Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Banish Boring PowerPoints!
Dr. Jim Anderson shows in this short presentation how to upgrade your PowerPoint slides from boring to dazzling!
PowerPoint into iSpring
We recently updated the LOR to make the iSpring instructions reflect the newest version of iSpring. While we did it, I also wanted to take a moment to make sure everyone knows the value of iSpring. So, for those of you that are unsure, this is for you!
In looking over many great online class syllabi, I noticed many instructors linking valuable information, terminology, or reference material in a PowerPoint slideshow for their students to watch. However, unless you specifically include PowerPoint as a required software for your class, you may want to consider converting your PowerPoints to iSpring. iSpring is free, UDL compliant, and viewable by anyone. And (here's the great part), you can import it as a SCORM, which means you can tie it to your gradebook and give points for watching it! Wahoo! You can require they pause on each slide X seconds, and do so on a certain number of slides. Then, once they meet your requirements, bam, they get X points in your gradebook! Visit the Online Instructors LOR for instructions (we've made it its own section because there's so much great juicy information), or of course, feel free to call your course manager.
In looking over many great online class syllabi, I noticed many instructors linking valuable information, terminology, or reference material in a PowerPoint slideshow for their students to watch. However, unless you specifically include PowerPoint as a required software for your class, you may want to consider converting your PowerPoints to iSpring. iSpring is free, UDL compliant, and viewable by anyone. And (here's the great part), you can import it as a SCORM, which means you can tie it to your gradebook and give points for watching it! Wahoo! You can require they pause on each slide X seconds, and do so on a certain number of slides. Then, once they meet your requirements, bam, they get X points in your gradebook! Visit the Online Instructors LOR for instructions (we've made it its own section because there's so much great juicy information), or of course, feel free to call your course manager.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Viewbix for YouTube Videos
Viewbix is a free site that allows you to make your YouTube videos interactive. It will also eliminate the associated videos. We all know these can be less than desirable.
Check out the video below. It contains a button that links to the Viewbix site, details about Viewbix, and 2 maps. These are just a few of the apps you can add to a YouTube video on Viewbix.
The site is very simple and user friendly. Give us a call if you have any questions.
Check out the video below. It contains a button that links to the Viewbix site, details about Viewbix, and 2 maps. These are just a few of the apps you can add to a YouTube video on Viewbix.
The site is very simple and user friendly. Give us a call if you have any questions.
Monday, August 29, 2011
Think You're An Auditory Or Visual Learner? Scientists Say It's Unlikely
An interesting common sense perspective on the importance of addressing learning styles. Fundamentally our brains are more alike than different, the article states. While they dispute the need to tailor material to individual learning strengths, the psychologists affirm that having variety (visual, auditory, hands on) is good for everyone's learning.
Of course, if there are distinct disabilities, physical or learning, that is a different situation. Nonetheless, I have privately held that at some point students should work on strengthening their weaknesses, rather than simply focusing on their strengths.
Of course, if there are distinct disabilities, physical or learning, that is a different situation. Nonetheless, I have privately held that at some point students should work on strengthening their weaknesses, rather than simply focusing on their strengths.
Friday, August 26, 2011
State of Digital Education
This infographic provides some fascinating statistics, both present and future. The entire infographic is too large to include here but click it to view all of the information.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
WizMouse
WizMouse makes your mouse wheel work wherever your mouse is pointed. This little utility enables your mouse wheel to work on the window currently under the mouse pointer, even if it is not the currently active window. This means you do not need to click on a window before being able to scroll it with the mouse wheel.
WizMouse even scrolls applications that don't support the mousewheel. Essentially, when you spin the wheel down, WizMouse clicks the down arrow on the scroll bar for you.
WizMouse is very simple to install and use. Although it offers some basic options, the default settings work great for me.
WizMouse even scrolls applications that don't support the mousewheel. Essentially, when you spin the wheel down, WizMouse clicks the down arrow on the scroll bar for you.
WizMouse is very simple to install and use. Although it offers some basic options, the default settings work great for me.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
TED
TED is a great non-profit site that offers videos of short speeches by people considered experts in their field.
TED stands for Technology, Entertainment and Design, but there are many other fields represented. I investigated the site and found some very interesting talks about astronomy, music, medicine, and listening. The biography of each speaker is also available, which lends even more credibility to TED. A RSS feed is an option, so you could add that to your RSS feeds on the homepage of your ANGEL course.
Watch this speech from the most recent TED conference.
TED stands for Technology, Entertainment and Design, but there are many other fields represented. I investigated the site and found some very interesting talks about astronomy, music, medicine, and listening. The biography of each speaker is also available, which lends even more credibility to TED. A RSS feed is an option, so you could add that to your RSS feeds on the homepage of your ANGEL course.
Watch this speech from the most recent TED conference.
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Fences to Organize your Desktop
Ok, anyone who has seen my monitor know I have the messiest desktop on campus. I save lots of stuff on the desktop and forget to organize it. I found what is now my favorite tool to corral all of these desktop files and icons. It is Fences. This little utility corrals your desktop icons into customizable groups. My desktop is now neat and orderly and yours can be too.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Prezi Tips
Tips and hints: 7 resources to jumpstart your Prezi presentations is a great source for those of you who were so impressed with Mark Jarvis' Prezi presentation at Summer EDventures that you can't wait to create one of your own. Jeremy Kaiser has posted 7 links here to Prezi tutorials and aids:
- Official Prezi Manual: This is the Prezi manual in PDF form.
- Prezi for Dummies: Several great cheat sheets with Prezi shortcuts.
- Job Aid – Prezi: Picture tutorial on the basics of how to use Prezi.
- 10 Tips to Help Master Prezi: Great list of tips to make your Prezi rockin’.
- Prezi Quickstart Guide: This PDF is a 2 page cheat sheet, great for giving to those who still like to have instructions on paper.
- Basic Prezi Tutorial: Another nice looking tutorial with picture guide.
- See What I Mean?: A good blog post with ideas on how to create good Prezi presentations along with a great list of examples.
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Stop-Motion Video with Jelly Cam
This is a video I created to give students an overview of the assignments they will complete in Comp II throughout the semester. It also shows them the books required for the course.
I used a free software called Jelly Cam. It was a lot of fun to create but did take some planning. Once you get the hang of it creation is quick and easy. I learned how to use Jelly Cam in the Summer EDventures last week.
Sign up for the Jelly Cam workshop to learn how to create your own.
Or, check out the instructions on Make Use Of.
Posted by Linda for Lindsey Ayres. Thanks for sharing, Lindsey!
I used a free software called Jelly Cam. It was a lot of fun to create but did take some planning. Once you get the hang of it creation is quick and easy. I learned how to use Jelly Cam in the Summer EDventures last week.
Sign up for the Jelly Cam workshop to learn how to create your own.
Or, check out the instructions on Make Use Of.
Posted by Linda for Lindsey Ayres. Thanks for sharing, Lindsey!
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Brain surgery made fun!
Check this site out. I am not sure if this is the ultimate in online educational activities, or a low in professional development for health care.
Granted, there are other activities, such as simple machines, and designing a cell phone, so it is probably very good at promoting science and critical thinking. However, there is a definite disconnect between the kid-friendly interface and the topics of stem cell heart repair and hip replacement surgery.
Granted, there are other activities, such as simple machines, and designing a cell phone, so it is probably very good at promoting science and critical thinking. However, there is a definite disconnect between the kid-friendly interface and the topics of stem cell heart repair and hip replacement surgery.
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