Sunday, September 8, 2013

SoftChalk and Online Content Creation

I've been having fun over this last summer and the beginning of this semester.  I participated in a course redesign project at my university.  As part of that project, we were exposed to various tools that might be of use to us in redesigning our courses.  I had seen SoftChalk before but I was not convinced that I would be able to make much use of it.

Boy was I wrong.  I have thus far created four lessons using SoftChalk (still working on the last one). Initially, the plan was to develop my own weekly content for my target course, an online graduate networking class.  But, as I moved through this process, I began to receive feedback from some of my peers.  They already had some content.  I was able to take that content and adapt it to my expectations for my courses. This shifted my effort from developing direct content creation for my course to indirect content creation.  In other words, developing support material to help students such as APA formatting guidelines, the registration and use if testout.com, and the download and use of microsoft software through DreamSpark.

My hope is that I will be able to use this same content in multiple classes and be able to preemptively address student questions.  Hopefully, I will even be able to reach a few students who otherwise would not have know about these resources.  My goal is to add a few more indirect modules and then more on to direct content.  I think showing students some of the basics of the use of Visio to create logical and physical designs for networking, developing MS Project files to develop their semester as well as real life projects, and the installation of MS Virtual PC and various OSs to familiarize them with their opportunities to try out this software would all be great lessons to create.

This is an exciting process to me.  I have trouble trying to decide which lesson I want to work on next.  For now, it is just trying to clean them up, post them to my website, and integrate them into my Blackboard shell(s).

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Screen Capture Software

I am always looking for ways to improve my classes.  Lately, I have been trying to generate more dynamic content for my students through the use of Twitter and YouTube.  For YouTube, I have been using screen capture software to capture lectures both long and length similar to what you might expect in the traditional classroom environment as well as more recently, starting to 'chunk' videos to explain very specific points.  With that task at hand, I have needed to identify a good screen capture software.  I started by using Adobe Captivate.  A very powerful program with LOTS of features.  Many more than I would ever use.  But, it is not the most user friendly software.  I am a big believer in the KISS principle.  Keep It Simple Stupid!    So, simplicity was the order of the day.  After inquiring from another professor (@DrBaker), I ran across Adobe Presenter.  I LOVE this program.  Very simple and easy to make very professional videos that I can screen capture and capture audio/video from my web-cam.  BUT, as a professor, I am also cheap.  Adobe Presenter is not.  So, I continued to search and I finally found something that I think is pretty top notch.  EZVid.  It is slick.  Go check out the web site.  There is a demonstration video that does a great job of describing its features.  And best of all, it is free!

The Best Free Video Maker for YouTube - ezvid.com:

Dr. S.

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Ran across a great new site for educators.  It is http://animoto.com.  It is really cool.  It is all online so there is no software to install.  You can upload pictures, videos, and incorporate text.  There are various themes that can be selected.  Then, it automatically creates a video presentation that is visually stimulating and professional looking using what you have uploaded.  It is really sharp.  The free version is limited to 30 seconds.  As educators, there is a free version that give you more access and you can create longer videos.  The paid version has even more features.  Again, I have just played with this a little but it is sharp.  Check it out.

Saturday, June 15, 2013

Technology for Teachers

I am really getting into this social media frenzy.  This is cool stuff.  It is becoming so easy to share and stay connected with students.  We can engage them in ways that were only dreamt of just a few short years ago.  Yet, I foresee a problem.  There is too much.  Too much choice.  Too many platforms to keep up with.  Why are you reading this post?  There must be hundreds, no, thousands, no, hundreds of thousands if not more of more meaningful outlets where you could pick up information about using technology in the classroom.  But, you are here.  So, you need your money's worth, right?  Considering this is free, keep that in mind.

I have found myself lately thinking about the use of social media in higher education.  What are the strategic uses of it?  Certainly, a YouTube channel can be used to deliver video content to students, providing them with screenshots, demonstrations, lectures, and so on.  I use this approach frequently and love it.  I use LinkedIn, but perhaps not as effectively.  I connect with students and occasionally hear what they are up to.  But, that is about it.  There must be a better use for that.  Then, there is Twitter.  I use Twitter and have it embedded within by school homepage as well as within each of my Blackboard shells.  I use this to quickly share class updates as well as relevant news stories as I run across them.  I use hashtags to separate content for each class in order to make finding relevant information easier.

Yet, despite all of this, I am not so sure I am really getting the best bang for the buck.  There has to be a better way.  YouTube has been a success for me.  But Twitter and LinkedIn?  I can't really say that.  I would like to know how other professors and teachers are using various social media to both connect to student and mentor students.  Just curious.