Hear ye!

How to make audio that is more than noise
I must admit that I prefer to learn to use a few tools really well, rather than a little bit about a wide range. I also feel that good tech skills should be transferable - from one tool to a next.
Both these perspectives are reflected here in this blog post.
Jennifer is an instructional designer whose blog reflects her passion and practical approach to elearning. This particular post describes down-to-earth tips for creating audio files that are a cut above.

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Glogster alternative

Glogster is free no More :(

Need an alternative?

If you used Glogster and would like a free alternative, you might try award-winning Biteslide

Biteslide looks a lot like Glogster. You can create what the site calls Slidebooks with images, video and text. Like the original education edition of Glogster, teachers can choose a free plan that allows them to have 30 student accounts and 3 projects. The site promises that this option is free forever. And, there are more plans are available at a price).

Give it a try and have fun out there! :)

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Student Perception of Instructor Videos?

Looking to improve your course. Instructor videos might be the ticket.

Lights, Camera, Action! 

The verdict is in; students LOVE instructor videos!!

 What do students say?

“I could watch over and over again to fully comprehend the material,” 

“They made me feel like the instructor cared about me.She took extra time out of her schedule to ensure that we got the information necessary to complete the assignment,” 

“How personable it was. I felt like she was literally right in front of me and if possible I could ask questions,” 

“The interactive element... seeing the instructor made me feel involved.”

 “Feeling as if there was a connection with the instructor and the class,” 

 “I really felt Dr. Rose cared about what her students were learning...she actually took the time to make weekly videos. Not only that, but she was willing to create additional videos as needed. Although I did not watch all the videos multiple times, there were some videos that I watched again...I liked that I could take notes, pause, and rewind videos. You can't do that in a face-to-face lecture.”

These are just a handful of reasons cited in the study researching student perceptions of instructor videos in online AND face-to-face courses. Read the details in the report here. There are many applications to help make videos, and Canvas integrates media easily. 

So search the blog or online for technology for making videos, and give it a try. They do not need to be Hollywood quality, that isn't what students are needing. They are needing a personal content connection. Again, check out the report. It may just surprise you.

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