Techie Learning Tech

I finally finished it! Okay, I really went overboard on this project, but I'm double-dipping and using this to help teach my Math 113 students something called the Art Gallery Theorem.

I used a slew of tools to create this video. First, I created the original slideshow using Google Docs (images created with MS Paint). Then, when I realized the MS Powerpoint had a built-in narration feature, I exported the Google slideshow as a .ppt, and recorded a narration in MS Powerpoint.

The Powerpoint narration tool is pretty nice - it records your narration along with the timing when you advance the slide. The downside is that you have to record it in one complete take, and you can't go back and edit the narration for individual slides. So this took me literally 25+ takes.

Next, I used AuthorStream.com to convert the Powerpoint into an .mp4 video. I looked at other ways of accomplishing the same thing, such as exporting the slides as jpegs and doing the narration in iMovie, but I couldn't figure out how to sync up the timing of my narration with the images easily. I also tried the "export as movie" feature in Powerpoint, but it didn't include the audio. I could've taken that video and added the narration within iMovie, but AuthorStream was a simpler alternative.

The downside is that converting the AuthorStream to a downloadable movie costs $2, but I sprung for it. I didn't stop there however, since the aim of this project was using iMovie or MovieMaker, so I then imported the .mp4 into iMovie and added transitions at the start and finish, a caption at the beginning with my name, and a short credits slide at the end. I also added some Public Domain music in the background.

Anyway, I had fun doing this - so watch and learn!