I’ve always aspired to be an Apple Distinguished Educator, but I’ve never actually done anything about applying for it. As far as my own personal computer use goes, anyone who knows me knows that I am most definitely a Mac guy, but I assumed that I wouldn’t be able to apply to be an ADE because most of the schools I’ve worked in have been primarily Windows schools. As they say, one should never assume.
While it’s true that many – probably most – ADEs work exclusively in Apple schools, apparently it’s not always the case. While chatting with someone from Apple a while ago I mentioned this, and they replied that the ADE program is aimed at recognising teachers, and does not necessarily focus on the type of computers used in the school that teacher works at.
To become an ADE you obviously need to be active in certain ways that help spread the message about technology and it’s value for education. You need to be passionate about the ways that digital technology (and pretty obviously, Apple digital technology in particular) can make students more engaged and creative. You need to demonstrate some degree of innovative practice and a reasonable level of experience in the classroom. I hope I can do all these things. And you need to fill in the appropriate forms. I’m pretty sure I can do that part.
Oh, and you also need to make a short 2 minute video that gives a bit of an insight into who you are and what you do and what you might bring to the party. Apparently the video is pretty important. I gave it my best shot.
Anyway, I finally got my ADE application in for this next intake of teachers (a few days before the deadline too! Woohoo!) so my fingers are crossed. If you’re interested, here’s the video.
http://vimeo.com/18546117
To be an ADE by Chris Betcher is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Great video, Chris. Best of luck!
Excellent vid…very tech and right on the money for what it has to do…but as a design and tech teacher I so like simple design like the Paperworks stuff
http://www.commoncraft.com/investing-paperworks-videos
I am a Mac virgin but have started in a school that wants me to use their machines with my Media class.
As a strong visual learner I find I am naturally drawn to the simplicity of the Mac as a media tool but have put it off because I am stuck in the MS system. Strong forces at work here. Might have to add yet another one to my ever expanding New Years Resolution List!;)).
Thanks for a great informative Blog
Cheers
johnD
Hey John,
Thanks. You know, I was actually thinking of doing my video in a Commoncraft style, but after I read the rubric for the ADE stuff, which asked for not only some big picture stuff but also a demonstration of technical ability and knowledge of Mac software, I thought that it would be better if I could somehow blend all that together, hence this idea. It’s really hard to get the message across in such a short time… I have a new respect for people who make TV ads. 🙂
Don’t get stuck in the MS system. You can work in more than one world, with more than one tool. I use Macs as my machine of choice at home and personally, although at work we are still predominantly still Windows. It’s actually good to be able to operate in both, although the technical superiority of OSX and the Mac is so obvious when you use both!
Good luck
Chris
Chris,
Very nice video. Did you use garageband to compose all the music in the video? Sounds really nice and goes along with the video. What type of camera did you use to record yourself? I’m thinking of doing something like this also.
I see one of your themes is to connect and I think that is one of the most important aspects in teaching: make connections with your students.
Kevin
Thanks Kevin, I appreciate the feedback. The music was made in GarageBand, yes, and I was quite happy with it. I’m not much of a musician but I do like messing about in GarageBand. It’s often hard to pick loops that really go together without losing their groove, but I was very pleased with the way these particular loops kind of bounce off each other. So thanks for noticing! 🙂
The camera was a Sony HDV Cam, which belongs to school (it’s the same one in the photo with the little kids using it). It shoots nice footage, good glass on it! I have a Flip HD that also shoots decent HD video but of course you don’t get quite the same flexibility for zooming and framing. I actually shot that video if me talking with the Sony camera on a tripod as well as the Flip from a totally different angle, while I recorded the audio voice track directly into Audacity. I later took the video footage and manually synced the (better quality) audio track back to it afterwards… The camera mic would have been too far away for the sound quality I wanted. My plan was to sync the audio with both camera’s footage, and then cut back and forth between them. (that’s why I keep looking in different directions in the video… I was splitting between two cameras). In the end, I didn’t bother using the Flip footage.
Anyway, thanks for connecting.
Chris
Fun video, Chris. Good luck. Can you give me some specs on your sound set-up? I need to upgrade. Thanks.
Hey Dan,
That was quick! 🙂
Yeah I saw that comment on your post about the audio setup and thought it was a bit nitpicky! I actually thought your sound was fine… I mean, it’s a web video for pete’s sake!
Since you asked, I used a Rode podcaster mic which belongs to school. I do a bit of podcasting* and I previously just use a Logitech headset mic, but I try to borrow and use the Rode whenever I can… it really does make a difference. Much richer, rounder sound.
For the video above, to get the camera angle I wanted I had to have the camera too far away from the desk to get good audio with the built in camera mic, and I didn’t have a cable that would connect the good mic with the good camera, so I recorded the video and the audio independently and just matched them up in postproduction. (Just noticed that I already wrote something about this in the previous comment to Kevin Smith, so I’ll refer you to that one.)
The Rode mic is expensive and I probably wouldn’t worry about using it if I didn’t have easy access to it
from work, but I do like using it for the podcasts.
* Speaking of the podcast (www.virtualstaffroom.net), I’d love to have you on sometime as a guest. We just record over Skype, chat about whatever you want to talk about… can I interest you? 🙂