Social Networking

Archiving (and ending) the Feed: April 2010 Twitter Posts by wisepedagogy

Posted in Articles, Collaboration, Course Activities, Fun Miscellany, Learning Aids, Library & Info Science, News in Online Education, Pedagogical Theory, Social Networking, Time Management, Video, Visual Aids, Web Tools on April 30th, 2010 by Anne – Be the first to comment

CC-licensed photo, IMG_2883 by Richard Mansfield via Flickr

Each month, I post a list of @wisepedagogy Twitter posts from the previous month. If you missed them the first time, you can find them here.

Unfortunately, this will be the last archive for @wisepedagogy. We have reached the end of our grant funding for this project, and most WISE Pedagogy initiatives are being discontinued after April 30. Anyone who wishes to read more tweets for eLearning and online pedagogy can follow my personal feed, @amckinn.

So long and thanks for following! Just for fun, here are two additional images of dolphins  for your amusement:

CC-licensed photo, La saga del zoo de Madrid VI - Acrobacias con los delfines by Carlos Alejo via Flickr

CC-licensed photo, dinner by snailo86 via Flickr

iPads for Education: How Much is Hype?

Posted in Learning Aids, News in Online Education, Social Networking, Video, Visual Aids, Web Tools on April 6th, 2010 by Anne – Be the first to comment

Since the iPad was released to the general public, there have been a lot of reports and articles about its relative advantages and disadvantages. The following is my addition to this dialog: in terms of educational technology, how much can we estimate its future worth as a learning tool?

How the iPad compares in size to an iPhone and a laptop. CC-licensed photo, 10-iPadUnboxing-7951, by Kadath via Flickr.

Much of educational technology focuses on making use of the technologies students are already using. At least, that seems to be the main theory behind mobile learning pedagogy…as well as several online networks. Isn’t that why instructors started setting up Facebook and Second Life accounts in the first place — to go where the students were? If that were true, it should only follow that educators should be prepared to embrace iPads as much as their students.

So: to what extent can we expect students to embrace iPads? Let’s consider its practical value for general use as an e-reader or online browsing machine. Sure, it’s shiny and new, but will it be more practical than a smartphone or netbook?

The photo above shows how much larger the iPad is than the iPhone. It’s not going to be as portable as an iPhone, and without a protective sleeve it’s going to be more easily damaged (and have fewer applications) than a laptop. Factor in the limited capabilities for this early model, and it might have enough drawbacks to make it less useful to students than either a smartphone or a larger laptop or netbook. This also ignores the price consideration — if students already have a laptop and a smartphone (or an iPod touch, for that matter), a budget-conscious student must wonder what he/she could accomplish with an iPad that couldn’t already be done with one or the other gadgets, and if that would be enough to justify buying another device.

There are other drawbacks that could be listed here: the iPad’s inability to read e-books in .pdf files, its awkward size/weight for holding it like a book for extended reading, even the way a fingerprint-smudged iPad loses its “shiny and new” luster as soon as it’s out of the box.

However, Apple’s marketing campaign has done a fantastic job of hyping the new gadget in glitzy ads and media exposure. Surely, if Apple could change the world with iPods and iPhones, the iPad couldn’t fall much farther from the tree, could it?

CC-licensed photo, Apple iPad faux pas, by Swamibu via Flickr

While it may have some practical drawbacks for students, the iPad may be a useful device for people who are less tech-savvy, have needs that are more recreational than learning-centered, and want something like a smartphone but with a larger screen.  (I might still suggest a netbook instead — at least, for my older family members who want something lightweight they can carry to the library and check their email for free. For people in this category, a netbook is still more affordable and might be easier to type with. If your less tech-savvy relatives want to look more cutting-edge while they do this, by all means recommend them to the iPad.)

Before this post delves too deeply into snark, however, it’s still worth investigating possible uses for iPads as learning technology. The following video by The Masie Center gives Eliot Masie’s iPad First Look for Learning:

Also, a Blackboard app for the iPad:

Advice for the time being: Unless you are a devoted Apple fan who would use a new Apple device anyway, or you teach at a school that is giving each student his or her own iPad, you might want to wait a few months before you buy one solely for pedagogical purposes. Time may tell whether this new device will have enough advantages to surpass the others that are already available.

Even if you and some of your students already do have iPads, it may be a while before we can expect to design lesson plans that incorporate them into course activities.

Finally, for a pun on blended learning, the following video demonstrates what happens when an iPad is put in a blender.

Archiving the Feed: March 2010 Twitter Posts by wisepedagogy

Posted in Articles, Collaboration, Course Activities, Fun Miscellany, Learning Aids, Library & Info Science, News in Online Education, Pedagogical Theory, Podcasting, Social Networking, Synchronous Learning, Time Management, Video, Visual Aids, Web Tools on April 1st, 2010 by Anne – Be the first to comment
cc-licensed photo, Chicks, by nickgraywfu via Flickr

cc-licensed photo, Chicks, by nickgraywfu via Flickr

Each month, I post a list of @wisepedagogy Twitter posts from the previous month. If you missed them the first time, you can find them here.

