Are you interested in using podcasts in your class? Does the idea of students listening to your lesson while they skate around campus sound interesting to you? If so you are in the right place!
Although this video is targeted to K-12 teachers it has some informational gems for you too. You find a lot more on this blog about podcasts and podcasting too. Have a look around and drop me a line if you have any questions.
We’ve been using Blackboard at Mount Marty College for several years now and developing mastery has been an evolutionary process. We’re using our installed version near to its limits and I’m ready for some new capabilities. I’m particularly interested in podcast support and student photo logs of my sections. Remembering names is a personal weakness and I could use the help.
Fortunately Blackboard keeps improving its course management software. There are tons of new capabilities in the latest release. What this clip to find out what’s new.
I’m impressed! The University of Cincinnati is using the latest version of Blackboard in lots of new ways:
student photo roster
integrated grade book
podcast building block
student-controlled portal
campus polling
multiple community organizations
integrated campus services
I’m going to ask the Dean to make an investment in this update.
Blackboard makes adding podcasts to your course easier than ever!
This podcast shows you exactly how to add a podcast to your course using the latest version of Blackboard. Its easy and powerful. Those of us still using an earlier version can add them as Learning Units. Just insert the URL or upload the podcast. Its just that easy!
Second Life makes a compelling argument about joining its virtual world but it falls flat on its face at being user-friendly.
My first excursion into Second Life was cumbersome at best. Singing up involves selecting an avatar, a virtual persona, with extremely limited choices in bodies and last names. I felt force to make selections that didn’t represent me. Once I entered the virtual world I found moving around, communicating with others, and examining objects to be far too difficult for my degree of interest in the game.
Second Life fanatics will take offense at my use of the word game but it is intentional. The frustration I experienced with Second Life is the same frustration I experience with early role playing games. It just isn’t worth the hassle. If I have problems using this game imagine how our students would feel!
Educational technology should enable learning by removing barriers to learning. Learning to use Second Life seems to be a mountainous obstacle. Its just too tedious. Why bother?
Besides, I have no need to hide behind a persona. I like myself as I am and I prefer to deal with real people, places, and things.
Tips?
Teachers beware of any new product that promises to be everything to everybody. Nothing really is. Such talk indicates a failure of focus in product design. Without focus there can be no real substance. This usually means an old failure is being re-marketed.
One of the greatest challenges in teaching undergraduate students is accommodating diverse learning styles but doing so is can improve learning (Chickering & Gamson, 1987). Yet its hard work. There are very few opportunities to learn how and there is much to do within our own disciplines. What is one to do?
The beauty of Blackboard courses is they are available 7/24. Its available whenever students want to study and you’d e surprised when that is. Many of our students are actually working online while you and I are snoring like a buzz-saw. So it makes sense to make content available in Blackboard.
Adding content means more than posting syllabi, assignments, and scores. That’s filing. Adding content requires inserting nuggets of information online that are traditionally presented in lecture and text. It means entering into the exciting world of multimedia. But it doesn’t mean you need to become a creator of multimedia programs. You’ll have greater success as a wise consumer of multimedia and one of the best places to shop is the iTunes store.
This podcast shows you how to shop and neatly tuck your purchases away into your Blackboard course. The best thing about this is you don’t have to bring your wallet or purse. Everything you need is free.
One thing we know about undergraduate students today is they are consumers of electronic gadgets. They grew up watching television, playing video games, and listening to MP3 players while skating around the park. They can relate to podcasts and use them in ways we may not fully understand yet. We can accommodate diverse ways of learning by putting the content in students’ hands and iPods.
Have you ever wanted to collaborate on a document with a remote colleague? Here’s a cool way to do it.
I had my first working exposure to Google docs monday evening. I knew what it was but I’m a bit of a lone wolf and like to work alone on my projects. I think that’s because of all of the hassles involved in dealing with multiple versions of a file.
Anyway a friend was perplexed by a complex project she is working on and the deadline is approaching, Her project is funded by a grant so its important she gets it done on time. The problem is that her users are non-technical and scope creep is running rampant. She tried to explain her dilemma to me on Microsoft Messenger but it we were having too many mental disconnects. Google docs to the rescue!
My friend opened up a google doc spreadsheet and we started mapping out the system requirements. It was way cool! We worked on the document together clarifying the specifications. I posted my questions in red. She’d answer. I’d ask others questions until we reached a consensus and only then changed the text back to black.
Will I use Google Docs again? You bet. One of my most popular classes is an entry-level computer science course in the use of Microsoft Office. The main focus is on mastering Word, Excel, and PowerPoint which are the applications supported by Google Docs. So now I have an excellent tool for working with students on technical issues from a remote location.
This is the last half of Spotlight’s panel discussion. Michael Singer hosts David Barnes of IBM, Michael Zermuellen of Stephens Institute, and Stephen Socolof of New Venture Partners.
Check yesterday’s post for the first half.
Information sharing is the essence of Web 3.0 but its not a new thing. The automotive industry has been sharing enterprise data with strategic partners to reduce inventories and maximize profits. No worries. Technology didn’t hurt the auto companies. Being out of touch with customer needs did. Their problem was too much inbreeding of data. They ought to have incorporated customer data into their schema. If you can only see your own product data and all you make are big gas guzzlers it seems like there are no hybrids on the road. Hello Alice!
The future looks to be more inclusive in data sharing but that is just its potential. Owners will still be able to lock data out but some brave souls will take the jump and benefit by it. The future belongs to them.
So now we know all about Web 2.0 and #.0. Or do we? The real question is “how are we going to leverage the new technologies to make life and learning better?” Let’s chat!
This vodcast is a panel discussion about how the World Wide Web is rapidly evolving into a highly interactive learning tool. Michael Singer hosts David Barnes of IBM, Michael Zermuellen of Stephens Institute, and Stephen Socolof of New Venture Partners. Listen to what these industry insiders have to say.
This vodcast is made available by Spotlight.
The exciting news is that these web applications free users from the limitations of their operating system! How’s is this? Web applications are through the web browser which handles any translation needed to get the operating system to do whatever. So the same web application can be run on computers running DOS/Windows, Linux, OS/X, AIX, and any other operating system.
This program provides an entertaining explanation of podcasting. What is it? How much tech-stuff do I need to use them? Why do I care about them? If you don’t know this one is for you. Invest 3 minutes and learn something today.
TEDTalks offers some of the best content you can add to your Blackboard course. Each talk, usually under 20 minutes, is given by a leading expert in his/her field and is produced with the best quality available. These talks are made available to the public domain by means to Creative Commons so you can feel free to use them for your classes.
Nicholas Negroponte has lead a distinguished career heading up the Media Lab at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Under his watch the department was directly involved in the research ad development of much of the computer technology we take for granted today. He is a man who knows what he is talking about!
Nicholas Negroponte talks about the One Laptop Per Child initiative. You can’t help catching his enthusiasm about this educational initiative. In fact, he is so enthusiastic that he took this on as his seminal mission upon stepping down as Chair of the prestigious MIT Media Lab.
This talk would make an excellent jumping point to engaging computer science students in a discussion of ethics. Ought we make an inexpensive computer for the children of the third world? What’s in it for us? Why should we care about the global economy?
If you’re wondering about the progress of this initiative view this update. I won’t tell so you’ll have to watch.
These are great talks and are ideal for inclusion into courses dealing with technology and education. I’m sure there are several other subject such as economics that may benefit from them. They are both brief and entertaining.
You can find these programs on YouTube as well as help adding them to your online course material. If you need more help just email me or leave a comment here.
