ITC Building community in our fully online classes

Barb Mathieson Capilano University, N. Vancouver

bmathies@capilanou.ca

Twitter @ecce1

Google document https://docs.google.com/document/d/11_eDR9AZIB45obRpofOtFhiABtqBNIdNOZUoOzSigo/edit

Online course example

EDC 350 guest key online350

http://noodle.capilanou.ca/course/category.php?id=94

Ice breaker idea coffee mugs (choose one of the pictures of the coffee mugs that best represents you and explain why)

One true media or smilebox? Voice thread

Eyejot create a video email

Join me.com to control their desktop

Wiziq Or bigblubutton for a real time meeting which can be archived

Delicious

Voice thread

Students introduce each other

Note: remember that what is being shared is private for our class, so please do not share what is being shared here (put that in syllabus)

Book chat forum (3 times) students post about a self selected book choice (give them a choice of three books)

have students give advice for future students in next semeseter's class

Audioboo

Wikispaces and google documents

Voki

Posterous

Free conference call . Com

ITC 2012 Long Beach CA- Awakening the Digital Imagination-Gardner Campbell

Gardner Campbell, Virginia Tech www.gardnercampbell.net

"What you Really Need to Know about the Internet: From Gutenberg to Zuckerber" Book recommendation

Complexity is the New Reality

Non-linear, unpredictable

Feedback matters

Systsems demonstrate self-organization

EMERGENCE-synergies-new phenomena

Double-Loop Learning

Success means more than positive outcomes "relative to pre-established targets"

Success means that learners "need to reflect

"Paradox of the Active User"

If we can think collaboratively better we'll actually have a chance at making the world better -- global consciousness

Knit our minds together

todayilearned You learn something new every day--what did you learn today?

D2L Engaging Digital Learners Session

The following are notes from a presentation on how to engage the facebook, wii, ipod, iphone, youtube generation in online learning

http://www.uwsa.edu/d2l

fusion.guest
fusion.guest

put file type (like wmv) in the search line

"skating babies-evian" for marketing example

Cbox let's you embed a discussion thread under an embedded video (create a widget for the Cbox that allows you to embed in D2L)

If you rip a segment from a video (turn on closed captioning before burning then you make it more accessible)

Caption Sync?- text writing closed captioning program? She wasn't sure of exact name, but worth checking.

I spring Free? for powerpoint (embeds, links to flash file, so need to have original powerpoint file too)

Freeplaymusic.com royalty free site

Camstudio, wink, jing They used camtasia

statcounter.com (counts hits) for tracking how many students opened the video (transripts) put the code on every page (use template from dreamweaver to make it easier?)

Dabbleboard -- whiteboard can record program

Animation--usually uses Flash for Interactive animation can allow students to manipulate and choose course of action Interactive Game templates http://facstaff.uww.edu/jonesd/games/index.html

GRAPHICS
Breaks up text-keeps it visually interesting--helps highlight/accent/compliment text

Check out these sites to find royalty-free images:
Free downloadable photos:
http://www.sxc.hu/
http://www.morguefile.com/
http://www.fontplay.com/freephotos/
Free downloadable animated graphics: http://www.gifs.net/gif/
Microsoft Clipart (also has many photos): http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/clipart/default.aspx

Picnik.com FREE, EASY--Can resize pictures/graphics that are too large after copying.

For wrapping text around photo in html code (insert attributes):
Code for floating images/wrapping text:

style=padding-right:5px;float:left

"This code will make the picture line up on the left side of the screen. To make the picture line up on the right side, simply switch around the words right and left. This code can be added to the code in an HTML editing software like Dreamweaver, or directly into D2L's HTML editor. In the D2L HTML editor you have two means to add the code:
In the editing mode of a course document, on the Advanced tab, click Edit HTML Source (lower left side of window), and type the code code within the code for the image. Make sure to save your edits.OR
In the editing mode of a course document, on the Advance tab, click on the image already inserted, click Insert/Edit Attributes on the editing toolbar, and type the code in the Style box (minus the style=" " portion of the code, e.g.: padding-right: 5px; float: left), click Insert, and Save.

AUDIO
Audacity (free) with microphone

Use audio feedback that can get upload back to a dropbox after word document (Can add that option unto Office so it becomes an icon on task bar)

POLLS
One way we can quickly gather feedback from our students online is to use polls. You can either use PollDaddy or Qualtrics to provide polls.

