Another way for screen captures

I'm seeing and getting questions about screen captures and such. Another tool I was recently introduce to, and like, is Jing. Jing allows you to do static screen captures as well as audio/visual movies of screen captures (the stuff I shared with you all the first week of class).

It allows you to have "embedding code" that I was then able to paste into the HTLM of this post and you get the image below. It also uploads to their site and you can get a link. And if you upload it to there site, you can go there and "save as" to get a PNG file that can upload to Picasa. It even looks like it allows you to send directly to Flickr...I didn't play with that yet.

Testing new Tech

Yes, I know...I need to catch up with you all. However, currently I'm at sxsw interactive and I've got a new list of technologies to play with. I'm so happy! I want to test this audio reply tool...so you are the GPs. Please do try to reply!

Technology for Week 4

Image posted by Strangeless @ Flickr.

Podcasting
It's really very simple, podcasting is audio blogging. The big mistake that many make is thinking that podcasting is just recording an audio file and posting it to your online course. That's just putting a multi-modal resource in your course that helps with different types of learning (for example, people who put audio recordings of vocabulary works so students know how to say the word). Instead of thinking of podcasting as simply audio files, you have to think of them as subscriptions. When you subscribe to your RSS feed of a blog, you get updated entries delivered to your RSS aggregator. Guess what, iTunes (in terms of RSS) is just an audio RSS aggregator. Notice no where did I say podcasting has to be downloaded to an iPod (or other MP3 player)...podcasting is the syndicated audio files, not the technology you listen to it on/from. (I just finished my rant portion of this broadcast...).
Notice we have also moved into the world of vidcasting, which is syndicated videos. In terms of your online courses, I'm currently imagining you can using podcasting in teaching & learning in two ways: weekly updates (more casual, definitely "good enough" production level) and polished course long series that you would reset and redeliver each time you taught the course (obviously more polished production since you'd be reusing them). According to Andrew, MCC's iTunesU tech-guru, iTunesU (which all of the campuses have started in some form or another) along with the new apple Leapord server will allow for the re-syndicated model of course podcasts. Learning Management Systems (LMSs) are also adaptable, and I'm sure we'll see podcasting capabilities (actual syndication, not just audio files) there soon as well.

Browsers & Extensions
If you own your own computer, it is worth the time to personalize your tools so that you are more efficient and don’t have to remember where everything is. One of the easiest ways to do that with your internet tools is with your internet browser. First, let’s talk about your internet browser (and honestly, this is for you PC folks, if you have a Mac…email me on the side and I’ll prepare a separate rant for you). Most of you are probably using Internet Explorer (IE), the little blue “e” swoosh icon, for your internet browser. This is the program that comes default with windows. Good program, most internet pages and programs are designed to work well with IE; however, because it is Microsoft, it is the least secure. I suggest that you switch to Firefox ; it is a powerful free browser that does not contain as many security flaws (in other words, do your online banking in Firefox). And Firefox is Mac friendly!!!

Now, some ideas on how to personalize your Firefox browser (and most of these can work in IE as well). At Firefox’s website there is an “add-ons” tab. Within that area is a list of “search engines.” Add as many of those that are useful. They will all then be options in a drop down menu in your browser window. Since I use Google the most, it stay up there; however, I also like being able to drop down to IMDB (since I love movies), Wikipedia (it’s an encyclopedia!!), Webster for a dictionary, Weather Channel if I’m traveling, and Food Network if I’m actually going to attempt to do something in the kitchen. You probably also want to go download all the “plugins” so that they various tools work from within Firefox. After that, just browse the recommended add-ons and extensions. You’ll probably find a couple of tools that work for you. Now, since we are doing the shared gradebook thing, I highly suggest you download and install the Better Gmail add-on. It will force a "https" login to Gmail. The extra "s" is for "secure."

Don’t stop at Firefox’s website. You’ll probably want to also:

• Google Toolbar (http://toolbar.google.com)
• Social Bookmarking Toolbar, both del.icio.us and Diigo have toolbars you can download. Check out their “tools” or “help” sections

As you find other tools on the internet (like Zotero, which is a Firefox extension for tracking research and helping with citations, http://www.zotero.org/), you will find many of them have browser related tools.

week/deadline 4 stuff

Thanks folks for your patience. I fought catching bronchitis over the weekend... it won! My goal...get ahead of you all during spring break when you are catching up. :-)

To-do:

• listen to weekly podcast--delayed until I don't sound like a frog that smoked 20 packs of cigarettes. I'll post a blog when it's up! :-)
• course build: Design your course activities for the first week? What will students do? Where? How? Provide drafts of the entire prompt, etc. Share (with everyone) a document of a complete description of first week activities (w/full prompts), comment on a couple!
  
