SO I purchased this microphone called The Blue Snow Ball because a presenter at a conference about movie-making suggested it. I use it when I record what we did in class on our Smart Board or when I film my students doing simple things and want to drown out background noise. It is good for Skyping too in a noisy room. Here are some posts on my school blog to check out to see what I mean….
http://blogs.bannockburnschool.org/lbeversdorf/2011/05/26/septimo-ano-7th-grade-reflexive-verbs/
http://blogs.bannockburnschool.org/lbeversdorf/2011/05/26/sexto-ano-sixth-grade-el-26-de-mayo/
But here is the really funny part… I have it plugged in to my computer on a daily basis just in case we decide quickly to film what we are doing. We do that some times if some one is absent, they can watch class on line, or if we just feel the need to show off what we know that day!
When ever it is plugged in, a red light lights up on the front. You can see it here:
So my students actually think that they are being watched or recorded every moment that they red light is on. They are well-behaved kids any way, but it is so funny to hear them whisper things like, “Isn’t this illegal?” “Can she be recording us right now?” “Why is that thing watching us?” I’ve never said any thing to them about the red light. Some of them just talk to it. When they pass it, they say things to it because they think I am recording and will post to blog. It is hilarious. None of them have ever asked me about it, so I am going to allow them to be ignorant and stay in the blissful realm of them behaving because they think they are being recorded. They even show off a bit some times. Love the Blue Snow Ball Mic for many reasons!
Be the change... 