D2L lodestar

Creating Interactive Course Content with LodeStar
Presenters:
Guntis Dombrovskis
Ali Serrioz

Easy to create templates and learning objects are interactive

Tools:
Timeline (biography, course schedule)
Brancher (case studies, scenarios) can have content (text and/or video) can take you back or forward depending on how students answer (provide additional information)

Teach Act

Presenter
can also add quizzes

Flash cards

Skorm needs to be turned on at the CAMPUS level then we can get reports for grading the items (like crosswords)

D2L "Free Software for Creating Learning Objects"

Handout is accessible at fusion website

CLODS: creating learning objects that don't suck

Office Software:
Googledoc
Openoffice

Photoediting:
Picnik
Gimp

PDF Creator

Presentation
Prezi

GOOGLE DOCS:
facilatates collaboration between students
can flip back to previous version of docs
Gears (add on function)
students have google account without gmail account (just need an email address of some sort)

TO PUBLISH to LOR
Save google doc as MS Office file type or PDF then publish

OPEN OFFICE.ORG
open source office suite
create/manipulate office files without MS Liscenses (but have to download)
More feature rich than google doc
Suite does offer writer, (word equiv, calc: excel equ, impres: Ppt equ, draw: equiv to vecot graphics, math: edit equations, and one more I missed)

Audacity:
recording and editing sounds
recording lectures or instructions
numerous types of sound editing
save as /edit mp3, wav, aiff
relatively simple interface
to publish to LOR: save as mpg, wav, aiff file then publish or embed into content topcs then publish

Wavepad--out of Australia--has MP3 software already in it so no extra downloads are needed vs audicity (oops--new version apparently does now convert files)

Camstudio
screencasting software
record screen and audio actiities, save as avi
numerous recording features
ideal for recording
simple interface
yellow highlight circle on screen demonstration
comes out as avi file (can save as swf file--but that's not editible)

Free compression sites for large files (vcompression, compression.org, quicktime pro, )

Slideshare.net (will host powerpoint presentations) link as URL

Screentoaster.com (can add voice saves as quicktime)

PHOTOEDITING

Picnk: online photoediting sofware--simple edits and touchups
integration into online photosharing accounts
"freemium" model
simple to use
can take a pic from facebook (save back or on computer)

GIMP.org
along the lines of adobe
feature rich
graphic design and photo enhancement
interface a little more complex but more features come with that
save to local drive then upload
alot of tuturials online at youtube and and text online for how to use gimp

ACCESSIBILITY

AccessApps
over 53 ms window aps
EduApps--which also features teachaps and studentaps
Reading and writing resources
Can paste text into it and save in screen reader voice (computer) embed audio for students with special needs
Visual support--virtual magnifying glass
Save all this onto a USB stick?

PDF CREATOR
"print" documents to pdf (can convert document: file, print as pdf, converts it)

PREZI.COM
zooming features
illustrates relationships (flow chart or map) between objects (circular bubble flow)
flash file


OTHER LINKS WITH VALUABLE ELEARNING RESOURCES:
Paul's elearning Resources
Using ICT in Further Education
Digital Resarch Tools (DiRT)


Minddomo?

D2L Michael Wesch

Fusion started last night with an unconference in St. Paul. Unfortunately, there was a nasty accident on I-94 which caused the highway to be closed for 9 hours and I was stuck in that midst of the backup. It took me over two hours to go 9 miles and over 4 hours to get from the Clearwater cut across to the unconference (what should take just over an hour). So unfortunately I missed the presentations at the unconference but was able to get in on the social networking.

I was able to get a little time to work on my class last night after getting back to the hotel as the morning registration went from 9 to noon. After a quick lunch we had an award presentation and now...

Michael Wesch
moving from encouraging students to be knowledgeable to knowledge-abled.

Cultural Anthropologist. Talking about his experience in Guinea. "My little America"--cocoon with sleeping bag he'd surround himself with at night (keep out critters).

If you don't have writing and you live in a village where everyone knows everyone, people don't have names--defined by relationship. Caused issues to census takers number talk.

Media are not just means of communication--media mediates relationships (they are relationships)
"M.M.: "We shape our tools, and thereafter our tools shape us"--new ways of connectng and building relationships, building our community.--Bring that into our classroom

Michael Wesch: "The hallmark of humanity is learning"

Compare/contrast classroom to stadium at American Idol (auditions?)

Media is coming at people. Making people not easily impressed in classroom because ready for real-world on stage (they think they're the next american idol and are shocked when they're not) Disengaged.

