Crash Course!

I found Hank and John Green a few weeks ago as I was developing a workshop for using humor online. They are well known vloggers who have a TON of videos out there. Most notable for higher education is the series Crash Course.
These are 5-7 minute videos on a wide range of subjects appropriate to many gen ed courses. Not that you can substitute any of these for more direct approaches but they make a humorous break, particularly for intimidating or otherwise dreaded subject matter. Subjects include: philosophy, US history, World History, government, economics, chemistry and anatomy and physiology.
This guys come across so completely laid back and knowledgeable, that they make for great fun even if you aren't taking notes for that next test. Reminds me of something that the Mental Floss folks might do.

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Closed Captions in Canvas

Being committed to having a course designed so that all learners can access all course content can be a daunting task. If you have created a video and it is hosted on a supported third-party media site (such as YouTube or Vimeo), you can easily add subtitles to the video. Check out this great Canvas Guide for more information: How do I create a caption file for an external video?

However, if you simply want to add some feedback to a discussion forum or a short announcement, you may not want to go to all the trouble of uploading it to your media site. Also, if accuracy is an issue, you can create your own closed caption video/audio file directly in CANVAS using the media tool in the Rich Content Editor. It's a bit of work, but easy enough to add subtitles for short clips that you don't want to upload to YouTube or Vimeo.

Check out the Canvas Help Guide How do I create captions for new or uploaded videos in Canvas?

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6 Ideas for Video Projects for Students

Want More Student Engagement and Effort? 

Here Are 6 Video Project Ideas For You

Creating videos can be a great way for students to both engage with the material and express their creativity. Students may also get excited about "storytelling" and sharing their work. Choosing the right type of project for a given assignment can be a bit tricky at first. 

So, click here for an outline and suggested sites for tools, etc. and choose your adventure for lights, camera, action! :)

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YouTube Settings Tips

Using YouTube for class (or curious about it)?

Studies reveal that teacher-made videos improve learning and retention. Some students appreciate that the teacher took time to add the personal touch, others like being able to repeatedly view the material, still others like to pause to let certain portions better sink in.

Whatever the reason, teacher-made videos (even unprofessional quality ones) are a good idea.

If you have ever thought about using YouTube to store your videos but haven't created an account, or if you are hesitant to adjust too many settings, here is a brief walk-through to some of what awaits you in the settings options.

Lights, camera....learn :)

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Updating to iOS 8?

Here's a great video tour of iOS 8 features:



via Lifehacker

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Ted-Ed

Ted Ed is one of my favorite learning tools, and it's FREE and easy to use!  Ted Ed is affiliated with the popular and educational Ted Talks.

Teachers can use Ted Ed to display a video of their choice from the Ted Talks or YouTube.  It also has guided areas where teachers can add multiple choice questions, discussion ideas, and places to link resources for further investigation.

Ted Ed has thousands of completed lessons that instructors can use for free, or instructors can design their own lessons.

I find that it integrates into Canvas well by using the linking tool in the modules.

Here's a short video that outlines Ted Ed's powerful features.  Enjoy!

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Using Google Books for Research

Google Books can be great for research

I saw this on another blog and thought was really good.  Google Books can be a good research tool for teachers and students alike. The video below provides a short overview of how to research using Google Books. One can search for books and even search within books. Find screenshots of the process here.  (((You may need to click the shield to see the video)))

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Keys To Useful Recommendations and Feedback

We all want to give useful recommendations and feedback to our students (and receive good suggestions from others too).

Here are 5 keys to a good recommendation. Employ them when engaging with students, pass them along to those over you, share with anyone who want to help others. 

(You may need to click the shield to see the video. See: http://onlineedspot.blogspot.com/2013/10/when-pages-videos-etc-wont-load-in.html

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Let's Have a Snack: TubeSnack!

Teachers who use YouTube videos in their classes should know about TubeSnack!

Tubesnack is an easy way to make video playlists.  If you want your students to watch multiple YouTube videos, it is a great way to keep them all together.   It is also nice to link videos on a similar topic, or a series of videos.  It's free, and it gives step by step directions.  It also works well with Canvas!

I used TubeSnack to pull together all of the Henri videos.  Enjoy! If you can't see it, you may need to click the shield.

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Video production choices and online instruction

Birds eye of video in online instruction

Thanks go to Meg for recommending this link. Granted, it includes a plug of iSpring, but there is some good info here- including the pros and cons of various formats. Not technical or software necessarily but presentation and planning tips.