Not included in this list are posts related to the Spring 2010 ELI Focus Session on Mobile Learning. You can find those in this post: Mobile Learning: Educause ELI Focus Session Recap

Archiving the Feed: September 2009 Twitter Posts by wisepedagogy

Posted in Articles, Collaboration, Course Activities, Fun Miscellany, Learning Aids, Library & Info Science, News in Online Education, Pedagogical Theory, Podcasting, Social Networking, Synchronous Learning, Time Management, Video, Visual Aids, Web Tools on February 2nd, 2010 by Anne – Be the first to comment
cc-licensed photo, Sprinkles, M&Ms and Chocolate Crunch, via Flickr by Sister72

cc-licensed photo, Sprinkles, M&Ms and Chocolate Crunch, via Flickr by Sister72

I am in the process of archiving the wisepedagogy Twitter announcements from past months. Links have been expanded to show the entire URL rather than bit.ly shorthand.

September 2009 Twitter Posts by wisepedagogy:

I have left out a few tweets that related to dated events, such as webinars and calls for participation. I’m guessing that the people who would read this archive would be most interested in resources that still have a chance of being available.

Archiving the Feed: October 2009 Twitter Posts by wisepedagogy

Posted in Articles, Collaboration, Course Activities, Fun Miscellany, Learning Aids, Library & Info Science, News in Online Education, Pedagogical Theory, Podcasting, Social Networking, Synchronous Learning, Time Management, Video, Visual Aids, Web Tools on February 1st, 2010 by Anne – Be the first to comment
cc-licensed photo, P1060127, via Flickr by jessicareeder

cc-licensed photo, P1060127, via Flickr by jessicareeder

I am in the process of archiving the wisepedagogy Twitter announcements from past months. Links have been expanded to show the entire URL rather than bit.ly shorthand.

October 2009 Twitter Posts by wisepedagogy:

Archiving the Feed: November 2009 Twitter Posts by wisepedagogy

Posted in Articles, Collaboration, Course Activities, Fun Miscellany, Learning Aids, Library & Info Science, News in Online Education, Pedagogical Theory, Podcasting, Social Networking, Synchronous Learning, Time Management, Video, Visual Aids, Web Tools on February 1st, 2010 by Anne – Be the first to comment
cc-licensed photo, DSC00948, via Flickr by godutchbaby

cc-licensed photo, DSC00948, via Flickr by godutchbaby

I am in the process of archiving the wisepedagogy Twitter announcements from past months. Links have been expanded to show the entire URL rather than bit.ly shorthand.

November 2009 Twitter Posts by wisepedagogy:

Archiving the Feed: December 2009 Twitter Posts by wisepedagogy

Posted in Articles, Collaboration, Course Activities, Fun Miscellany, Learning Aids, Library & Info Science, News in Online Education, Pedagogical Theory, Podcasting, Social Networking, Synchronous Learning, Time Management, Uncategorized, Video, Visual Aids, Web Tools on February 1st, 2010 by Anne – Be the first to comment
cc-licensed photo, Lunch Time! via Flickr by AR Nature Gal

cc-licensed photo, Lunch Time! via Flickr by AR Nature Gal

I am in the process of archiving the wisepedagogy Twitter announcements from past months. Links have been expanded to show the entire URL rather than bit.ly shorthand.

December 2009 Twitter Posts by wisepedagogy:

Archiving the Feed: January 2010 Twitter posts by wisepedagogy

Posted in Articles, Collaboration, Course Activities, Learning Aids, Library & Info Science, News in Online Education, Pedagogical Theory, Social Networking, Synchronous Learning, Time Management, Uncategorized, Video, Visual Aids, Web Tools on February 1st, 2010 by Anne – Be the first to comment
cc-licensed photo, Freezer Meals, via Flickr by armigeress

cc-licensed photo, Freezer Meals, via Flickr by armigeress

Thanks to Twitter I’ve been able to share a plethora of announcements about new e-learning technologies and pedagogical research studies, all in a very quick, easy manner. No thanks to Twitter, however, I’ve been announcing fewer of these announcements on this blog.

I’m hoping to reverse this trend by posting summaries of my Twitter updates at least on a monthly basis, if not more frequently. In the meantime, I’ll archive what I can in a few posts, beginning with January. Links have been expanded to show the entire URL rather than bit.ly shorthand.