Conversations on TV to be significant (but one way conversation)

Look up use of the word "whatever"
pre-1960's : "Whatever. That's what I meant"
Late 60's " I don't care. Whatever" (cultural weigh to it. Disengaging from "the system")
1990's MTV: the indifference "meh
late 90's "Whatever. I'll do what I want" (narcicissm-I am the center of the world)

Jean Twenge, Generation Me: Why Today's Young Americans Are More Confident, Assertive, Entitled, and Miserable"

"Something in the Air--there's a big change going on now" people are feeling more empowered now. Remakes (charlie bit my finger, soldier boy)

Playfullness and seriousness is happening online

John Mccain: Barbara Ann line at a meeting (didn't know he was being taped) within 3 days there were several remixes online

Chevy online-put out remix challenge

MadV (anonymous) to make statement: One word. Most reponded to video at the time. Write your message on your hand (love yourself, love others, hold me, we are all connected, come together, one world etc.) Expressions from very private places to a very public forum (1.4 billion people) "Not just statements--call to actions"

M.M. "The medium is the message"

The way you set things up is the message. The classroom --information dump (learning is to acquire--scarce and ahrd to find--trust authority for good information, authorized info is beyond student control, don't question authority, just follow along. Questions reflected that learning environment. Crisis of signficance--just worried about the grade not the learning.

Love your audience and they'll you back--love the experience.

The Art of Loving (& Learning) shifting from getting people to love you, instead trying to care

Care
Responsibility RESPONDING
Respect
Knowledge ACTUALLY KNOWING SOMETHING ABOUT

Interconnected 4 (without the 4 together--on their own--then idolizing, patronizing, )

Truly loving (instead of focusing on content, focusing on them opens it up to so much more.

Harness environment. Not just to take in but share and create meaningful significance together-relationships--living subjects bring student in instead of preaching at.

Parker Palmer:The courage to teach.

Look
Engage real problems engage together harnessing the existing media environment. Build a serious community. "COLLECTIVE WE" "Work to unfold it and bring it to life" Requires balance

"No one is as smart as everybody" missed who that was by--sorry. Kevin Kelly--just got it. Thanks Twitter

Video: Google docs that lead to a script for "A Vision of Students Today" (most blogged about video at the time) Harvesting information to create something together

Documentary about youtube An anthropologist approach to youtube

Learning how to engage with each other and subject--"living" "learning is all about making conections"

To move toward a new future of "whatever": To whatever meaning "I care let's do whatever it takes...by whatever means necessary"

Tech tool Resources

Here's a blog entry that was forwarded to me by a friend who works with the author.  It has a bunch of great social learning links as well as a brief summary of some of the top tech tools.  The post made on April 28, 2009 can be found at: http://blog.sewardinc.com/

Thanks Heath!

Leadership Blogging Workshop

I'm currently attending a workshop on leadership blogging presented by Griff Wigley as sponsored by Northern Community Internet and the Blandin Foundation.

A variety of individuals are taking part of the workshop including current bloggers and blogging newbies.

AJ Liebling "Freedom of the press is limited to those who own one"

Blogging first started almost as a "we/they" type mentality. So the importance to get civic leaders online was an impetus for Griff's group.

Led to a podcast which led to a local radio show. Citizens connected to their community. Then lead to 3 person blog which could be used more as a platform for their opinions. Comments are accepted from the community but only the 3 post the blogs

Community blogs are blos where anyone can post.

Culture of civility online. A few rules:
1) Use your real first and last name. Accountability.
2) No Sarcasm. Sarcasm sometimes fuels emotions and need for some to retaliate. Sarcasm one to many (own blog) is usually more acceptable, but in a community forum not so much. (My note: Sarcasm face to face allows the other to interpret tone as well as words--online "tone" isn't as easily "read".)
3) If you disagree with someone, say it as if that person was in the room looking at you in the eye and you are face-to-face.
4) Address the person by first name in your comment
5) If lines are crossed, you give a warning. Then a person can be put on a "moderator"-needed basis so their comments don't automatically get posted. Then if comments become more appropriate you can take them off moderated mode. If not, comments don't get posted.

"Blog" came from Web Log (like Journal) used for many purposes. They take on all forms--personal blogs, corporate blogs, photoblogs, politcal blogs, travel blogs, project blogs, education blogs, leadership blogs. It is basically just a tool, a publishing platform. Comment section does NOT have to be there for it to be considered a blog.

Griff: "A leader is about influence" "Art of blogging is strategically capturing some of those moments that have in your mind as a leader, some significance" "By blogging it it has the capactity to spread...the shelf life of that interaction is much longer...it has leverage."

