I am always trying out new web 2.0 tools and trying to figure out new ways to use them in my work. I also have a big interest in figuring out how our students might use them too, for their assignments, for research, and for organizing their lives. I use alot of them every day to manage the information I come across. I used Google's Creator (webpage maker) to make notes of some of the web 2.0 tools I want to come back to later for research. Here are some notes from a book I read a few months ago on a Creator webpage, (http://theloriwarren.googlepages.com/home). I am also considering a Creator webpage for a collection of videos that have How-to guide instructions for the applications our students use the most. I'm developing a Creator page on Second Life resources too and will be publishing it later.
If you've visited this blog you know I have other blogs that I maintain to keep up with work related questions, student questions and parenting gamers. My Help Desk FAQ blog is shared with student workers that I added as authors to the blog. We link to the blog on our Information Commons' webpage. Students and I use the blog to quickly post current questions we get in the library relating to online courseware, and technology.
Google documents I use everyday for work. I have a spreadsheet that tracks the student numbers and questions we get in our open lab classroom on Mondays. Another spreadsheet tracks FAQ questions by the month and year. Student workers share their reseaerch with me using Google documents too.
The last Google tool I use the most is the Notebook. I have several that I keep on various projects. One notebook is a shared source for Second Life research. Another notebook is a collection of web 2.0 notes and comparisons that other co-workers collaborate with me on from time to time. Google applications/tools are a big part of my work world. If you haven't checked them out go to Google and look them over. They have many more.
Friday, July 18, 2008
Looking at YouTube/TestTube
While I was reading through the book, How to Do Everything with YouTube, I discovered that YouTube has launched (now and in the past) a TestTube beta and Remixer. The TestTube currently has four features that anyone can try. One, Audio Swap offers users the added ability to change out the audio on their uploaded video. Users can swap their original video sound for a song that is licensed for use. The song selected will then have its artist's name and label added to the user's video. The user gets free music and the artist gets his songs out to the public. The application is at http://www.youtube.com/testtube. This is a familiar feature you may remember from animoto.com (The site where you can create your own music videos). I haven't compared the websites to see if they handle different artists and labels. Something I might do later.
TestTube is also a place where YouTube users can tryout some sharing and interactive features.
Right now users can try out video annotations and add interactive commentary to their videos. They can also try out stream video (a feature that lets them chat with others that are watching the same video they are) and try active sharing (so others can see what they're watching). Voyeuristic? No doubt.
The Remixer mentioned in beginning of this blog doesn't seem to exist at the moment. When it did appear in the TestTube it was a feature that let the user edit videos that they had uploaded at previous times. The Remixer was based on the Adobe Premier Express product and let users combine and clip videos together. It also let the user add transitions and apply titles and effects to their videos without leaving YouTube. Hmm. I'll check back later and see if it appears again.
One last thing, if you aren't experienced in compressing, reformatting and uploading video- Chad Fah's book and website can give you how-to instruction. I'll leave you to figure that out. That is- if he has finished the website and added his tutorials.
TestTube is also a place where YouTube users can tryout some sharing and interactive features.
Right now users can try out video annotations and add interactive commentary to their videos. They can also try out stream video (a feature that lets them chat with others that are watching the same video they are) and try active sharing (so others can see what they're watching). Voyeuristic? No doubt.
The Remixer mentioned in beginning of this blog doesn't seem to exist at the moment. When it did appear in the TestTube it was a feature that let the user edit videos that they had uploaded at previous times. The Remixer was based on the Adobe Premier Express product and let users combine and clip videos together. It also let the user add transitions and apply titles and effects to their videos without leaving YouTube. Hmm. I'll check back later and see if it appears again.
One last thing, if you aren't experienced in compressing, reformatting and uploading video- Chad Fah's book and website can give you how-to instruction. I'll leave you to figure that out. That is- if he has finished the website and added his tutorials.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
YouTube: Book Review
I am letting you know up front that I have conflicting emotions about YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/). I guess this really points out that I am not of the Net Generation and that I have major mother/protector issues. It is actually not the site itself but a small part of the population that uploads inappropriate video-of a personal nature that they should keep private. We all know that these individuals could select the private option for their videos but they don't. Perhaps someone else is making their video public? I don't know. I've done what I can to filter them out. I 've put whatever filter settings I can on my PC and set the ones youtube offers. I wish there were more safety settings available. Better yet, I wish those certain individuals would seek counseling. Since they probably won't...I guess I'll do what my PCer generation does and start looking up possible answers in a book.
Which brings me to this book review. I did not set this blog up to write book reviews. However, in my effort to search for a better way to keep my children from viewing above mentioned material, I ended up reading this book.
The book is pretty good. It is titled, "How to Do Everything with YouTube." The author, Chad Fahs is a digital filmmaker and instructor and has written alot on video/media topics. Most of the things I read in the book, How to set an account, How to navigate the YouTube interface and How to search and embed YouTube videos- I knew already. But what I didn't know or hadn't tried had to do with creating and uploading my own videos.
Nope! Haven't gone there yet. In Chad's book, I found the easy-to-follow guide to do this though. I doubt I will- but at least I know where to go or who to read if I change my mind. Chad has his own YouTube Channel if you want to check him out at http://www.youtube.com/chadfahs. You can also go to his website where he has tutorials and up to date links for YouTube users. For you old PC users like me, you can get the book.