January Twitter Posts by wisepedagogy:

Schedule for this year’s WISE Pedagogy Workshop at ALISE: Keys to Successful Online Collaboration

Posted in Collaboration, Library & Info Science, News in Online Education, Pedagogical Theory, Social Networking, Time Management, Web Tools on December 22nd, 2009 by Anne – Be the first to comment
CC licensed photo, Digitage Web 2.0 via Flickr by ocean.flynn

CC licensed photo, "Digitage Web 2.0" via Flickr by ocean.flynn

Will you be in Boston next month at the annual conference for the Association for Library & Information Science Education (ALISE)? We will explore practices for online collaborative learning through presentations and breakout discussions on Tuesday, January 12, 2010, 9:00 am – 12:30 pm. Here’s the schedule:


Tuesday, January 12, 2010 – Stanbro Room, Boston Park Plaza Hotel

9:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Keys to Successful Online Collaboration: WISE Pedagogy Workshop

WISE (Web-Based Information Science Education) Consortium and ALISE Distance Education SIG

This workshop is open to all interested conference attendees, especially doctoral students. Activities will address effective practices for collaboration in LIS online education through a participatory series of rotating stations, discussing topics in breakout sessions and interacting directly with presenters.

9:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.

Welcome and Overview of Best Practices in Online Education

This introduction to the workshop will recognize ALISE Award recipients for WISE Faculty of the Year 2009 and discussion of their best practices. Bruce Kingma (Syracuse University); Linda C. Smith and Anne McKinney (University of Illinois)


9:30 a.m. – 11:20 a.m.

Presentations and Breakout Groups

Presenters and breakout leaders will be stationed around the room. Workshop participants may plan to spend 15-20 minutes at each station. There will be a ten-minute break from 10:10 a.m. – 10:20 a.m.

Station #1: Teaching Collaboratively Online through the Prism of Course Content

Presentation provides an overview of LIS online collaborative teaching: theoretical, conceptual, technical, procedural, and literary strategies. Carol Gordon and Sung Un Kim (Rutgers University)

Station #2: Best Practices in the Pedagogical Design and Development of Full-Credit Short Courses

Presentation offers a process-oriented approach to collaborative teaching of a full-credit short course, Online Graphic Novels and Comics, from development to evaluation. Elizabeth Figa and Janet R. Macpherson (University of North Texas)

Station #3: Team Teaching as Online Collaboration

Presentation on co-teaching at a distance: How instructors communicate for development and teaching of online courses when they are not co-located. Lisa Hinchliffe and Melissa Wong (University of Illinois)

Station #4: Fitting Collaborative Activities Into the LIS Curriculum

Breakout discussion on implementation of student collaborative projects in LIS courses. When is collaboration a more effective learning method than individual assignments? Facilitator: Debbie Faires (San Jose State University)

Station #5: Working the Group Work

Breakout discussion of successful strategies for managing student group project assignments. Facilitator: Chip Bruce (University of Illinois)

11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Conclusion

Discussion of the presentations and breakout sessions and general closure of the workshop: what is the future of online collaboration? Facilitator: Rae-Anne Montague (University of Illinois)

See you in January! In the meantime, have a happy new year!

Screenr: Create quick, free screencasts online

Posted in Fun Miscellany, Learning Aids, Podcasting, Social Networking, Video, Visual Aids, Web Tools on October 13th, 2009 by Anne – Be the first to comment

Screenr looks like one of those new web 2.0 resources that could possibly skyrocket in popularity and use for educators. Time will tell in the end, but the following are some of its advantages and disadvantages –

Advantages:

  • Free
  • Online recording cuts out the need to convert a hard disk file to mp4 format and upload to a website
  • Simple to use: record, speak, pause when you need to, then stop and save
  • Works on both Mac and PC
  • Works with Twitter

Disadvantages:

  • 5-minute maximum recording length (for the purposes of downloading and audience retention, however, this is secretly an advantage)
  • No editing features
  • Doesn’t specifically work with Linux (unless a savvy Linux user could get around this somehow)
  • Works with Twitter

The Twitter factor is listed here as both an advantage and a disadvantage, as it would be useful for instructors who are already using Twitter and a headache for those who have been trying very hard to avoid it. There does not appear to be anything to register for an account with Screenr itself; users sign in with a pre-existing Twitter account.

While it’s designed for instant sharing via Twitter, screencasts can be embedded into other websites. The official screencast demo does not offer embed code for some reason (which is why I’m not including it here) but I’ve embedded my own test of the system here, using the opportunity to show my online pedagogy / elearning links on Delicious:

After I recorded the screencast about online pedagogy links on Delicious, it created both a web version and iPhone version of the video. A page with the finished video and my “tweet” came up on the Screenr site. Unfortunately, I didn’t see it in my Twitter feed, even after refreshing a couple times (so of course I had to tweet about the Screenr tweet!).

Its simplicity makes Screenr geared toward instructors who are willing to sacrifice advanced features for the sake of ease and speed of use. If it gets someone who has shied away from screencast technologies to record short screencast lectures or explanations to students, it’s earned its sticker price (have I mentioned it’s free?).

If you start using Screenr and decide you are willing to purchase software that will give you more power to edit and share your screencasts, you might want to check out Camtasia, as it’s widely considered the best at what it does. There are, however, other free online screencast recorders with varying functionality. You can also find more resources and how-to guides for screencasting here.

Screenr

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