Ross: "CLOG" Combined blog postings.

Nelson Mandela: "A good head and good heart are always a formidable combination. But when you add to that a literate tongue or pern, then you have something very special."

Why Blog?
*"Near real time" helps keep up following.
*Strategic storytelling (personal voice)
*to leverage (make more of what you do) your leadership activities (thinking, beliefs, problem-solving, interactions) (an alternative to (and leverage with) existing media
*for greater time-saving influence

MY NOTE: *more accessiblility especially in these more difficult economic times (money, time, scheduling, etc) get them informed about other topics they might not have first sought you out for when checking out your blog

Carry your camera. MY NOTE: Pictures help connect people to concepts and to each other.

Put a picture of a person use their name, link link link (helps spread blog)

Linking helps promote your site. Griff: "Google has a bias for blogs". My Note: Links also help your followers get the information they came to you for and to find out more about other resources that interest them.

"Dead brochure type websites" good for now, but a year from now? Use website as an extension of who you are. Blogs give you more personalness. Engaging.

Voice of Authenticity (and a measure of personailty)

Blogs can give you your voice, your own channel to the citizenry. Griff: "If you're going to swim in this ocean, you gotta learn these tools"

Paul Levy, President and CEO of Beth Istrael Deaconess Medical Centre in Boston used blog runningahospital.blogspot.com

Writing for your audience but also for yourself--clarify your thoughts when you actually have to visualize it on the "page"

"How vain it is to sit down to write when you have not stood up to live" -- Henry David Thoreau

Recognize other people, organizations. It multiplies that affirmation. It keeps on giving and is powerful. Dr Lachlan orow "Effective leaders emobdy values, honor them in the rest of us, encouage and fasciliates...positive feedback loop"

NOTE: First couple of sentences in a blog post is very important--HOOK your reader or future reader

Can chroncle learning (transparent learning)

Modeling leadership to others

Stories as they evolve

Teach about the compexities of an issue (MY NOTE: especially when issues tend to become polarized. Right/wrong, my side/the other side, with me/against me, now/never)

RSS ("Real simple syndication") FEED--info shipped to you Reader or aggregator like google. Manage your information flow.

Feedburner to get feed address

Twitter Hashtag

Laerned a little about Twitter today. I have tweeted a few times and follow a couple of people but today was the first time I RSS a particular feed. I also created my first hashtag and started a feed. It's as simple as adding # in front of your keyword. Wish there was a way to comment from the feed review site. Also REFRESH!!!

If I want to retweet: rt @usernamefrom twitter (then copy and paste or retype message)

Link to facebook

Unconference MN Voices Online

I am currently attending an "unconference" in Duluth for MN Voices Online. The following are simply notes that I'm taking as I listen and participate in the unsessions.

Ideas that came from the time here (so far):

Spectogram: Large length of tape on the floor. Ask a question and have participants place themselves on the line according to how strong they agree or disagree with statement. Then have students defend their "literal" position.

Blogging Assignment: Pictures that spark blog stories. Provide 2-3 stories and have students write stories that stem from one or all of the pictures

Writing Context assignment. Take a twitter line then ask students to expand that one twitter line to a facebook status line, to an email, all the way to a letter to grandma.

Saturday morning:
Reality check--I opened this blogsite and started to write this entry (after checking my facebook and subscribing to mnvoices twitter feed) only to have a friend IM me. So I was IMing, blogging, having my photo taken for flickr and being videotaped as a participant in a fishbowl exercise that was being livestreamed out to the internet.

Ideas for class:
Mass Comm: "News My Way" Choose a medium for getting across your local news

Misc
There is a Facebook that is an open letter to President Obama.

Personal writing idea: Keep a box of itmes that speak to me somehow and then when the box starts to get alot of items, take the box and then use them to write a story that may or may not integrate the items in the box.

Saturday afternoon

(see twitter blog)

Mogulus--free account
Digital Video Camera with firewire cable

Choose video and mic source (dv audio and video) better quality more flexibility

Computer can act as control center because you can have input from various sites. Can type in banners that are used and can be saved to so it's one click switching.

Can RSS to blog (webpages not as easy) so embed to blog is a good idea.

Blog tv (might be able to cohost)

Can open an account and then have multiple contributers.

However, the free account will probably limit how many people may access.

Chuck from uptake is willing to answer future questions.

Chart Creator

Here's a free tool for making different types of charts. Google Chart:

http://code.google.com/apis/chart/

Meeting Notes for Emerging Tech Certificate

Topics Course: Second digit is a 4

With an AA the ETEC will transfer as credits.