Which brings me to this book review. I did not set this blog up to write book reviews. However, in my effort to search for a better way to keep my children from viewing above mentioned material, I ended up reading this book.
The book is pretty good. It is titled, "How to Do Everything with YouTube." The author, Chad Fahs is a digital filmmaker and instructor and has written alot on video/media topics. Most of the things I read in the book, How to set an account, How to navigate the YouTube interface and How to search and embed YouTube videos- I knew already. But what I didn't know or hadn't tried had to do with creating and uploading my own videos.
Nope! Haven't gone there yet. In Chad's book, I found the easy-to-follow guide to do this though. I doubt I will- but at least I know where to go or who to read if I change my mind. Chad has his own YouTube Channel if you want to check him out at http://www.youtube.com/chadfahs. You can also go to his website where he has tutorials and up to date links for YouTube users. For you old PC users like me, you can get the book.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
www.goodwidgets.com
To turn the pages of the book- click and hold down your cursor on to the top right corner of the right page and drag the page left, click and release in an area just above the book. It takes a few tries to get the movement down. This blog template does not let you see the entire book. Sorry about that.
I was following another bread crumb trail on the Internet yesterday and came across this site, http://www.goodwidgets.com/. It offers users a different format for presenting their photos. These widgets have short codes that you can copy and paste in your html editor or add via the websites posting application. It is a one, two three step process to upload your pictures. You'll want to edit them and size them for the web before uploading them. The site doesn't have picture editing tools. This widget did let me set the colors for the book, pages and highlights so you can make this widget match your color schemes. I recommend that you resize and set the resolution for the web for each of the pictures for quick upload and presentation. The down side is you can upload only one picture at a time. Still, it is pretty cool web 2.0 tool you can add to your MySpace, Facebook or webpage.
Powered by GoodWidgets.com
Monday, July 7, 2008
www.rocketboom.com Daily News with a Twist
During my everyday ramblings on the Internet, I came across rocketboom.com.
In watching just one episode of "Daily with Joanne Colan" I have become an instant fan of this news format. This is saying alot. I rarely watch TV anymore, online or off. So why do I find this Internet broadcast so interesting? I guess its the seamless blend of on-the-spot newscasting that Miss Colan does with the net generation characters she encounters. The people she features are individuals whose very lives seem to be naturally intertwined with the digital world. Rocketboom.com puts a spotlight on the net generation's digital and entrepreneurial skills. Hope you check it out. I suggest viewing "The Man Behind the (Podington) Bear interview, July 2nd, 2008.
In watching just one episode of "Daily with Joanne Colan" I have become an instant fan of this news format. This is saying alot. I rarely watch TV anymore, online or off. So why do I find this Internet broadcast so interesting? I guess its the seamless blend of on-the-spot newscasting that Miss Colan does with the net generation characters she encounters. The people she features are individuals whose very lives seem to be naturally intertwined with the digital world. Rocketboom.com puts a spotlight on the net generation's digital and entrepreneurial skills. Hope you check it out. I suggest viewing "The Man Behind the (Podington) Bear interview, July 2nd, 2008.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Voicethread.com
I have stumbled on a VoiceThread presentation before this, but while following a web 2.0 path of crumbs (think Hansel & Gretal)I came upon it again. This time I watched the demo. This is one web 2.0 tool I really want people to see!!! Hopefully, In the near future you'll see a student project posted here using voicethread or video doodle. I've been showing this tool off around the office and to our fabulous student workers. After you check out this demo, you must check out the Video Doodling. I think it really works well with the cartoon format. By the way, has anyone watched the new cartoon on Cartoon Network called Drama Camp? We have officially gone around the bend and bounced back. It is a cartoon where the charactors are in a reality TV series.
Back to Voicethread. You can try it out for free. It gives you three Voice Threads with 75 MB of storage. If you want to buy the application it's reasonable. It is a subscription cost of 59.95 a year and it says you can create unlimited Threads with 10gb storage. To see everything offered visit the site and click on the pricing tag at the top of the page.
Back to Voicethread. You can try it out for free. It gives you three Voice Threads with 75 MB of storage. If you want to buy the application it's reasonable. It is a subscription cost of 59.95 a year and it says you can create unlimited Threads with 10gb storage. To see everything offered visit the site and click on the pricing tag at the top of the page.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
New SpringWidget
If you have signed up for an RSS feed of your favorite blog and would like to post a reader in your eLearn course or personal webpage you can with a SpringWidget reader. It's free and the directions for embedding this widget is very easy. Maybe you'd like to add a RSS reader that the students could use to subscribe to your blog. That can be done too. I was turned onto this web 2.0 tool by Adam Beavers. Well, actually he was researching Pecha Kucha Night and sent me a link to Michele Martin's blog entree on Pecha Kucha. If you like her blog you can subscribe to it with a SpringWidget. She is a ten year devotee to sharing social media tools (web 2.0). She authors, "The Bamboo Project: Career Development, Technology and Learning Strategies for LifeLong Personal and Professional Growth." I've subscribed to her blog below. I think she has some good ideas for enhancing eLearn/eLive courses and using web 2.0 tools to create innovated learning objects. I also like her idea of showcasing faculty projects and student presentations using the Pecha Kucha presentation style.
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