Wow. I see a lot of conversations going on here. May I have a suggestion? Before interview date, take your cameras (I see you have more than two in your group) and shoot a video for 1 minute at home (whoever has a camera). Upload it to Youtube - just as a try. So that you know how it goes. You need to set the resolution the highest. Check out each others video. Some camera may not have the best resolution. You may decide on one to two camera(s) to be used for interview. And then you may interview two or three students at the same time.
Looking forward to watching your project.

Check out Microsoft Windows Movie Maker. You may use it to edit your videos. It comes with Windows XP. You may also use it to add sound tracks, digital photos, sound effects...

I have done a video and uploaded it. it's from a 5-yr old digital camera, a MOV file. It looks ok with a low-light subject--and i have a tripod for it(but not much storage capacity). It took 1/2 hr to download a 2 min. video though (don't know if that's the camera, computer, or type of file or video) that made it take so long. I'm sure another newer camera would be better. But I do have a youtube acct and cope uld upload the videos, possibly.

Will, what type of camera do you have access to? what type of files are produced? Do you edit (I have some limited experience).

I think we should have a sign up sheet with spots before during (the break) and after class.

Could I see you all tomorrow during the break or after class?

sure-either

Just a thought
mov files are typically huge. We may want to compress into avi files which are much smaller files.

You might want to check out this site: http://websitehelpers.com/video/

I tried out movie maker and to do it I had to transfer the file to an avi.

Bob-I think I am sitting next to you

--I will plan on taking some still shots around the classrooms and library next week (they can be used with other videos, or i could blend them into a standalone video)

--I am willing to do editing/upload. I think i could produce a decent product using Windows movie maker, unless someone knows something better and how to use it (Bob, you said something about a program when we were in class)

--I think we should plan on shooting on the 5th. Before (although i can't be there before class), during the break, and after. Before might be good in the GSLIS breakroom, during the break we could do it in our classroom, maybe. After class, well i'm not sure. Then there's the webcam option that allows for for flexible options.

Chris,
I would like a copy of all the stills that you take. I will bring a flash drive to class next week to copy (much easier than trying to send by email). I will make an animated video that will highlight all the photos that you have given me... we will be able to post this as a Youtube video.

Have you created an account for the class on Youtube?

If not I will do that tomorrow and make everyone in this group administators (I will send you the password once I have established the account).

Wil,
Let us know if you will be able to procure the camera for the Oct 5th. Once we have agreed to our questions, I would like to send out a group mailer to our classmates this weekend and try to coodinate times to meet. Also, I think that anyone who has a webcam set up can record something at home and forward it to us so that we can edit and post.

Scott,
We have agreed to keep it simple with basic questions. These are the questions we came up with:

Why did you chose to become a librarian?
What has been your favorite class and why?
What are your opinions on taking a hybrid class? (recommended by the Prof.)
What are your goals after graduating?

If everyone is in agreement I will compose a letter for all to review and send oout this weekend to the class.

October 5th for sure? I thought the professor had said that it would be better if we waited until November so that students had a better idea of what they thought of the hybrid course. Up to you guys.

Bob-I've only opened an account for myself, not for the class.
I will bring the photos on a USB so you can download them.

Will-I do know she was interested in getting feedback about the hybrid, but I don't think she meant do delay the interviews.

Everyone else--did you get that from our conversation with her?

Why don't we start by interviewing ourselves (within our group) for starters on the 5th. That we we can have something to post and get a feel for how we want to conduct the interviews. Also, I think we need to come to a consensus on the questions we want to ask.

I suppose i agree. A trial run of sorts.

I have one other question to put into the hat. For some reason it's stuck in my head.

What is your favorite library and would you like to work there?

I don't think a trial run is really necessary. Agree on the questions (maybe 4-5), send them out to all the people and ask them if they would prefer to use their own webcam and record themselves or get interviewed by us during a break (and the interview can take place in the hallway or somewhere close to the classroom where there is good lighting; no need to travel all the way across campus to the GSLIS student lounge). As long as things are organized, this could really be done efficiently. Editing should take a helluva lot longer than shooting this. We could shoot it guerilla style too (meaning no formal sit-down-in-this-chair kind of interview, unless continuity is a big deal to you guys). As for the camera, there is a DVD-R video camera (Sony Handycam) available. There is also Mini-DV but if we use Mini-DV, I will have to ask coworkers to convert for me to dvd. Might as well be practical and shoot it directly on Mini-DVD R. I have 2.5 hours worth of discs we could use (should be more than enough).
Let's agree on 4-5 questions, send them out to everyone, email to see if they prefer webcam on their own or we record them, and shoot everyone on the 5th. If you guys want to complicate things more than that, feel free to do so. (I'm saying this humorously, but at the same time truthfully.)

-I think informal is best (easier to shoot, might allow interviewee to be more comfortable)

-As far as the DVD-R, why not?

-I think having everyone answer 4-5 questions is too much per person. We might be better to knock it down to 2 questions ea., requiring them to answer 1 specific question and 1 other of the chosen questions.

-I'm fine with a full go ahead on that date. However, we won't be able to do all of them at the break. Does anybody get there early enough to know how many of the students get there early and might be able to go before class?

-A second date might be required.