16 credits

2-3 speech classes to AASC to Martha by Friday April 3rd noon.

Lisa, Michael and I will get together to discuss AASC forms and learning outcomes for the various courses that will come from the speech dept.

LOVE THE SHAPE COLLAGE

I created an assignment for my interpersonal communication class based on photos of different emotions. I added the pictures directly to D2L but also put them in my "From Reality Shows to Showing My Reality" blog in case others wanted to use them for their classes. So here's the direct link to that blog entry:

http://showingreality.blogspot.com/2009/03/emotion-collages.html

Thanks Shape Collage!

Elephant Videos from Thailand photos

Using an "iphoto slideshow" setting I was able to create a fun way to display photos. I used our group's photos of the elephants we saw in Thailand.

Here's my video:

A "related" video suggestion popped up when I played mine and it appears to be some of the same elephants from the Conservation Center we went to in Thailand. When we were there some of the elephants played a couple of instruments in the "show". It appears now, that the Center has a complete Orchestra. So here a link to the video if you'd like to see their progress:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1NpvHsxjgw&feature=related

Thai Food Collage

I used Shape Collage today for the first time. It was pretty quick and easy to downlaod and quick and easy to create a collage. I might try and use this for an emotion assignment in my interpersonal class. However, for the purposes of my trial I used food pictures from Thailand since that was the file I was working with earlier today. So below is my first attempt at a photo collage.

Music Video Idea for Class based on "World"

When requesting official permission to use Five for Fighting's "100 years" in my Windows and Mirrors music video on Guatemala, I discovered this interesting music video challenge. I think I might have to look at it more closely to see if I can't combine this with the service learning unit for my online classes. That could be very cool. Here's the site:

http://www.WhatKindOfWorldDoYouWant.com/

Minnesota Hunger Statistics

Website with statistics and information on Hunger in Minnesota (including food stamp use, increase of food shelf visits, "blueprint to end hunger", etc.) as generated by the US Dept of Agriculture

Site Link

http://hungersolutions.org

http://oyh.org

Flood Blog

Site to a blog dedicated to flood information for the Red River Valley.

http://www.areavoices.com/springflood/

Facebook Flood Call to Action

Here's an article about the power of facebook and it's immediacy in bringing people together. A call for volunteers to help with the sandbagging efforts in Fargo Moorhead was put out on facebook and within 24 hours 1,000 people had volunteered, within 48 hours they were at 2,000.

Here's the link to the amazing results of a facebook group:

http://minnesota.publicradio.org/collections/special/columns/news_cut/archive/2009/03/facebooks_flood_fighters.shtml?refid=0

Class Resources from the Advocates for Human Rights

While exploring some of the websites posted by my fellow upcoming "unconference" attendees, I discovered the Advocates for Human Rights page. This site has a tremendous amount of information and resources for educators and for students as well as areas focused more on individual action under their advocates section. Main webaddress: http://discoverhumanrights.org/

There are "toolkits" for educators on the right to education, health, housing and food. There are also toolkits on the rights of migrants and the rights of women. One such toolkit I plan to use is the right to housing.

Under the Right to Housing. There is a national factsheet you can access or the following which includes information specific to Minnesota as well:
http://discoverhumanrights.org/sites/7cc8fb84-899d-457d-a486-470ccb03fb16/uploads/Housing_Fact_Sheet__Minnesota_Nov__1__2007.pdf

The fact sheet has some powerful statistics and nice definitions of what housing rights include and the current crisis of the homeless in Minnesota. The following are statistics are taken directly from the above site:

Black, American Indian and Hispanic people constitute 54% of Minnesota’s homeless population

In Minnesota, 32% of homeless women who were interviewed cited domestic abuse as one of their reasons for leaving their last
place of residence.

44% percent of homeless adults in Minnesota report at least one chronic health condition, 52% report suffering from serious mental illness, and 34% report alcohol or chemical dependency

On any given night, 9,200 people in Minnesota23 and 800,000 people nationwide are homeless

The home site also includes lesson plans, powerpoints, quizzes, and tips on how to take action.

On a personal note, one of the Advocates for Human Rights projects is to help run a school in Nepal. To help support that project the site offers a free kit for hosting a house party for the Nepal School. Which I am going to do.
http://www.theadvocatesforhumanrights.org/Hosting_a_House_Party_for_the_Nepal_School.html

So as you can see, there is a lot of valuable information at this site. I hope you check it out.