From the Desk of Mr Daniel

Can math be this fun and interesting?

Project Work 2009 is coming to an end soon. The project presentation have been ongoing for the past one week and will go on for the next 2 weeks. So far, 2E1, 2E3 and 2E4 have started their presentation. We have so far seen some good presentations from 2E1 and 2E3.

We will be looking for innovative ways you present your PW learning journey. Use a metaphore to represent your idea. One group uses the concept of treasure hunt on a treasure island. Another group uses rose petals. We have also one group uses 4 seasons. Be creative! :)

Please do not do the following in your presentation:

• Slide full of text. We are here to see and hear you present. Not read from your notes.
   
• Boring meaningless presentation. Get to the point. Do something with a purpose. Don't carry out an activity because we need you to use a metaphore. 
   
• Be your best and showcase your best. Choose your words and flow of ideas carefully to bring the best out from you and your project. Don't do or mention things that make you shot your own leg!
   
• Do not bring down others. Alright, your groupmate left your group and leave a pile of sh*t for you to clear up. Life goes on! Recover and Re-organise yourselves and move on. No need to announce his name throughout your presentation. This may backfired and demerit your presentation and you as a presenter. (As indicated in the previous point, we should bring out and showcase the best in us.)

After your presentation, please hand up the following items to us:

1. Your Project Work Group File*
    
2. Your PowerPoint presentation slides.
    
3. Your finished product (Illustrator, Photoshop & JPEG files)

*For your group file, please have these items filed in and organised properly.

1. Cover Page: with Group Name & Members Name
    
2. Teamwork & Collaboration Handout (All tasks filled in)
    
3. Comic Script (Drafts & Final)
    
4. Photo/Image Researches
    
5. Thumbnails (Drafts & Final)
    
6. Panel Drawings (Drafts & Final)
    
7. Individual & Group Reflections

Good luck for your presentation and EOY!

Edited 28 Sept 2009: For singletons, you need to submit individual files. Above criteria for file still applys.

Will our future be like this?


 

Here are some tips for giving a good presentation:

Introduction:

• When introducing your topic, smile and look at the audience, do not look down in fear. Maintain eye contact.
  
     
• Start slowly, with your shoulders back and chin up and then gradually speed up.
  
    
• Use a genuine opening like: “I am glad to be here today”; “I am happy to be talking to you about …”; “I am delighted to share with you…”
  
    
• Recognize that you are the expert on the topic you are talking about. Do your research before beginning the presentation.
  
    
• Always Smile and tell yourself how good you feel. Rehearse in front of your mirror, to see yourself and correct bad body language. 
  
     
• Dress nicely in professional looking clothes.
  
  Don't speak like this!
  
  

Voice:
 

• Make sure your audience can hear you, so practice projecting your voice as there is no excuse for not being loud enough.
  
    
• Effective air intake (breathe) and appropriate pauses during your talk will help you control the volume of your voice.
  
    
• Periodically change your speed, pitch and volume and do not mumble in a monotone (one tone). If you blank out, forget a word or choke, just smile! The audience will assume you know what you are doing.
  
    
• Learn to listen to yourself talk so you can control your voice more easily because you are conscious of how you sound before you speak.
  
    
• Avoid saying words when you stop, such as: “Um”, “Er”, “Like”, and “Totally”.
   
  Avoid doing this in your presentation:
   
  
   

Body Language:

• Smile: This is very important as your positive attitude rubs off on the audience.
   
• Eye Contact: This builds trust with the audience.
   
• Gestures: This means speaking with your hands. Try to make sure gestures are smooth and natural and do not use too many.
   
• Keep your hands out of your pockets: Keep them visible and feel comfortable using them.
   
• Shoulders: Can help convey confidence if straight, but if bent they can also make you appear tense and nervous. So, keep your shoulders straight!
  
  Take note of the don'ts
   
  
   

Visual Aids:

• Keep them simple: Put the main points on them only.
   
• Minimize words: The audience wants to hear your presentation, not read the paper.
   
• Use large fonts: Large fonts will let the back row of students see the presentation.
   
• List key points: Makes them easier to remember.
   
• Use color: The audience pays attention when they have to watch colorful images.
   
• Prepare Handouts: This helps the audience remember your topic the next day, something they will thank you for, if they have to write a test or an exam.
  
  Finally, prepare a good PowerPoint Slides!
   
  

Windows Movie Maker is a free Microsoft utility for Windows that lets you create and edit video files. But the recent version of Movie Maker lack essential features like timelines, adding text on videos, audio edits, the ability to capture video from external devices, have been removed from this new version to make the application simple and easy to use.
So one developer decided to create a portable version of Windows Movie Maker based on Movie Maker 2.1. Portable Windows Movie Maker not only lets you use the missing features on Vista and Windows 7 systems, but it includes the missing transitions and effects from Windows XP, as well as several additional features to boot.

You can use it when you need removed features, like analog capture, without messing with your current version of Windows Movie Maker. Portable Windows Movie Maker is freeware. You can run Portable Windows Movie Maker on any computer with Windows XP, Vista, or 7. And since it's portable, you can run it from a USB flash drive or a folder on your hard drive without installing it.

Download: Portable Windows Movie Maker

You may be interested in:
Windows Movie Maker 2.6
Windows Live Movie Maker

If you need Adobe Illustrator for your project work and do not wish to purchase the student edition of CS4, you can download the 30 days trial from Adobe Website.


 

Open Access Lab opening hours will be as follows:

Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday: 9am - 4pm

Close on Tuesday.


Good luck to all on your PW projects!

Immediately after the teachers' day concert, me and 6 students moved off to the Singapore Botanical Gardens for "A Day in the Gardens" eBook competition award presentation. Earlier this year, 6 students from Media Club came back during the June Holidays to produce their eBooks.

I am happy to announced that Aiman Faiz from 2E1 won 3rd in the secondary school category! Congratulations to Aiman! The rest of the students each received a merit award and a letter of participation.

Take a look at their work:



After the award presentation, we were given a tour to the cultivation lab, exhibition, library and the herbarium and then a small tea reception.The competition has concluded. Thank You for the participation and looking forward to more active participation next year!

 

More Photos: