Week 7:

When I was looking for online definitions of useful and easy programs to manage Web 2.0 tools google took me to Windows Movie Make immediately and then as I wanted to know what this was, Wikipedia gave me the following information: ´Windows Movie Maker is a video creating editing application, included in Microsoft Windows Me, XP, and Vista. It contains features such as effects, transitions, titles/credits, audio track, timeline narration, and Auto Movie. New effects and transitions can be made and existing ones can be modified using XML code. Windows Movie Maker is also a basic audio track editing program. It can apply basic effects to audio tracks such as fade in or fade out. The audio tracks can then be exported in the form of a sound file instead of a video file¨. Great tool, ummm but how can I use it, will I be able to use this, I can hardly take pictures with my smartphone and edit them. That´s why I thought.

Then while we were attending our online class with Prof. Evelyn Izquierdo we all were asked to look for the software and open it, drag some pictures to the squares and make transitions and effects and after doing so playing. And there I was... manufacturing and editing my very first attempt to a video using a really simple and useful tool which provided me with unlimited ressource options. I have to say that I am a visual and aural learner, therefore I love images and music and everything which has to do with observable resources for teaching.

I am aware that we all have to plan for different learning styles in our classrooms but this is a great tool for visual and learners and if we combine some kinaesthetic activities after watching and listening to a video it will really catch our learners attention whatever learners´characteristics they have.

I have been exposed to a new experience which I can tell is amazing and wonderful for our learners at all levels and ages. The power of designing and manufacturing and, of course, editing a video is immense. Videos can be used inside the EFL classroom for so many purposes: building lexical items, working with functions, presenting authentic and real language and it is innovative and atractive for the learners. Moreover, it has also a tremendous impact on teaching and what is more important than that is the good news that our learners can use them outside the class and start walking the way for their learning autonomy.

Windows Movie Maker Tutorial