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SoundGator

It is becoming so easy to create a video online and post to your blog or course. But, no video project is complete without the addition of sound effects. Sounds add a whole new dimension to your videos. SoundGator is great site to locate and download the perfect sound effect - and, as most of the resources we share here - it is completely free. You do have to register but that is quick and painless. Give it a try.

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Snagit 50% off Regular Price

Do you use Jing Pro? If so, you probably know that, beginning Feb. 28th the pro version will revert back to the free version. This means many of your favorite features will vanish.

But, just in time, we have a Snagit deal to the rescue!


"Snagit is the perfect tool for recording MPEG-4 video and YouTube uploading - just like Jing Pro. With Snagit you have the freedom to record longer videos, blur sensitive information, scroll long webpages, and more."

Until April 15th you can purchase a Snagit single-user license for the upgrade price - a savings of 50% off the original price. Simply enter the promotion code below before you complete your purchase to get Snagit at the upgrade pricing. You do not have to have Jing Pro to take advantage of this deal. Anyone can purchase Snagit at this discounted price.
Use Promo Code: JINGPRO to get Snagit at 50% off
(coupon expires April 15, 2013)

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This is a very simple and clear presentation demonstrating how to record a video for your course in YouTube. Once your video is in YouTube, just embed it in your course. Give us a call if you need help with embedding in ANGEL.
This would be a great introduction to the course or instructor introduction.

Create an Announcement or Mini Lecture on YouTube from Torria Bond

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Thousands of videos are available to enrich your course at C-Span Video. You can find videos on the most current topics as well as historical events. Many of the videos are long but you can select the portion of the video that is pertinent to your topic. The site even provides a timeline so it is easy for you to zero in on the segment of the video you wish to use.

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TalkMiner

We often search for videos on a particular subject by entering a search term in a search engine such as Google. If the search terms is not part of the video title it is seldom returned in the search results.

"TalkMiner is a video search tool that uses optical character recognition (OCR) to detect the words on the slides. These words are then indexed into TalkMiner's search engine, which currently makes available 15,000 videos from institutions such as Stanford University, the University of California, Berkeley, and TED" (Technology Review). TalkMiner currently searches 29,565 video lectures.

TalkMiner even indicates which slides reference the search term making it possible to go to the precise place in the video that provides the information the user needs. Take a look at the video below to get a better idea of the possibilities.

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Flip a Video on TED-Ed

We previously mentioned the new TED-Ed web site that provides valuable videos for education. Well, the site has added a great new feature that allows you to "flip" one of their videos or any YouTube video.

Flipping, in TED-Ed terminology, is a way to add information, multiple choice questions, open-ended questions, and "dig deeper" resources to a video. You also have access to the flipped videos created by the community. You can use and/or modify these flipped videos as you wish. Teachers can even track participation and student responses to check for understanding.

Take a look at the video tour below to learn all that you can do with this new tool.

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Ted-Ed Announcement

We have previously posted in this blog about TED, the global nonprofit organization whose mission is “Ideas Worth Spreading". Their short videos are inspiring and informative.

On March 13 Ted announced TED-Ed. TED-Ed will launch with a dozen videos aimed at teachers and high school students. Chris Anderson, TED curator, stated that the goal is to eventually add one video per day. The first 12 TED-Ed videos can all be viewed on TED-Ed’s YouTube Channel. Perhaps you can find something useful for your class.

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Starry Night - for your enjoyment!

Starry Night (interactive animation) from Petros Vrellis on Vimeo.
A try to visualize the flow of the famous painting "Starry Night" of Vincent Van Gogh.

The user can interact with the animation. Also, the sound responds to the flow.

Made with openframeworks.

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Will you Be Prepared for these Students?

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5 Things Students Want their Teachers to Know about Online Learning

I found the blog post, 5 Things Students Want their Teachers to Know about Online Learning, by Lisa Nielsen in her blog, The Innovative Educator, to be a worthy reminder. According the students and teachers at the iNacol Virtual Schools Symposium:

1. Socialization is important
2. Students want to see their teacher and
3. to see each other.
4. They want you to get to know them and 
5. want you to keep the course relevant. 

Although none of this is terribly new, several ideas and useful sites to accomplish all of this are included. Check this out as you refresh your courses for the spring semester.

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