• new technologies: Podcasting & Browsers (see separate blog posting)
• blog entry: Reflect on learning from week and briefly discuss a podcast you found that you might use (link us out to the podcast so we can choose to listen to an entry or two).
• wiki entry: add entry about first week issues, introductions, activities etc.
• find course content: Go to the MCCCD Queen of Podcasting's (Dr. Alisa Cooper, SMCC) bibliography on podcasting and scroll down to the "Finding Podcasts" section and try to find a few already produced podcast for your course.
  
• iGoogle: add the course podcast (so you'll want to search for podcast widgets and link from either Gabcast or iTunesU)
  
• schedule appointment w/instructor to talk about course design (phone, Skype, IM, f2f,...)
  

Image posted by MikeOliveri @ Flickr.

Podcast #3--are you ready?

I hope you all didn't hold your breath!

Whew...finally...got the podcast posted (in both places). Sorry, I was really working with that transcription thing. And although MS Word didn't do a GREAT job transcribing, it was definitely a solid draft that makes it easier to just go in and clean up instead of transcribing from scratch.

Image posted by Sister72 @ Flickr.

I'm working on that podcast folks. Sorry, I'm trying to figure out a way to record it and have software make a draft of the transcript simultaneously. Did you know MS Office has a voice transcription tool? I'll get back to you on how useful it is. I promise, podcast by the end of today!

Also, don't forget as you post pictures and videos and other content you find online, you'll want to give credit by somehow citing where/how/when you found the resource. Notice I'm not asking for a full bibliographic citation here (and realistically, most of the citation style guidelines are not prepared for Internet based resources, I know, I've been trying to work with MLA, APA, Chicago, and CSE...ugh!). Notice I've just included a little line of who made/posted the resource and a link to where I found it. I've also been careful (notice I didn't say "very") to make sure it is stuff labeled as CC (creative commons). So...what do you do with this image when the person has posted under a CC license; however, clearly from another source?

So if I can't get the podcast to you, you can learn about podcasting by asking a ninja (And notice how he is explaining RSS without ever using the word!)
Image posted by penmachine @ Flickr

week/deadline #3

Whew...hopefully you all are starting to get into the swing of some of these crazy technologies. Of course, feel free to ask me questions. I'll be getting the podcast up by the end of today and hopefully grading done over the next couple of days. :-)

• listen to weekly podcast: you now have options, it is posted at Gabcast or on MCC's iTunes U (it does take a few extra days to get the iTunesU posted, I have to send it to Andrew in IT.)
• course build: Share document with entire class (Google Docs) of a complete draft of your course outline/schedule, comment on a least a couple classmates. Do try to be as detailed as possible. I shared with you all my draft of the course schedule. If you got into your Google Docs and check it, you'll notice that I've just continued to add detail as the course progresses (ie, as I build it just ahead of you!)
• blog entry: reflection on learning from week ("ahhs" "oohs" and "wows") and briefly discuss course content (a "scholarly" blog) you found
  
• wiki entry: add a new article about copyright and online learning (notice the new copyright page in the wiki)
• find course content: Find some "scholarly" blogs related to your course content. If you want to search for specific blogs about a topic, use these blog search tools:
  • Blogarama (http://www.blogarama.com/)
  • Feedster (http://feedster.com/)
  • Technorati (http://www.technorati.com/)
  • Google Blog Search (http://blogsearch.google.com/

iGoogle: Use iGoogle as an RSS aggregator, subscribe to the course podcast, the course blog, subscribe other blogs about distance learning, etc... Bad news :-( I have learned after the fact that I do not see your changes to your iGoogle pages. So, every week after you change your iGoogle page, you'll need to re-share it with me @ shelley.rodrigo@gmail.com. I'm sorry!

Check out this visual representation of a course curriculum! You could always make yours visual instead of outline; however, it might not allow for the level of detail that is helpful while you are building.
Posted by CowGummy @ Flickr.