Hi - I agree that 4-5 questions is way too much. What is the consensus of how long the final project should be? I see it not being more than 10--15 minutes at the most. I see it as having some voice-over, some text, some still shots, and a montage of interviews of students talking about their reflections on the hybrid course. Some people may feel reluctant to be interviewed, but be more receptive to writing a brief paragraph about their thoughts, and these we might use as a voice-over, with still images of the classroom, screenshots of course work, wikis, blogs, twitter stuff, or students at work. Perhaps we can ask everyone 1-3 survey questions, and produce some statistics about popularity of hybrid courses. We probably need some introduction about what a hybrid course is - so the viewer is not at a total loss about the subject of the video. It's true that if we got a lot of footage, we can select the best. I also agree that students can't have a fair idea of the class until November, which puts a strain on our time frame. If we can come up with some sections now, that would be good - maybe Intro, Wikis & Blogs; Twitter, etc. and think of the topics/strategies/pedagogical approaches that may be interesting to pursue in each section.

Or maybe the sections should not be specific to our class, but pertain more to the overall concept of distance learning vs. weekly face-to-face classes. I don't know. Maybe it is easier to focus on our class as a case study. Any thoughts?

-Scott, youve blown me away with how comprehensive your concept is --screenshots, etc. Sounds almost professional. Are we up to that?
I wouldn't know how to put that stuff in a YouTube video. I think we were thinking of something simpler.

-And, i don't think I got the idea that Professor Li was banking on the hybrid part being such an integral part of the project.
Maybe asking "what do you think of the hybrid concept so far?" would be a better way to go.

OK. Maybe the last talk have made the video taping too complicated. How about you do whatever on your focus. And on the last class section December 14, we will have a reflection on this course. I will ask students' thoughts on hybrid learning, I will ask questions and you video tape it. It will be uploaded on the Youtube account as a separate one. You may modify it a little bit, but do not have to do much.

The Professor's idea is great. We have to answer the four questions at the very top of this page by October 5th. We should get that done asap.
Professor, what are you referring to when you ask for our group website link? Do you mean this page right here?

Everyone,

Chris is going to start by taking still pictures around campus and give them to me next week. I stated that I have software to do a slide show presentation with the stills and some of the video incorporated as well... This will be the last post and something that we can show in our presentation in class... I don't intend for that to be more than 7 or 8 minutes long... it will be a comprhensive loo at all the video we will post to Youtube... I am off to another class now, but I will try to help coordinate this over tyhe weekend with the group so we can accomplish this weeks goals and come up with tasks for each of us to commit to.

I have taken and edited the photos. They feel/look pretty good to me. Some 45 photos taken around campus/in the library. I am going to ask professor if I can take a few during class--I don't have any of this nature yet. Our classroom would be a good location for stills.

Ok, just pay attention with videos and pictures. First, if you have taken pictures or videos with faces, you have to have written consents to post them on the Web publicly. If you are doing this just for our class project, make your account private first, or only view with friends, not public. Then post pictures or videos for a test run. But you still have to explain to the person if you are taking his/her picture and ask for permission. I will talk about this on Tuesday's class. So if you have post some faces, unless they are you. Take them down first.

Well, I think creating for the class use is best, not because of the still images (25 of 45 don't show faces, although I argue the best ones show faces) but because of representation issues. The program/college would want control of something public on the web. This should be an experiment/mock-up in my opinion.

Hi everyone - I started filling out the form at the top of the page which is due on Tuesday morning. I set up a YouTube account called "qcgslis1". I also set up a Google account "qcgslis". I can give you the passwords in personl on Tuesday - I think for now we just need to register the information.

I also supplied 3 examples of accounts doing the same thing - Simmons College, Rutgers, and Pace - hope this is what was needed.

Are we shooting tomorrow? I guess not since we don't have the schedule/questions finalized.
The next in-class meeting is 10/19

I have the camera for tomorrow. Are we meeting at any point right before class to do some quick interviews or waiting for the break? I cannot stay after class.

I can meet before class if you want, depending on traffic. Or we can talk during the break?

We can meet outside the classroom... Will and I have already discussed meeting before class so we'll see you there... Chris if you can't make it before class we'll talk at class.

Unfortunately I can't make it before. BQE traffic always makes me a bit late. I've got the pics on my flashdrive. If there is anything to discuss or arrange after class I can be there.

Scott-thanks for answering the assigned questions.

Have we agreed on the questions to ask in the interview. I'd suggest we all nominate 2 questions we each individually think should to be in the first interview (not about the blended course) and the ones that get the most votes we go with.

I nominate:

2. What do you feel is the most valuable component of being a student in the GSLIS program at Queens college?
3. What has been your favorite GSLIS class at Queens college and why?

I agree... we should finalize questions tonight so I can get the mailer out. I have some photo's that I have taken as well and I will take what you have given me to create something everyone can look at this weekend. This is just a trial animation... not a finished product, but it will give you an idea of what we can do.

Ok. So I won't bring the camera in today. I nominate the following two questions:

1) Why did you choose to become a librarian?
2) What has been your favorite GSLIS class at Queens College and why?

Bob-the format and dynamism of the video look great. The image quality is poor. I guess make sure the 'bit' problem is the thing to remedy the quality.

Hi Bob - Saw the new video by Helen - looks good!

OK. We have one more video up on our Youtube page. Thanks Scott and Mark. I know Scott should have footage enough for 1 or 2 more. We have at least two interviews to be done before class starts next meeting Nov 16 (one uploaded already). All hands on deck for that event. If we do our own and upload them, that's a total of 7 interviews. Professor Li told me she would post the announcement on our blog that students can come early next time to contribute(maybe late, too). Bob, you've got an interview set up. Are there any other 'smaller-in-scope' ideas for uploads? Anyone? Then again, maybe this is enough.