garcia

Hi everybody! My name is Maria Laura Garcia from Argentina. I’m a graduate EFL teacher and a master student in Education. I hold a post-graduate degree in English Language Teaching. I’m interested in Children’s Literature and ICT for ELT. I have specialized in Storytelling for teachers.

I’ve been teaching English for 8 years in different levels. But to be honest, I love working with young learners. I’m currently designing computer based learning materials for them and working co-operatively in a Storytelling project.

I found working with digital stories really fantastic. You can create different types of stories done for your students or by your students mixing images, music, etc. As I work with young EFL learnears I think I’m going to choose the fable “The Lion and the Mouse”. At school we teach language through stories and work with values such as FRIENDSHIP. So I believe this story is a good option.

This is a picture of my students taken the day of my birthday. I usually celebrate it with them in December. On that special day, I baked a chocolate cake and took it to school.

Dora Rodriguez

Hi all! My name is Dora Rodriguez and I'm an EFL teacher from Quilmes, Argentina.

Most of my training course was done at the University of Mar del Plata, and now I'm finishing it in Capital Federal. I've attended many seminars and workshops as regards teaching practices, but this is my first time in an online learning session.

As regards my teaching experience, I've been working since 2003 at different institutions in Mar del Plata, and since 1999 I've been tutoring private students. I've taught all levels of English, to children, teens and adults. I've also done some translation jobs and worked as an interpreter in different international events.

Nowadays, I'm working at a bilingual school and at an institute, teaching different levels and preparing students for several international examinations (ESOL, PET, Trinity Examinations).

I'm doing some research on multiple intelligences in the classroom, and how to adapt one's classes to them, and I love designing new activities for my students.

As regards digital storytelling, I've prepared some videos for my former students for their graduation party and some as a hobby. I guess they would have been better if I had some knowledge on how to create them, but I'm really happy with the results anyway!

The pictures I added here are from my former students in different classroom situations: in the first one, they were working on a story guide I've prepared about The Very Hungry Caterpillar, in the second pícture, they are in the computers' classroom, writing, in groups, a description of Winnie the Witch, and on the third and last picture, we are celebrating Halloween!

I was thinking about a topic for a digital story, and I thought I'd love to create one on Halloween history and traditions, so my little students can learn about the celebration they love the most while watching a nice video :-)

Ludmila Kovalenko

Hello everyone,
My name is Ludmila Kovalenko. I live in Krasnoyarsk, Russia. I graduated from the Department of English Language and History, Krasnoyarsk Pedagogical University in 1997 and started working as an English language teacher at Krasnoyarsk secondary school №92. . When I was a student I wanted to be an archeologist. I went to archeological expeditions every summer, wrote scientific reports and took part in archeological conferences and meetings. Now I don’t often go to archeological expeditions, only sometimes as a guest. I work at school with 13-17 aged students and also I work as a tutor of Distance in-service course for English language teachers in Krasnoyarsk region in Russia.
I like teaching but frankly speaking I like learning much more than teaching. I’m interested in using ICT very much. I’m moderating an online course for English language teachers on Moodle. Last year we completed e-mail exchange project between my students and students from Italy. It was a great experience. During that project we used a lot of technologies for communication.
In my free time I like traveling. Unfortunately I haven’t got enough time to do it.

On the first photo we are on the observation point with the view on the Yenisei River during the excursion to Krasnoyarsk power electric station.

On the second photo you can see me with my students on the 1st of September, 2008. It’s our first day at school after the summer holidays.

With best wishes,
Ludmila

Álvaro Ricardez

Hi !

My name is Álvaro, and I'm a 59 years old Mexican TEFL teacher. I teach in a private high school in the city of Oaxaca, in southern Mexico. I've been teaching there for 6 years. I have a bachelor degree in Civil Engineering and I worked formerly as a free-lance engineer in the Sierra Sur mountains of Mexico, where I had a small farm. Having no school there, my wife and I educated our children ourselves. When young I did some work in an Israeli kibbutz and there I learned to love nature, planting and the great outdoors. Having left the farm and my beloved mountains, I'm back at the city mainly to get higher education for my children. I learned English at the University of Kentucky, and now I am teaching languages to young people. It is now one of my passions. I think that in order to feel that our planet is ours, we must speak at least three languages. This way we can reach out of our little corners and get involved with the pressing issues of our world. This is an urgent task for our young people and this is a work that I love to do and which I'd like to do better.

Laura Gang

Hello!
My name is Laura Gang. I am from Costa Rica. My mother and father were teachers, my mom an English teacher and my dad Spanish teacher as a second language.
I had the opportunity to travel back and forth between Costa Rica and the United States so I was able to learn English, and learn from both countries. I guess I'm a little bit of both : Latin and American... :)
I studied Commercial art right out of high school but never really worked formally in that. Later, I studied at Tulane University in New Orleans and from that experience decided to become a translator. So, I began studying at Universidad Internacional de las Americas in Costa Rica.
While studying there, I began working at FUNDATEC, which is a school in Instituto Tecnol'ogico de Costa Rica, as an ESL teacher. I loved that time and teaching adults!
Later, I began working at the high school level at Colegio Bilingue San Judas Tadeo. I taught there for about 5 years. Last year, I had to switch jobs and started teaching at the elementary level at St. Joseph School. So, now I am an elementary school teacher. I will be teaching sixth grade starting Feb. 4th.
I love English, teaching literature, speaking skills, and science are my favorites! :) My passion is translating and I never give up the opportunity to work as a translator.
I want to learn as much as I can so that I can put into work my artistic side in unison with the teaching of my subjects.
I'm thinking of the first theme of reading "courage" to develop my project. I know it is broad...but I am working on narrowing it down. All help is welcome!!!
Thanks,
Laura Gang

Beyza Yilmaz

Hi all,

My name is Beyza Yilmaz and I am an English instructor at English Foundation Program at Bahcesehir University in Istanbul, Turkey. I graduated from Istanbul University in 2005 . I have been involved in ELT for six years both as a teacher and material developer.I am also pursuing a master's degree in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL). My interest areas are Computer Mediated Communication (CMC), learner autonomy and online teacher training. It's my third EVO and I can definitely say that I learned a great deal from EVO sessions.

I have been using web2.0 tools with different level of students in the foundation program for three years. I first started blogging and then explored using wikis with them. What we focus on is usually writing but I sometimes try to involve speaking activities in my class wiki. I am currently conducting a research on the relation between my particular use of pbwiki and motivation of the students in my class and writing an article to be published based on my study.
I keep two reflective blogs. One is for my reflections and experiences in web2.0 and the other is to share my MA reflections . You can find their links below:

http://beyzasfirstblog.blogspot.com
http://beyzasmareflections.blogspot.com

So far, I have had the chance to see many different digital stories and I find them really useful to promote creativity, and encourage students.I am planning to create a digital story related to Turkish culture and involve my students in the preparation process.


Here is a picture of me and my ex-students while we were having a strawberry party in class. After reading a text about strawberries, we decided to have a party in the class with the students. Maybe you can notice some of them eating strawberries and grinning at the same time!

Hoping to discover more about digitalstorytelling with you all.

Best wishes.

Beyza

Sedat Akayoglu

Hi. My name is Sedat Akayoglu from Bolu, Turkey. I graduated from the Department of English Language and Literature, Hacettepe University in 2002 and started working as an English teacher at Anatolian High School of Fine Arts. After working for two years, I started MA program at the Department of Foreign Language Education, Abant Izzet Baysal University. I studied CALL and CMC for my thesis. I am currently working as a research assistant at the Department of English Language Teaching, Middle East Technical University. I am also a PhD student at the same department.

I am teaching Advanced Reading and Writing for freshman students and at the same time I am preparing for my PhD dissertation. I am planning to conduct an online course on Second Life Environment.

This photo was taken in Bolu. We were on a picnic with my students on a very cold day. These students will start working as English teachers next week.